Well, horror films provide a different type of scare. They often echo the fears in our own lives while providing that detachment once we are no longer immersed, if we are successfully immersed of course. We can dip into these fears and explore them in a new way, perhaps coming away with a little more perspective and maybe some relief. These seems to be true of many stories, horror or otherwise.
It is fitting to draw comparisons to the Alien franchise with something akin to cancer. The xenomorph, in its various transformations which accompany its otherworldly life cycle, invites all kinds of comparisons which have been analyzed since the inception of the first film back in the 1970s. Probably the most commonly cited is showcased by the H.R. Giger production design. The creatures and their methods of attack are invasive, particularly with a sexual connation. There is a type of violation the alien creature commits which reflects fears many people have of similar violations of a physical nature. After all, the face hugger forces its eggs down the throat of the victim violently with its proboscis, regardless of how the victim feels.
This concept is indeed frightening and I know some people have found the films uncomfortable for this reason and have refused to watch them. Some people don't like horror movies and others understandably like them even less if they take them to traumatic places. If nothing else, this proves the Alien franchise is willing to use these monsters from space to elevate itself above B movie camp (which I love and also has its place of course) to try and explore these primordial concepts.
For me, the Alien films never came off as overtly sexual, at least not at the forefront of my mind. No, it usually gets under my skin (if you will) due to fears that are more akin to classic body horror. The face hugger always bothered me due to its forceful entry into the body but then leaving behind the egg within. This growth could be a stand in for many biological dangers that can strike. It acts as a tumor or some sort of parasite but could also become suddenly violent like a heart attack, albeit with much more blood. The chest bursting itself is terrifying of course. This film in particular made use of crackling bones crunching as the creature made its way out. Never underestimate great sound design.
Then there is the other, more basic and perhaps primal horror that these films tap into. That is fear of the unknown. That is perhaps the greatest fear but, more specifically, the xenomorph seems to be a brilliant representation of the predatory animal. The creature, particularly due to the design of the monster and the accompanying atmosphere of these films, seems (for lack of a better word) evil. It's this greyish and ebony not quite humanoid/not quite reptilian/insect creature with multiple jaws of fangs, a speared tail and acid blood. It's a nightmare. Worst for me though is the lack of eyes. This brings much more emphasis to the scowling and drooling fanged mouths, which seem just so filled with hate.
This is, of course, a human perception, but the design choice is also somewhat deliberate I'm sure. As far was we can tell though, this thing is just an animal being driven by that instinct for survival we also have. This in itself brings us questions about the natural world, for we as humans often place ourselves above the typical animal. Our intelligence, our consciousness, or sense of morality and compassion separate us from the other creatures of the world. It makes us better than them in some way, right? We're special. We should get some special treatment. Well, maybe. Maybe not. Either way, regardless of what makes us different, when thrown among the wolves, the wolves will care little for your human qualities. Perhaps we're not so separate after all.
What makes the xenomorph more intimidating than say, a lion, is that we know a lion. We, to some degree at least, understand the lion. The lion, in this example, has some spectrum of emotion we can project on to it. This potential understanding makes the animal less frightening, at least from a distance. The lion is a mammal though, similar to me, more similar to my cats, which I can equate as cute and loveable. The lion can even be cute and loveable, from a distance. I think some people tend to have less connection to the animal the further they are removed from it. Reptiles or insects for instance. Unless you find those things interesting, you probably won't have as much natural affection for a reptile or insect. Personally, I think reptiles are really cool and I even would dare say I find some of them cute. Maybe not as cute as other critters, but probably cuter than an insect. Even insects we can make cute, through marketing or animation. We can project the best aspects of our humanity onto these creatures. The xenomorph is truly alien, so this lack of understanding feeds into that most basic aspect of fear, fear of the unknown.
The mystery of the xenomorph was a driving force for the franchise for years. Less information always makes things scarier, in movies and in life. We can bring our own ideas about the origins of the monster and incite fan discussion and debate, all while bonding over our individual and common fears. I guess that's one reason horror movie fans are so passionate. Maybe the whole thing is therapeutic. Movies have been a great outlet for me in general, for escapism as well as reflection and socializing. So maybe the whole Prometheus thing may not have been the best thing for the xenomorphs. I do like of like the movie but it has some big flaws. Aren't I supposed to be talking about another movie? Oh yeah!
I had some medical news come up that kind of threw me off for about a month, so I didn't feel focused enough to write a review on Alien: Romulus after seeing it in theaters. It's kind of good thing though, as I had some time to ruminate and really solidify how I felt about it. In short, I liked it! I liked it quite a bit actually.
I'm sure most die-hard fans have probably seen it at this point, but as I write this it is coming out available for streaming. With that said, about a month after seeing it I really want to watch the movie again. I would declare its the best movie in the franchise since Aliens. At first, that probably wouldn't sound like a ringing endorsement, but I feel confident saying that.
I certainly have some mixed feelings and a few doubts upon my initial viewing, but there is one major factor which causes me to (mostly) push those things aside. This movie made me feel something. Most movies do of course, but I had a significant emotional response based on the events occurring on screen. I'll go even further. This movie made me shed tears. Yes. Tears. I don't often cry in movies and when I do, they are in dramas. I don't think I've ever cried in a horror movie before.
My theory on why is simply that I was invested in the characters. Much like characters in past Alien films, these were blue collar everymen/women/people you could sympathize with. They were believable and relatable without having to know much about them. I connected with their family dynamics and an instilled sense of survival against a large money hungry company that seems to own everything. This concept seems to get more relevant and dystopic every year. Oh my. Anyway, our characters are part of a mining colony, essentially indentured servants to the corporation and a ship with cryogenic technology is their chance to escape. Whatever could be on this ship? You already know.
What really aided my investment wasn't really the writing. Although there are some nice subtle touches, the characters aren't the most complex or dynamic, although their relationships do compel the audience to consider ideas about family and loyalty, despite inherent differences. No, it's all about the performances. The initial trailers with the young cast made me more than skeptical. It just looked like they'd turned Alien into another disposable slasher. I was very wrong. The youth of the cast provides something new. They seem like a ragtag group of misfit orphans who are really out of their depth. For the most part, even with one character who was meant to be unlikable, I really wanted this group to make it.
Two scenes stick out in particular. One involves a young girl who we find out is pregnant. There are some obvious parallels to the the concepts toyed with regarding childbirth and motherhood in this franchise, so it's not surprising this was included. Also, this girl had few other attributes other than being a young mother to be who simply wants to get out of her situation, therefore providing a better life for her child. Much like other things in this movie, it's pretty safe and potentially boring but...it worked for me. Perhaps it's partially due to my own thoughts regarding mortality in recent months along with the possibility of having children of my own. It was also a very compelling performance. I worried about this young woman. I cared about her and her unborn child. I was doing that sort of cinematic prayer you sometimes may find yourself doing. Please let her make it. Please let her be okay. They wouldn't go that far. Of course they would, that's why she's here. No, they won't do that. Come on. No!
There is also a scene involving characters separated by a door and the moral decision of opening it versus closing it, with a xenomorph hunting one person on the other side. It's a basic, classic dilemma. Once again, it's simple but therefore a universal conflict with lives on the line. Much like a pregnant woman in danger, it seems passé and tired but it was done very well. There was tension. My anxiety was up. I'm pretty sure I shed tears here too. I understand if they have to make the decision but maybe they'll let her in. Maybe. I hope they do. I won't reveal the resolution for either of these characters in case you haven't seen it but the point is that this movie had me invested. It upset me. I left the theater feeling unsettled and it took me hours to feel more like myself...and that was kind of a good thing?
Before I wrap this up (this went on much longer than I anticipated) I wanted to try to be fair and point out a few potential flaws that do stick out to me. I hesitate calling them flaws but I could totally see some people hating these elements. It's tricky though and something many movies based on these franchises often have trouble with. This is an Alien movie. So it does...Alien stuff. On one hand you always want to try to bring something new to the table instead of rinsing and repeating the stuff we've seen. However, if the movie strays from the established beats too much, why see it? How much can a thing be different from itself before it no longer becomes that thing? Indeed. Ha. No, but seriously, I've wondered this regarding many IPS. The truth is, I think Alien: Romulus does both.
Face huggers. Chest bursters. Androids. Weyland-Yutani. Cryo sleep. Strong female characters. Hybrids? You've seen it all before. If these things weren't there it wouldn't be an Alien movie. Some of these things I admit felt almost a little obligatory, like fan Easter eggs or...what's the South Park term? Member berries. Look at this? Remember this? Hit those nostalgic neurons and like our movie! Except, it never really felt disingenuous to me. I'm pretty cynical about this stuff and I just felt that these things were done very effectively, with reverence to the source material. Yeah, they repeat some things, but they do add new elements. Some of it is just more or bigger or with a new coat of paint, but they do add something new. This batch of characters offered a new perspective and the whole mining colony setting did expand the world bit more. That's about it but otherwise it was a more intimate tale covering much of the same ground. I liked it!
There is one thing I think people may have hated that could be the exception. It would be the appearance of one character that could be seen as a fun throwback or a cheap nostalgia hit. It was probably a bit of both but I kind of like the reintroduction of this character. Maybe it's because I think of him as such a classic villain and a very fascinating one. If people hate it, that's fine but it mostly worked for me. I'm not sure if the movie needed it but hey, whatever.
So, there you have it. There were no Romulans but it was still pretty good. Take care everyone.
- Joe
