"Alien: Romulus" was a major success, both critically and at the box office, grossing an impressive $350 million globally. Despite its triumph, one aspect of the film drew widespread criticism: the CGI used to bring back Ian Holm, who played the iconic android Ash in the original "Alien" film. Holm's posthumous appearance in "Alien: Romulus" was met with disapproval due to the distracting and unrealistic CGI. The backlash was so significant that a popular fan edit completely removed Holm's character from the movie.
Director Fede Alvarez acknowledged the issue in an interview with Empire, admitting, "We just ran out of time in post-production to get it right. I wasn’t 100% happy with some of the shots, where you could feel a bit more the CG intervention. So, for people that react negatively, I don’t blame them." In response, Alvarez and the team reworked the CGI for the home release, leaning more into practical puppet work. Alvarez stated, "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."
The Alien Movies in Chronological Order
9 Images
Despite the efforts to improve the CGI, fans remain divided. Some acknowledge a slight improvement, but many still find Holm's appearance distracting and question the necessity of his return. Comments on Reddit reflect this sentiment, with users like Kwtwo1983 noting, "Better, but still awfully uncanny… and for no sound reason." Thelastcupoftea added, "Should’ve messed his face up much more," while Smug_amoeba called it "a needless and distracting part of the movie." Worried_Bowl_9489 remarked, "Both look bad and one is a bit darker lol."
The home release version does indeed feature more of the practical puppet work, reducing the prominence of the CGI face. Yet, the consensus among fans remains critical. TheUrPigeon bluntly stated, "Let's be real, it's still awful and garish to resurrect a dead man so needlessly. They can only improve upon it so much because the initial effort was so poor."
Despite the CGI controversy, "Alien: Romulus" successfully revitalized the franchise. Following its summer debut, 20th Century Studios announced in October their plans for "Alien: Romulus 2," which would continue the story of the first film, with Alvarez potentially returning to direct.
Latest Downloads
Downlaod
Top News
