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Gladiator II doesn't do enough to set itself apart from the original. It justifies its existence but could have been better.
Posted in: Movies, Review | Tagged: 20th century studios, Alien: Romulus, Cailee Spaeny, Davis Jonsson, fede alvarez
Alien: Romulus Is Missing Something, Still A Fun Watch {Review}
Alien: Romulus is a flawed but worthy entry in the franchise, probably the third best entry by default. It sure is pretty to look at, though.
Article Summary
- Alien: Romulus is visually stunning but suffers from a slow first half with unlikeable characters.
- The film excels in its second half, delivering intense chase scenes and over-the-top action.
- Cailee Spaeny and Davis Jonsson shine, but the rest of the cast falls flat.
- A worthwhile watch for Alien fans, though it misses the mark of the franchise's classic entries.
Alien: Romulus is, by default, the third-best film in the franchise, and when it works, it is because it borrows so heavily from the classic first two entries. Taking bits from all over the entire franchise, the second half of the film is a tense, thrilling chase film that blends perfectly with the over-the-top action that those first two classic films are known for, and only in a way, Fede Alvarez could bring us. It's such a shame that the first half leaves you cold, with horribly unlikeable characters and a choppiness that should have been trimmed down. Still, this is one of the prettiest films of the summer; see it on the biggest screen possible.
Alien: Romulus Feels Like It Is Missing Something
Set between the events of Alien and Aliens, we follow a brand new crew on a mysterious outpost as they dodge face-huggers, Xenomorphs, and an unexpected evil to try and survive as long as they can. All of the story beats you would expect are here: face-huggers chasing, chest-bursting, menacing Xenomorphs, and everything in between. What sets a lot of this aside is the style Alvarez brings to the table. He is not shy about anything and fearless about making audiences squirm; some practical and special effects are top-notch. He never cuts away at the spot you think he should; he holds on longer to the chaos. It's never too long, but some gnarly stuff is on-screen in Alien: Romulus.
But that first 45 minutes is tough. As we are introduced to our victims, I mean characters, it is pretty clear who will be perishing and who will survive. Our main two, Cailee Spaeny as Rain, our Ripley stand-in, and Davis Jonsson as Andy the android, are fantastic. Jonsson especially gives a nuanced and star-making performance in this film. What a journey he goes on, and under other circumstances, this could have been a laughable turn. Instead, we almost care more about him than Rain. Almost. Spaeny is also great and brings us a modern sci-fi hero to root for. While the comparisons to Ripley are inevitable, she brings her own strength and vulnerability to the role that carries the whole movie. If not for those two, this cast would be AVP levels of bad. All of them are overacting, and the script doesn't do them any favors, only wanting to use them as fodder.
Alien: Romulus feels like it is missing a gear in the first half that will have you scratching your head. None of the motivations to get these people to where we need them make sense, with the script repeatedly hammering us over the head with messages about corporate and personal greed. It all flips when an unexpected choice occurs, and Alvarez surprises fans with something we never expected. Your opinion of the film may depend on that decision alone. Even the excellent second half has some odd choices that feel rad in the moment but afterward leave you shaking your head at how silly it was.
This is a good course correction for the franchise in the end. Not Prey-levels great, but a solid watch nevertheless. One always wishes that the Xenomorphs have more to do than hatch and wail at their prey, and they achieve that here. But it just does not live up to what you are expecting going into the theater with this director's name attached. A gear is missing here, and if that first half had gotten there, maybe that would be the difference. Alien: Romulus is a solid watch for sure, but a notch below those first two classics that filmmakers have not come close to touching since.
Alien: Romulus
7/10
Alien: Romulus is a flawed but worthy entry into the franchise, probably the third best entry by default. A meandering first half is saved by the thrilling second half. It is also gorgeous, see it on the biggest screen possible. Good, but not great.
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