Early next month, 20th Century Studios (nee 20th Century Fox) will bring the latest entry in its seemingly never-ending Alien franchise to physical media when it releases Alien: Romulus. The franchise’s ninth (yes ninth) entry and its first since 2017’s Alien: Covenant, this nearly 2-hour movie (due out Dec. 3 on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD) is neither the best nor the worst of the franchise. That is due in large part to its story, which will be discussed shortly. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its forthcoming home release make up for the issues with the story while also creating more concerns about the story at the same time. To that end, the insight they offer makes them a key part of the movie’s upcoming home presentation. The special effects that are used throughout the movie are also of importance. They are actually discussed in the bonus features. To that end, those two elements – the bonus content and special effects – really are the saving graces for this latest entry in the Alien franchise.
Alien: Romulus, the latest entry in 20th Century Studios’ seeming ever-expanding Alien cinematic universe, is hardly the franchise’s best offering nor its worst. It is a presentation that neither detracts from nor adds to the franchise. This is evident through the story, which centers on a group of 20-somethings who aim to escape their lives on a colony run by the Weylund-Yutani Corporation (Which has been part of the Alien franchise since day one). The friends steal one of the corporation’s ships and make their way to a decommissioned space station above the planet on which the colony resides in order to get enough fuel to get to another planet. In stealing the fuel from the station, the group ultimately causes the very conflict which becomes the center of the story. A bunch of face huggers that were cryogenically frozen onboard the station thaw out and escape their frozen prisons as a result of the theft, leading to the same terror that filled every other Alien movie. From there, the story becomes a near exact redo of Alien with hints of both that movie and its 1986 sequel, Aliens thrown in for good measure. All in all, the story here is for all intents and purposes one giant two-hour fan service story that also reaches for younger viewers by having a bunch of millennials in the starring roles instead of regular aged people. This aspect is addressed in brief in the bonus content, which will be addressed shortly. Keeping all of this in mind, the story will appeal to younger audiences who may be less familiar with the Alien franchise. For those who are more familiar with that universe however, it will prove watching at least once, but sadly not much more than that.
While the story featured in Alien: Romulus is a bit of a mixed bag the movie’s bonus content makes for at least a little bit more engagement and entertainment. That is because of the insight and information provided throughout. The most important of the bonuses is the lead bonus, “Return to Horror – Crafting Alien: Romulus. Over the course of the nearly half-hour feature, audiences learn from director Fede Alvarez just how much live shooting was done in place of CGI. This is important to note considering that the original two Alien movies were crafted before the age of CGI. That Alvarez and company would pay homage to the stylistic legacy set by Alien and Aliens by going this direction makes for at least some appreciation for the movie, if only for its look. Seeing the models, the on-set creations, etc. is impressive. Even the cast seemed to appreciate the approach because of its own role in how they interacted in each scene.
On another note, audiences also learn from Alvarez in this featurette, that the story was meant to take place between the first two Alien movies. This is important to note because in the bigger picture, it will lead to discussions among viewers as to whether this movie is a spinoff or a sequel or a full on reboot. This after one Ridley Scott states in another of the bonuses that he had intended to restart the Alien franchise some years ago and that this movie was essentially that new start. So that leads to the noted question about whether the story is a sequel, reboot, or spinoff. It certainly feels like a reboot, considering that it is a near shot for shot redo of the original, right down to so much of the dialogue. Knowing this, it again detracts from the entertainment of the story, further showing the importance of the movie’s bonus content.
Another key item that audiences gain through the bonus content is a very brief statement from Alvarez that his aim was to make the movie appealing to younger viewers as well as the original audiences. So in that reach, the case is, as noted, a group of 20 somethings instead of older actors, such as in the original Alien movies. This may be overlooked on the surface but in understanding Alvarez’s intent, one cannot help but look at the casting and realize it was intentional. It is as is he did not think older actors could appeal to younger viewers. That is sad, to say the least and one more example of the importance of this movie’s bonus content.
Knowing the importance of the movie’s bonus content, there is at least one more positive to note, that being its noted special effects. As was pointed out earlier, it is revealed in the movie’s bonus content that real sets and models were used in the movie in lieu of CGI and other special effects. That approach is refreshing even if it just a throwback to the approach used in the original movies. In an age when nearly every studio relies so much on CGI for such movies, the use of actual sets, etc. gives the movie a wholly different look and feel; a positive look and feel. It is such a nice change of pace that gives audiences at least some more reason to watch the movie. This, alongside the bonus content, makes Alien: Romulus at least somewhat appealing and worth watching at least once, but sadly not much more than that.
Alien: Romulus, the latest entry in 20th Century Studios’ ever-expanding Alien universe, is hardly the greatest addition to the franchise, but is not its absolute worst entry, either. It is a somewhat problematic offering, though. That is due in large part to its featured story. The story is essentially just a reboot of the original 1979 Alien movie, even going so far as to re-hash much of the original movie’s dialogue. At the same time, there seems to be some inconsistency between Alvarez and franchise head Ridley Scott as to whether it is a reboot, sequel, or spinoff. That ends up being problematic in its own right in the bigger picture. As much of a mixed bag as the movie’s story is, it is not a do all end all for the movie. The bonus content that accompanies the movie makes for its own engagement and entertainment. That is because of the background and insight that it collectively offers audiences. The special effects, which are discussed as part of the bonus content, round out the movie’s most important elements. That is because they go a completely different direction from those used in so many of today’s action flicks. Keeping that in mind, those effects and the movie’s bonus content pair to serve as the movie’s saving graces.
Alien: Romulus is scheduled for release on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD Dec. 3. More information on this and other titles from 20th Century Studios is available at:
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