THIS REVIEW IS PART OF BLITZ’S CONTINUED COVERAGE OF THE 71ST SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL, 5-16 JUNE. READ THE REST OF OUR REVIEWS HERE.  

---

Aliens, robots, magic, time travel, sorcerers, possession – it is certainly a lot for a single movie (or in this case, a duology). But if there is anything I have learnt about Korean cinema, it is that it can make the most complex, absurd concepts seem as if they make complete sense. 

Alienoid, released in 2022, follows several seemingly unrelated plotlines, the first occurring in the movie’s release year and the second in 1391 (with a few other time jumps scattered here and there). 

Even amongst the chaos of aliens battling aliens, robots battling robots, and humans battling aliens and robots,  Alienoid manages to portray likeable, relatable characters (despite the actual context of the movie being incredibly unrelatable). An endearingly chaotic male protagonist, a kickass female lead and her loving family composed of her robot alien father and his robot alien henchman (think Batman and Robin except…robot aliens), and a whole host of supporting characters that are in their own rights, very complex and interesting. Although at times a little exaggerated, the film was delightfully comedic and had several moments that had the entire audience laughing out loud. 

The lighter comedic scenes are however broken up by darker, more intense ones, such as a hospital being overrun and its inhabitants being possessed by alien prisoners, complete with a visual demonstration of said alien prisoners infecting human brains. Albeit a little disturbing, the balance of humorous moments with more serious ones made for an overall incredible film. 

via Sydney Film Festival

The singular glaring frustration I had with this film was its excruciating cliffhanger ending, and if I had been forced to wait the 18-months gap before the sequel was released, I can say with certainty that I would have absolutely lost my mind. Fortunately for me, I only had to wait one day before the film festival’s showing of Alienoid: Return to the Future. 

Alienoid: Return to the Future, released in December of 2023, does not so much feel like a sequel as it is merely a continuation of the first film, starting at the exact moment that its predecessor left off.   

Not needing to concern itself as much with establishing the setting and introducing characters, the second Alienoid instalment plunges head-first into heavy action, quick cuts, and plenty of fight scenes. While the initial attachment to the protagonists and the rest of the cast remains strong, Return to the Future is much more fast-paced, and brings the entire two-part story to a much quicker conclusion than its opening.   

The sequel delivers just as much in terms of comedy as the first film, meaning that it is at times still just a little over the top. Nonetheless, the use of humour throughout the movie did serve to even out the more intense scenes, as well as some strikingly emotional moments that were not seen as much in the original film. With the attachment that the audience had made with the characters across the duology, there were quite a few tear-jerking scenes towards the conclusion of Return to the Future. 

via Sydney Film Festival

And without completely spoiling the Alienoid franchise, I must note the incredible execution of a certain plot twist in the second film. Every theory that I had discussed after watching the first movie was completely debunked, and in a way that did not feel forced or cheesy, and this revelation fully elicited audible gasps from the audience (trust me, these movies are good).   

Across both Alienoid and Alienoid: Return to the Future, the entire cast executed their characters’ roles flawlessly, somehow portraying robot invasions, alien possession, and time travel as if they had experienced it themselves. In particular, protagonists Muruk (played by Ryu Junyeol) and Ean (played by Kim Taeri) were truly great (and yes, I may have a slight obsession with Ryu Junyeol/Muruk now…).   

Ultimately, I had incredibly mixed feelings going into Alienoid knowing nothing but a brief synopsis of a time-travelling alien robot civilisation that possesses human beings. But after watching both films and now aching for more, I can say with certainty that the Alienoid franchise has somehow managed to take something that, frankly, sounds a little insane, and produce exciting, funny and nuanced films brimming with engaging stories and lovable characters. 

---

Emma Peters is a second-year student at UNSW, currently completing a Bachelor of Media, majoring in Journalism. She is extremely passionate about all things related to pop culture and music, especially K-pop. You can most likely find her singing her heart out at a concert, or otherwise crying her eyes out while looking through concert videos.

---