Ridley Scott's positive review of the new Alien movie following his criticism of Blade Runner 2049

2023-10-21 00:53:05

Ridley Scott’s Review Of New Alien Movie Is Even More Promising After His Harsh Blade Runner 2049 Reaction

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Original Alien director Ridley Scott has seen and commented on his thoughts about the new Alien movie, Alien: Romulus, and those comments are way more promising than his reaction to Blade Runner 2049. The filmmaker birthed a number of iconic franchises, the first of which was the sci-fi horror classic Alien. The 1979 movie is absolutely terrifying, introduced one of the greatest action heroines ever, and led to a sequel that many would argue is better. Now, following the underwhelming Alien: Covenant from 2017, the Fede Álvarez-directed Alien: Romulus is scheduled for release in August 2024, and it has the potential to put the franchise back on track.

Three years after the release of the original Alien in 1979, Scott directed yet another sci-fi classic, Blade Runner. The 1982 movie is set in a dystopian future and follows a Deckard, whose job is to locate and kill renegade Replicants. However, unlike Alien, a franchise never took off because Blade Runner was a box office bomb, and it wasn't until years later that the movie found its audience. Nevertheless, a legacy sequel finally arrived 35 years later to widespread critical acclaim, though Scott was the sequel's harshest critic. Now, Scott has screened Alien: Romulus, and his comments couldn't be more different from his Blade Runner 2049 opinions.

While these words came from Álvarez when having a discussion with Guillermo del Toro, the filmmaker revealed Scott's reaction to the new Alien movie. The director even acknowledged how tough of a critic Scott was on Blade Runner 2049, commenting, "I wanted him to see it before anybody. And everyone gave me the heads-up that Ridley is really tough. He’s really tough... He was really tough on Blade Runner [2049], which I thought was a masterpiece, and he had issues with it because it’s really hard for him because it’s his work..." This did not stop the Alien franchise's newest filmmaker from showing him his installment.

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Despite how terrifying of a critic Scott is, particularly when it comes to projects based on his own work, the celebrated filmmaker gave a great review. Álvarez revealed, "He walks into the room and he did say, ‘Fede, what can I say? It’s f**king great.''" The director added that Scott spoke for a full hour about what he loved about the Alien movie, noting, "One of the best compliments he said was, ‘The dialogue is great. Are you the writer?’ Yes!" Given Scott's notoriety when it comes to opinions on movies (Scott also criticized the universally acclaimed Top Gun: Maverick according to Álvarez), this news is extremely promising.

What Ridley Scott Thought Of Blade Runner 2049

Scott had some candid thoughts regarding 2017's Blade Runner 2049, the legacy sequel to his original 1982 movie. In an interview with Vulture, the filmmaker opined, "It was f**king way too long. Way too long. I would have taken out half an hour." Denis Villeneuve, the director of Blade Runner 2049, presented a deliberate and methodical approach, emphasizing mood and atmosphere. Scott's main critique, however, centered on the film's runtime, and the arguably overlong 163-minute runtime is a result of building that atmosphere. Scott's preference for more concise storytelling can be understood, considering his original Blade Runner is 45 minutes shorter and still achieves that immersive atmosphere.

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Scott also acknowledged the prowess of the sequel, noting the high quality of the script. However, that was after he took credit for it even though the filmmaker isn't actually credited as a writer. Ultimately, when it comes to both the runtime and the story, Scott's feedback was accurate. The movie's pacing over its long runtime was indeed a divisive point among audiences and critics. Some heralded its deliberate slow burn, arguing that the extensive runtime allowed for richer world-building and character development. Others felt the length diluted the narrative tension, echoing Scott's sentiments.

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To say that Blade Runner 2049's length was its only defining trait would be an oversimplification, but Scott was ultimately right about that key criticism. In that respect, along with the fact that the director never bites his tongue, his comments about how great the new Alien movie is should absolutely be taken seriously, and it could put the franchise back on track. The Alien franchise has been on something a downward trajectory ever since Alien 3, as every movie has had a middling to negative reception, and few of them have performed particularly well at the box office.

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Prometheus is the one exception when it comes to financial success, but even then, the prequel was highly divisive in the way it connected to the grander Alien universe. However, Alien: Romulus could be exactly the movie the franchise needs, especially following Scott's glowing comments. Scott's stamp of approval and Disney's horror movie hot streak with 20th Century Studios releases such as Prey, Barbarian, and No One Will Save You make the upcoming sci-fi horror sound exceptionally promising.

Sources: Vulture, The Numbers

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