In the Alien films, a xenomorph is a monstrous, all-consuming life form that exists only to make more and more copies of itself. Once the first xenomorph appears, it’s only a matter of time until all those gleaming chrome walls will be covered in creepy black goo and the humans suspended lifeless from the ceiling

Anyway, Alien: Romulus is the seventh film about these particular monsters. According to the producers, the film takes the franchise ‘back to its roots’. So we get a group of grimy crew-mates piloting a big rust-bucket of a spaceship who pick up an extraterrestrial stowaway and end up having to use their wits and courage to survive as it gobbles them up, one by one.

And it’s not a bad film. It’s nicely creepy, the special effects are good, the acting is perfectly serviceable. In fact, I could give you a normal review of Alien: Romulus, but just writing this is making me feel a little crazy. It’s not a bad film, but it’s also a direct copy of a much better film that already exists. That film is called Alien, and it came out in 1979. It had Sigourney Weaver in it. It hasn’t vanished. If you have a Disney+ subscription or a torrent client, you can watch it tonight. Why have we made it again? What’s the point? Why have we spent the past 45 years – which is longer than I’ve been alive – making seven different versions of the same film? What on Earth is going on?

  • @GraniteMEnglish
    10•3 months ago

    The Bond franchise is an interesting one because they’ve essentially been remaking the exact same movie since Doctor No, and although there are definitely ups and downs, on balance it’s still a good franchise! Virtually no continuity. Only occasional meta nods. In essence, every single Bond movie consists of…

    • Bond goes to exotic location

    • Bond engages in romantic shenanigans with one or more partners

    • Bond faces a threat ranging from personal to world-ending

    • Bond is menaced by a villain with some personal quirk

    • Bond engages in a popular extreme sport

    • Bond deals with a number of nameless goons plus at least one ascended chief goon, probably named, with their own particular quirk

    • Bond foils the plans of the bad guy and has an epilogue with a romantic partner

    Change some variables, rearrange the furniture a little, but this is basically every single James Bond movie for the last sixty two years, and we still love them! It makes me think that originality is overrated.

    • @TubularTittyFrogEnglish
      5•3 months ago

      a fresh coat of paint on an old house is a good thing.

      trying to remodel the damn thing to fit whatever is trendy here and now, ruins the whole house.

    • maegul (he/they)MEnglish
      3•3 months ago

      and we still love them! It makes me think that originality is overrated.

      Yea, kinda what I’m saying too. People like repetition and familiarity just as they like surprise and shock.