How Did Alien Romulus Create Its Most Controversial Character?

As a technology enthusiast and film lover with a soft spot for AI-themed narratives, I find the portrayal of Rook in this new Alien movie to be quite captivating. The character’s ambiguity mirrors the ongoing debates about artificial intelligence, making it not only an intriguing addition to the franchise but also a thought-provoking commentary on our current technological landscape.

[Warning: This story contains major spoilers from Alien: Romulus.]

For sci-fans of a certain age, it was the surprise of the summer.

In the movie “Alien: Romulus,” Ian Holm made a surprising return as a robotic character. This twist was kept under wraps during the film’s promotion and even at the San Diego Comic-Con panel. Given that Holm passed away in 2020, this was no small feat, involving permission from his estate and a blend of animatronics, computer-generated imagery (CGI), and artificial intelligence to create the deception.

As a longtime fan of cinema and someone who has witnessed the evolution of special effects over the years, I must say that the recent attempts to revive deceased actors for movies have left me both intrigued and somewhat skeptical. While the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in filmmaking has come a long way since its inception, I still can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia when watching classic films featuring the legendary actors we lost decades ago.

People’s reactions to the cameo were largely unfavorable, as numerous viewers felt that the technology fell short in convincing them that they were observing a real, living person.

A year ago, the same kind of technology was used to finish Paul Walker’s scenes for the movie “Furious 7”, as he had unfortunately passed away in a car accident before filming was finished. The emotional attachment people felt towards Walker made it easier for audiences to accept the use of computer-generated imagery.

However, opinions remain divided about the resurrection method depicted in Alien: Romulus. Some have voiced concerns over the ethics behind this act, labeling it as insensitive and exploitative. Critics have even likened 20th Century Studios, now owned by Disney, to the malevolent Weyland-Yutani corporation, claiming they prioritize profits over respect for human lives, suggesting a large conglomerate with questionable morals.

As a devoted admirer, I must confess that my appreciation for SlashFilm’s work is unwavering. However, their assessment of the project was quite stark: “I found the endeavor to be an aesthetically disappointing flop. It’s jarring and peculiar, never once managing to appear genuine. The raw truth is, not only does this look unappealing, it’s a misguided concept from every angle.”

Without question, there’s no debate about the scale and grandeur of the undertaking. The part, in essence, is substantial, appearing in numerous sequences and providing crucial dialogues that significantly shape the narrative right up to its jaw-dropping fourth act.

From a cinematic perspective, it’s quite perplexing: The character he portrayed was one of the most iconic AI figures in film history, developed at a time when AI didn’t actually exist. Now, the actor who brought him to life is no longer with us, yet the AI requires a replica of him for its continuation.

The concept of this mutually beneficial relationship was conceived by filmmaker Fede Álvarez, who is known for his work on the movie “Romulus.” While delving into the lore of the franchise, Álvarez observed that there were only a few synthetic models available. For instance, Michael Fassbender portrayed two identical models in the 2017 film “Alien: Covenant.”

Through conversations with director Ridley Scott, it became apparent that the character of Ash, the first synthetic in the Alien series (often referred to as “artificial persons” or APs), is the most fascinating and deserving of a revival.

According to Alvarez’s recent statement to The Hollywood Reporter, it was Ridley who expressed, ‘Ash was consistently outstanding. It’s high time he returns to the spotlight.’

In the story, the character is called Rook. He resembles Ash, a character from the first film who met his end, and precedes Bishop, played by Lance Henriksen in Aliens (1986). The narrative of Romulus unfolds during the time gap between the events depicted in Alien and Aliens.

Unlike Ash and Bishop, who are clearly portrayed as either villains or allies respectively in the original movie, Rook was intentionally designed to be morally complex. His programming aims for good outcomes, but whether these outcomes are truly beneficial for humanity can be questionable. In this aspect, he serves as a fitting symbol for the ongoing debates about the ethical use of artificial intelligence.

“Álvarez pointed out that he seldom deceives or plots against others, nor does he try to trick people into doing things they don’t wish to do. Instead, he is quite honest. The interesting part of the role was figuring out if his character would lean more towards Ash or Bishop,”

According to Álvarez’s concept, Rook is employed by Weyland-Yutani; however, rather than devising means to militarize the lethal Xenomorphs, he perceives their genetic material as a route for enhancing the human species through a substance he calls “the Prometheus fire.” The outcome, unfortunately, leads to some devastating events.

Firstly, it’s crucial that Holm’s estate agrees to the use of his likeness in the movie. The director explained that they approached the family (his widow and all children) for permission, as they wanted everyone to be supportive of the idea of recreating Holm’s appearance.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Álvarez disclosed additional details about the background story. Holm’s wife, artist Sophie de Stempel based in London, felt that Ian was snubbed by Hollywood during the latter years of his life, and he had hoped to participate in more projects following The Hobbit, but this didn’t happen. Therefore, she was overjoyed about the prospect of bringing him back. A settlement was agreed upon and the estate gave approval for his likeness to be used in the movie.

It turned out that “The Hobbit” was instrumental in bringing Rook to life, since Weta FX, a New Zealand-based special effects company, had an unused Ian Holm headcast on hand, as Holm had portrayed Bilbo Baggins in several of Peter Jackson’s adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” books. As Álvarez explained, “That was the sole headcast available for Ian Holm.”

A fully robotized replica of Holm, split and oozing milky substance following its confrontation with an Alien, was constructed by Legacy Effects, the same firm responsible for creating Grogu from The Mandalorian. This model was subsequently refined in post-production with CGI additions to bring life to its nose, eyes, and mouth, thanks to Metaphysic, known for their viral Tom Cruise deepfake videos. Álvarez commented, “It’s a combination of tricks from the 1970s and 1980s with technology from yesterday.”

As a gamer, I mimicked Holm’s distinctive voice and inflections by having actor Daniel Betts deliver the lines. Then, we ran his recorded dialogue through a program called Speecher, which adjusted the voice according to Ash’s dialogues from the original Alien, pulled straight from the game itself.

Back in June, Álvarez shared some of the Holmes footage with me, revealing my resurrected husband for the first time. The moment was overwhelming as we had just recently lost him, echoing my own grief over losing my father around the same period. As I processed this emotional news, Álvarez called to get my reaction. He put it eloquently when he said, “It was a deeply emotional conversation.”

The Holm family attended the London premiere of the film on August 14 and shared with The Hollywood Reporter, “It was wonderful to be part of it, and we’re happy that Fox is introducing both ‘Alien’ and its characters to a new generation.”

2024-08-23 21:25

Read More