(may contain spoilers)
Douban rating: 7.4
Director: Fede Álvarez
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux
Douban Comments: “This film brings back the classic trio of ‘reckless white guys courting death, android masterminds, a female warrior taking the lead, and reviving the iconic formula established by Alien (1979): a ‘space trucker’ cat-and-mouse game in tight, claustrophobic quarters. Though the initial setup is a bit slow and dry, the tension quickly ramps up with a series of jump scares that snap you into focus. From the moment the female warrior navigates a zero-gravity acid vortex, it’s one thrilling surprise after another.
Fans of the series will find extra joy in the callbacks – such as seeing the late Alien I android Ash, played by Ian Holm, digitally ‘revived’ through AI for a significant role. The explosive third act boss references the skeletal alien from Alien IV and the Engineers from Prometheus, and even teases the cult pairing of female warrior and android.”
“The real surprise of this film lies in how it refreshes the series without dumbing it down, even with younger leads in the spotlight. True to tradition, there’s still that rule of ‘snarky characters meeting grisly ends‘. It experiments with elements from Don’t Breathe and A Quiet Place, while finding a new evolutionary angle that builds on the fourth film’s themes, though not surpassing it.
By highlighting genetic similarities between humans, rodents, and Xenomorphs, and delving into the advanced iterations of androids, the movie brings in themes of cloning, hybridization, mutation, evolution, colonization, and enslavement – infusing them with an unnerving horror that goes beyond mere fear tactics. The journey is thoroughly engaging, with the tension building and delivering in the later acts.”
“This is a true, classic horror film – no deep philosophical musings, just pure, brutal survival horror. It’s all about the relentless jump scares and ever-escalating terror, with each scene upping the stakes. The final climax is absolutely epic, taking a familiar horror trope and giving it a fresh twist!”
“A bloody story triggered by the delay of retirement age.
The human characters follow the usual American horror style – overly selfless and dying one after another. If the main characters were just a bit more rational and less hot-headed, the movie wouldn’t even last two hours.
But the second half really ramps up the suspense. The third and fourth acts are explosive, with excellent action scenes. The humanoid alien designs are absolutely disgusting – in a good way. For horror fans, this film really delivers and sets a new high bar for scary movies in theaters.
Just being able to watch a real horror film on the big screen is a luxury for mainland audiences.
There are so many nods to the first film that it feels almost like high-quality fan fiction – famous scenes are recreated, and the themes are continued and expanded. This feels like the right way to revive a classic IP.”
“Rating: 7/10
The final ‘big move’ in the movie was definitely unexpected, but honestly, it was just too ugly. It completely goes against H.R. Giger’s dark, artistic vision for the Xenomorphs, which is really a shame.
That said, as a small-scale horror film, it actually works quite well. The viewing experience is solid. The director is skilled at creating claustrophobic tension, body horror, creepy atmosphere, and delivers a good amount of gore. All of these aspects come together for a pretty effective horror vibe.
There are also many tributes to classic Alien elements. It really feels like a next-gen horror spin-off shot on Ridley Scott’s old film set. Watching it in the cinema adds to the intensity, and Cailee’s performance is also decent.
All in all, it’s worth checking out on the big screen.”
