"Alien: Romulus" was a resounding success, both critically and commercially, grossing an impressive $350 million worldwide. The film's success has paved the way for a sequel, "Alien: Romulus 2," with director Fede Alvarez possibly returning to helm the project. Despite the overall positive reception, one aspect of the movie received widespread criticism: the CGI representation of Ian Holm, who reprised his role as the android Ash from the original "Alien" film.
Holm, who passed away in 2020, was brought back through CGI for "Alien: Romulus," but the execution was met with disapproval from fans and critics alike for being distracting and unrealistic. The backlash was significant enough that a popular fan-edit completely removed Holm's character from the film. In response to the criticism, Alvarez admitted in an interview with Empire that the CGI was rushed due to time constraints in post-production, acknowledging the validity of the negative reactions.
The Alien Movies in Chronological Order
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For the home release of "Alien: Romulus," Alvarez and his team reworked the CGI, shifting towards more practical puppet work to enhance the visual authenticity. Alvarez emphasized the importance of investing additional time and resources to refine the effects, stating, "We fixed it. We made it better for the release right now. I convinced the studio we need to spend the money and make sure we give the companies that were involved in making it the proper time to finish it and do it right. It’s so much better."
Despite these efforts, the reception to the updated Ian Holm remains mixed. While some fans acknowledge a slight improvement, many still find the portrayal distracting and unnecessary. Comments on platforms like Reddit reflect this sentiment, with users such as Kwtwo1983 stating, "Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason," and Smug_amoeba adding, "Still such a needless and distracting part of the movie…"
Alien Romulus - Rook CGI Updates BluRay vs Digital
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Comparisons between the theatrical and home release versions show a noticeable shift towards showcasing more of the practical puppet work, with less emphasis on the CGI face. However, opinions like those from TheUrPigeon, who said, "Let's be real, it's still awful and garish to resurrect a dead man so needlessly," highlight ongoing dissatisfaction with the decision to include Holm's character at all.
Despite these criticisms, "Alien: Romulus" has successfully reinvigorated the franchise, and anticipation is high for "Alien: Romulus 2," which is set to continue the story introduced in the first film.
