As a lifelong “Alien” fanatic who’s spent countless hours debating the merits of each film in this iconic franchise, I must confess that Fede Álvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” is nothing short of a masterstroke. This movie has managed to seamlessly weave itself into the tapestry of the saga, not just by telling an engaging story but by paying homage to every single chapter in this universe.
Contains spoilers for “Alien: Romulus”
Just as a xenomorph skillfully weaves itself into the gaps of the Alien series, Fede Álvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” does the same by not only crafting an extraordinary tale but also paying tribute to the franchise in its entirety. Every overt reference to the original film and subtleties appreciated only by ardent fans of each installment are present. What could be Álvarez’s most impressive feat in his ode to Alien, however, is his ability to extract value from the less popular and contentious aspects of two “Alien” movies: “Alien: Resurrection” and “Prometheus.”
Although social media posts about your platform (previously Twitter) might have been filled with revisionists praising the fourth and fifth installments of the “Alien” series, Rotten Tomatoes ratings from both critics and viewers show that these films were not typically regarded as classics in the xenomorph’s cinematic history. It’s intriguing how Álvarez managed to genetically modify his creation (often referred to as Offspring in the credits) to resemble, for better or worse, the classic creatures from those movies in the final scenes.
The Offspring, first introduced on the big screen by Robert Bobroczkyi, possesses the towering stature and distinctive facial traits reminiscent of the Engineers – the intelligent extraterrestrials from Ridley Scott’s prequel, Prometheus, who sent the Prometheus in search of life’s purpose. However, it also evokes a chilling horror that recalls an earlier misfortune in the “Alien” series, once seemingly marking the end for this universe with its acid-laced blow.
The Offspring is the Engineer and the Newborn reborn
The distinctive pearl-black eyes and bald head of the Engineer character from “Prometheus” significantly influenced Fede Álvarez’s design for his own terrifying addition to the “Alien” series, which is now part of the franchise. However, the sickly pale skin and physique of the Offspring echo the aliens seen in “Alien: Resurrection,” a film that often receives criticism from fans of the franchise. Although both “Resurrection” and “Alien: Romulus” were equally daring in their approaches (the scene of swimming xenomorphs remains visually stunning), what many remember most is the alien-human hybrid faced by Ripley 8 (a clone of our initial hero, played by Sigourney Weaver again). The Offspring appears to be a precursor to this creature.
From the shreds of monstrous humanity in its design to the thin extremities that aren’t quite as ribbed or biomechanical as H.R. Giger’s original alien creations, there’s no doubt that this beastie is related to the Newborn, even if that creature won’t actually be brought to life for another two centuries or so (“Resurrection” is set 257 years after the original film). It’s a great effort at bridging the franchise’s past to its future from a director who is clearly a fan before anything else. In the end, it’s this and a whole lot of other tricks that “Alien: Romulus” pulls off that accomplish what all sequels should aim for: convincing fans to go back and watch the entire series from the beginning. Even the ones you didn’t like the first time around.
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2024-08-17 03:59