Plot Summary – Space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.

★★★★½

Watched Aug 23, 2024

Arny Boy’s review published on Letterboxd:

This movie looks so good. Visually, it’s almost perfect. I was very tempted many times in the theater to audibly say “that’s an awesome shot.” It’s also a terrifying film. It manages to combine the genres of sci-fi and horror so effectively, that you’re amazed by the concepts that the film introduces and the cosmic questions it asks while also being scared in a really visceral way. It also breaks the conventional structure that these films follow, allowing for different character dynamics and interplay. I didn’t even realize half the connections to the original film until I read the Wikipedia page after the movie, so I think this film is extremely effective irrespective of whether you’ve watched the old ones or not. My only gripe with the film is its weak writing at times. I found myself audibly laughing at some of the cringe dialogue that some characters say. That being said, most of the time, my jaw was on the floor or I was audibly gasping at the frightening events of the film and how well they were framed.

Cailee Spaeny continues to show how versatile her talents are in this film, as she takes the lead role powerfully, but the real standout of the film for me was David Jonsson who plays an android. His directives change throughout the film and seeing his demeanor and physical performance change and adapt was brilliant, especially as the only other time I had seen him in a film was as the charismatic lead of the amazing rom-com Rye Lane (2023). This performance is so distinct from that one which made me really get excited about how good this actor is. Fede Alvarez has hit this one out of the park and I really want to check out his other work. Bringing a horror director into this was a brilliant move. I really enjoyed this film and I would recommend it highly if you’re not faint-of-heart!