Alienoid review

Good luck trying to find another movie this year as creative and unpredictable as Alienoid. There’s a little something for fans of multiple genres. From martial arts, fantasy, comedy, sci-fi, alien invasions, comedy and time travel, audiences shouldn’t have trouble connecting to something.

Maybe the biggest surprise is how well this mishmash actually comes together in providing one of the year’s most entertaining experiences.

Director/Screenwriter Dong-hoon Choi keeps the premise and time shifts relatively clear and easy to follow. Sticking to two time periods with very obvious distinctions helps.

In the near future setting, a cyborg named Guard (Woo-bin Kim) is on assignment in Earth. Guard has to stay vigilant in the event of alien prisoners remembering their true nature and breaking free of their human prisons. Think of it as a reverse take on The Matrix if the agents were the good guys.

Aiding Guard is his drone sidekick Thunder capable of serving as transport, tech analyst and doppelganger as needed. Kim gets to show off his range in some of the better comedy bits with Thunder’s take on humans.

Guard and Thunder complicate their mission by rescuing the infant child, Ean, of an escaped prisoner. As the years pass, Ean (Choi Yu-ri) becomes increasingly suspicious of her father and knows he’s keeping secrets.

Addressing those suspicions have to wait as an escaped prisoner seeks to free the commander from captivity. The commander has the power to unleash an atmospheric weapon that will make Earth more compatible for the aliens. As for the humans? Well, they’ve already had a good run.

MORE:

• She-Hulk: Attorney at Law – Superhuman Law review S1 E2
• Breaking review
• The Flash Negative, Part One review S8 E19
• DC Comics reviews 8/23/22 – Detective Comics #1063, Robin #17

This is an exhilarating plot with some amazing action sequences. Guard basically transformers into a sleeked-out Iron Man suit of armor without Tony Stark’s snark and the prisoners have an equally compelling design.

Alienoid’s budget certainly doesn’t look cheap in these spaceship dogfights or Guard vs. prisoner conflicts. In most cases, this premise would be more than enough for a full-length film.

Choi takes the risk in adding in another layered subplot. This one is set in the 14^th Century during the Goryeo Dynasty. An aspiring dosa, Muruk (Ryu Jun-yeol) searches for the mystical Divine Blade.

He’s not alone in this pursuit as a mysterious girl (Kim Tae-ri) armed with a pistol and two sorcerers Madame Black (Yum Jung-ah) and Mr. Blue (Jo Woo-jin) are also seeking it.

It’s clear that the biggest threat is Jajang (Kim Eui-sung), a creepy dude wearing a sinister mask. And it’s a little suspect that his closest aide is wearing a tailored-made suit and sporting a Rolex…

In these sequences, Choi has fun utilizing Wire fu with characters taking massive leaps in the air, juggling opponents in fights and the exaggerated reactions to big kicks and punches.

It’s also a solid showcase for costumer Cho Sang-kyung, who weaves intricate flowing gowns and robes that flow majestically in the fight scenes.

Muruk alternates between being a dashing, highly competent swashbuckling hero to a comedic irritant with good intentions. And his ability to pull objects from his fan, including a pair of cats that become humans also adds to the comedy. Mr. Blue and Madame Black are also used as competent characters who frequently veer into heavy comedic territories.

Tae-Ri and Jun-yeol have good chemistry and pull off the daring would-be hero and competent adventuress scenes very well.

The biggest downside to Alienoid is it ends on a cliffhanger. There’s something to Empire Strikes Back or The Matrix Reloaded having an unresolved conclusion.

Or a film that clearly states it’s the opening chapter like Kill Bill: Vol 1. Investing two and a half hours in a film that manages to leave some significant plot threads dangling is disappointing.

That won’t matter if the sequel sticks the landing, but a sequel to a completed film probably makes more sense.

Alienoid shouldn’t bore viewers. Even if they prefer one plot over the other, it proves entertaining throughout and navigates its double feature concept well enough to be an easy recommendation.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: Well Go Entertainment