Alien: Romulus Review: A Shocking Reunion That Undid Alien's Best Twist

Alien: Romulus' Big Reveal: How a Familiar Face Ruins a Classic Twist!

Alien: Romulus – A Shocking Reunion That Undid Alien's Best Twist!

Alien: Romulus throws a major curveball! Bringing back a familiar face from the original Alien film (1979). That was a massive surprise, considering this character hadn't been seen for 45 years! The actor, Ian Holm, who sadly passed in 2020, got digitally recreated in the role of Rook in this newer title, resulting in one major change! Yet, his appearance completely messes with the original Alien's best twist; this moment serves to dramatically alter and undermine that specific element and thus must be examined further. That legendary twist regarding Ash's robot nature loses its effectiveness as we will later discuss in this very article.

The original Alien masterfully used familiar "haunted house" tropes and completely reshaped those story tropes and cinematic expressions using the outer-space setting and setting the tone, to great effect. Its tension came from not following typical horror conventions. The characters face the incomprehensible, succumbing before a final survivor emerges; thus generating extreme suspense; an approach frequently imitated but rarely perfected to the level which was seen here. One very surprising element in this approach involved Ash (played by Ian Holm); the perfectly unexpected revelation of his robotic nature.

Also Read: Alien: Romulus Trailer Features More Xenomorphs than Previous Movies - Clearly Different.

Ian Holm's Return: Undermining Alien's Iconic Reveal

Andy (David Jonsson) and Rain (Cailee Spaeny) in Alien: Romulus and Ian Holm as Ash in Alien Image

Alien: Romulus resurrected Ian Holm's likeness for that critical character Rook, making this an interesting decision that was likely intentional from the developers; thus creating those connections directly linking two characters, the main android from Alien with a similarly-looking android in this particular sequel. In Alien, Holm plays the Nostromo's science officer, Ash. He initially seems friendly; he appears to support his crew, yet eventually he’s shown as a synthetic who brought that alien beast on-board for Weyland-Yutani. That totally makes him a villain—a secondary one!

That reveal is brilliant; because no one suspects! That adds intense suspicion—completely destroying trust in a movie focused on extreme survival. Yet Alien: Romulus undid this entirely with that Rook reveal! Why? That surprise from the original Alien only works if Ash was unique. If we see synthetic look-alikes abound? Then those earlier suspicions are dramatically compromised.

Also Read: Alien: Romulus brings a Slasher Twist to the Franchise—something it needed decades ago.

Why Ash's Robot Twist Was So Powerful

Rain staring at a Xenomorph in Alien: Romulus Image

There's so much about Ash's reveal. It creates unbelievable tension. It underlines corporate greed— that Weyland-Yutani villain we all know! Ash's dialogue highlights the horrors, adding to his status as an instantly memorable bad guy (this "perfect organism" thing he goes on about).

However, the impact of that moment's effectiveness came from the timing; these are deeply impactful moments of realization! Back then audiences weren't yet overfamiliar with the series; that very lack of information, coupled with surprise moments during those key portions dramatically enhanced the storytelling. Thus Alien: Romulus's changes to undermine that carefully chosen strategy becomes a far greater detriment to the movie itself, making it appear strangely less satisfying, resulting in significant consequences and loss.

Also Read: Alien: Romulus Trailer Has A Hidden Ripley Reference You Probably Missed

A Better Way: Lance Henriksen's Legacy

Bishop speaking with Ripley in Aliens 1986 Image

Alien: Romulus could’ve brought back other androids! Using Ian Holm again however had this unfortunate problem and negatively impacted that specific element regarding its development and presentation to those familiar with that specific storyline in earlier titles; it dramatically affected that moment's power to audiences. A good replacement might be Lance Henriksen. This very talented actor played Bishop in Aliens and in that same title and storyline–his android isn't just different; it's actually good. This heroic aspect and change completely diverts and subverts that carefully-chosen depiction previously presented, changing the narrative significantly in this specific version!

Henriksen’s presence in other Alien movies (playing Bishop again or his work in Alien vs. Predator as Charles Weyland) further suggests this choice was something intentional and planned— yet could have served far greater ends, providing opportunities for adding nostalgic references without undermining the source material in that negative manner which the newer version presents; showing this questionable storyline was potentially the most effective change that would otherwise improve the entire experience!

Also Read: Alien: Romulus Death Predictions: Who Will Survive the Xenomorphs?

Conclusion: A Missed Opportunity for a Stronger Sequel

Alien Romulus Poster Showing a Facehugger Attacking A Human Image

Alien: Romulus's inclusion of Ian Holm was shocking and unexpected. The addition failed because it compromised earlier plot decisions. That Ash reveal only worked once, adding a deeply unique moment to audiences who were just encountering these iconic creatures. But getting that similar-looking android in a sequel completely undermines those things. Using a different character (like Henriksen) could add nostalgia without affecting Alien's original narrative. It’s an unfortunately major missed opportunity.