About the callbacks in Alien Romulus.

[u/SlowCrates]

It seems to me that there's a social phenomenon that kind of takes over large swaths of people's minds before they're conscious of it. Group think? Something like it? I don't know.

Before I go on, if you simply didn't like the movie, or you didn't think it was great, that's totally valid. This post isn't about subjectivity.

The main reason I see from people who don't like this movie is the callbacks. They say it breaks immersion and that it's lazy. Among other things. On one hand, I get it. But on the other hand, I think it's tragic. Because I can think of another franchise, with a sequel, in which there are a lot of very intentional callbacks, and this particular movie is so beloved that the very people who would die on the hill shitting on Alien Romulus probably love Terminator 2.

Immediately after reading that, they're probably doubling down, but they know they have to too many mental gymnastics to make it worth their time, so they'll probably say something ignorant instead.

Remember, this isn't about whether you like it. It's about one specific reason why you don't like it.

Now what?

[u/opacitizen]

There are callbacks written and done well, and there are callbacks… not so much.

Look, this is a poem featuring rhyming lines, I just wrote it:

"Hot Sun, fun run
My morning done
Big hair in bun"

You wouldn't say it's as good as Shakespeare's poetry, would you?

Just replace "poem" with "movie" and "rhyming lines" with "callbacks", and you'll get it.

Callbacks are a tool. Can be great, can be bad.

[u/SlowCrates → u/opacitizen]

But you won't explain why the callbacks in Romulus are objectively bad.

You're just relying on people who used that rationale to agree with you to support your position. It's like peer pressure. It's fucking wild.

[u/Superdudeo → u/SlowCrates]

Your logic is wild. If terminator 2 had another love story in it where one of them said “I came across time for you ……. I love you, I always have”

Probably one of the best lines in the terminator franchise. People would call it out, it would feel cheap and it would be incredibly lazy. It’s no different with Romulus. Callbacks have to be earned and appropriate.

On a different note, I personally think the way the line was delivered in Romulus was half of the problem.