As a film critic with over three decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Alien: Romulus has truly left me breathless. Fede Álvarez’s directorial prowess shines through, particularly in his daring decision to deviate from the series’ traditional chestburster scene. The choice to make the newborn Xenomorph linger with its mother adds a chilling sense of realism that I haven’t seen since… well, since I last watched a nature documentary.
In a surprising turn of events, the latest Alien film, entitled Romulus, dethroned Deadpool and Wolverine from the top spot at the box office this past weekend. Director Fede Álvarez is disclosing the reason behind one significant alteration to the series that long-time fans have grown accustomed to. The ninth entry in the Alien saga (counting the two AvP crossovers) raked in a staggering $108.2 million globally, with $41.5 million of that coming from domestic earnings. Regrettably, it fell short of matching the heights set by Prometheus, which continues to hold the record for the highest-grossing debut in the series, amassing $51 million in North America during its opening weekend back in 2012.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Álvarez explained his reasoning for altering the chestburster scene in Romulus compared to what viewers are accustomed to. Traditionally, when a Xenomorph is born from its human host, it swiftly disappears, leaving those present in awe and fear. However, in Álvarez’s film, the newly hatched creature stayed around to interact with its mother. This was a deliberate decision by the director aimed at infusing a sense of realism into Romulus.
“Newborn babies are incredibly tired upon birth, which results in a gradual emergence from their bodies. I find this process rather grotesque yet authentic. To maintain realism without sensationalizing it, I treated the scene as if filming a nature documentary. My instructions to the puppeteers focused on details such as ‘The baby now searches for its mother’s scent,’ causing it to lift its head in search. This attention to detail makes the portrayal more believable, and we applied this approach throughout the Alien world.”
Álvarez Went One Step Further to Make the Birthing Scene Even More Real
To add an extra layer of authenticity to the birth scene in ‘Alien: Romulus’, director Álvarez didn’t stop at simulating the spacecraft’s spin with a shaking camera. Instead, he orchestrated the entire set to vibrate, including all the actors present. This was done to make the experience as realistic as possible. To ensure safety during these vibrations, stunt doubles were brought in for certain scenes.
“We physically jolted the entire set, as it was constructed on a large pivot system. Consequently, whenever the spaceship collided with the station, the entire pivot would tremble. When the character falls, it’s quite intense. To ensure safety, we collaborated with stunt performers to execute these sequences. Throughout the production, all the shaking you see is genuine.”
Alvarez didn’t want to pass up the chance to join everyone else in this unique experience, so he immersed himself alongside his youthful team, serving as an inspiration. He described the situation as “incredible” or “amazing”.
“That theme park ride was simply fantastic! Everyone on board, including me and my assistant, experienced it together. With my assistant holding on for dear life, the ride was violently jostled. But boy, it was thrilling!”
Despite a successful debut weekend for the film “Alien: Romulus”, there’s still plenty of ground left to cover in its cinematic journey. At this moment, it ranks ninth in the franchise’s earnings, but it’s projected to surpass “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem”, “Alien 3”, and “Alien: Resurrection”. However, it’s unlikely that it will come anywhere near matching the earnings of “Prometheus”, which ultimately amassed over $403 billion dollars in revenue.
The sci-fi movie titled “Romulus” from 20th Century Studios has hit the big screens, and you can watch the trailer right here!
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2024-08-19 19:01