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A fairly entertaining entry into the “Alien” franchise that suffers a bit for retreading old ground more than creating its own path. At its core, the basic plot structure is similar to the original film. In fact, this film is a stand-alone story that is a direct sequel to “Alien.” (Although in reality, it didn’t really need to use that film as a jumping-off point.) There are plot elements and other call backs to the previous films in the franchise, including the more recent prequel films which are now integrated with the classic Alien lore. The film starts off relatively slow, but the tension ramps up pretty high in the final act. The actors do a fine job, but most of the characters are relatively forgettable…and stupid. The ending of the film leans a little too heavy into some of the more WTF concepts introduced later in the franchise, and on top of being really out there, the whole thing feels pretty rushed. The film looks really good overall, with updated creature effects and some cool space shots. However, a few CG moments came off as looking kind of wonky.
*** out of *****