A press screening for Alienoid: The Return to the Future took place in Seoul on the afternoon of December 3rd. The screening was attended by Lee Ha Nee, Kim Woo Bin, Kim Tae Ri, Ryu Jun Yeol, Jo Woo Jin, Yum Jung Ah, Kim Eui Sung, and director Choi Dong Hoon.
Alienoid: The Return to the Future is the sequel to the 2022 movie Alienoid. The first movie follows a swordsman who wants to seize the legendary divine sword at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty and those who chase after an alien prisoner imprisoned in a human body in 2022. The second movie will uncover more hidden secrets within the intense competition surrounding the divine sword, telling the story of humans and Taoists traveling into the future to save everyone. The movie is scheduled for release on January 10th.
Here’s how movie critics and media writers have reacted after getting an early look at the movie:
Star News: The scattered puzzle pieces from Alienoid finally come together in Alienoid: The Return to the Future, completing Director Choi Dong Hoon’s ambitious vision. The second movie successfully brings a satisfying conclusion, proving that the 387-day journey was not in vain.
News1: The second movie is much better than the first one. While Alienoid focuses on building its outline, Alienoid: The Return to the Future really uses it to create a compelling and fully developed story. The story that began in the first movie is finally concluded in the second one, and the way the movie handles it is truly spectacular.
Star News: The scattered puzzle pieces from Alienoid finally come together in Alienoid: The Return to the Future, completing Director Choi Dong Hoon’s ambitious vision. The second movie successfully brings a satisfying conclusion, proving that the 387-day journey was not in vain.
News1: The second movie is much better than the first one. While Alienoid focuses on building its outline, Alienoid: The Return to the Future really uses it to create a compelling and fully developed story. The story that began in the first movie is finally concluded in the second one, and the way the movie handles it is truly spectacular.
My Daily: The expansion of its worldview is impressively done with an increased number of characters adding richness to the narrative. Secrets are gradually revealed, and the retrieval of scattered clues is executed perfectly. Director Choi skillfully weaves the extensive narrative without making it too obvious about what’s going to happen.
SR Times: The second part seems to have taken feedback into account, especially regarding the issues noted in the first movie. It’s like they’ve given it a revamp, with a distinct emphasis on entertainment. Simply revealing the reasons and answers behind where each character came from and why they hold their respective positions alleviates some of the criticisms, creating a more satisfying experience.
Sports Chosun: The second movie shows that director Choi took some time to think things over after the first one. The second movie came back looking fantastic like a beautiful swan after a year and a half of adjustments and improvements since the last film.
The Asia Business Daily: The director might have been overly mindful of the negative feedback from Alienoid. Although I can’t pinpoint specific scenes, there are more tearful moments for the once-cheerful character, Ian. The screen time for certain characters who brought laughter in the previous installment has also been extended. But it feels like a bit too much. Some funny scenes feel forced, and the movie gets a bit tiring with unnecessary repeats in the story.
