Korea's Biggest Ever Blockbuster 'Alienoid' Might Become This Year's Biggest Surprise, Too
Is it time for good old aliens and robots to come back and take what's theirs?
'Alienoid', a South Korean biggest budget blockbuster to date, is hitting theaters this Friday – and it looks like it already has the potential to surprise those skeptical about it.
With the first trailer arriving a couple of months ago, the movie received a new one just days before the premiere, showing a vivid mix of 'Terminator ', 'Power Rangers', 'The Independence Day' and 'Avengers' vibes. Despite the bizarre combo, the final result seems to work – not least due to compelling visuals and great VFX, social media users say.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie already has a 50% rating, with critics being divided between "the best sci-fi of the year" and "an attempt to satisfy everyone that ends up satisfying no one".
'Alienoid' has a whopping budget of ₩33 billion – around $24 million. For South Korea, this is one of the biggest budget poured into a blockbuster. The movie is set to tell the story of two eras, following two Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) gurus seeking "a legendary, time-bending blade as they unexpectedly cross paths with modern-era people hunting down a dangerous alien concealed inside a human's body."
And it looks like the story seems to appeal to a lot of people who for some reason feel disappointed with Hollywood.
"This looks more interesting than whatever Hollywood is putting out," as one of the fans put it on Twitter.
One of the most interesting things about the movie, according to fans, is how the trope "the world is in danger" does not focus exclusively on the United States. According to social media statistics analyzed by some fans, 'Alienoid' has already made it into the list of most tweeted Korean movies in the world – days before its actual premiere.
The movie is directed by Choi Dong-hoon, with the cast including Ryu Jun-yeol
Kim Woo-bin and Kim Tae-ri. 'Alienoid' international release date is scheduled for August 26, 2022.