New Showbiz

You are here:
Alienoid: Return to the Future

Alienoid: Return to the Future

2024

TV-14

Director

Choi Dong-hoon

Runtime

122 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Ean has a critical mission to return to the future to save everyone. However, she becomes trapped in the distant past while trying to prevent the escape of alien prisoners who are locked up in the bodies of humans. Meanwhile, Muruk, who helps Ean escape various predicaments, is unnerved when he begins sensing the presence of a strange being in his body. Traveling through the centuries, they are trying to prevent the explosion of the haava.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.2/10

Good


Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Fair

The plot focuses on Ean's mission and the symbiotic bond between humans and aliens. There is no explicit evidence of queer identities or LGBTQ+ character arcs within the primary narrative.

Gender Representation

Good

Ean serves as a central, decisive protagonist who drives the mission to save the future. Her agency disrupts traditional hierarchies by centering female intellect in a high-stakes sci-fi setting.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Good

The film blends historical Korean contexts with futuristic elements, moving beyond Western-centric tropes. The concept of aliens inhabiting human bodies offers a metaphor for the blending of identities.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The story explores friction between different eras and civilizations through a struggle against systemic threats. It prioritizes collective survival over the preservation of rigid, traditional social institutions.

Disability Representation

Fair

The presence of aliens within human bodies serves as a metaphor for neurodivergence or invisible conditions. Muruk’s experience highlights the struggle for bodily autonomy against an internal 'other.'

Strengths

  • Strong female agency with Ean driving the central mission.
  • Cross-temporal setting that avoids Western-centric sci-fi tropes.
  • Sophisticated use of sci-fi metaphors to explore identity and bodily autonomy.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation or queer character arcs.
  • Disability themes are tied to sci-fi metaphors rather than direct representation.

AI Analysis

Alienoid: Return to the Future succeeds in subverting traditional hero tropes by centering a female lead and utilizing a non-linear, cross-temporal structure. The film uses science fiction to explore complex themes of identity and agency through its unique premise of extraterrestrial possession. While the narrative offers strong gender and cultural depth, it lacks explicit visibility regarding LGBTQ+ identities. The reliance on metaphor for disability provides a conceptual layer, though it remains tied to the central sci-fi conceit rather than specific character studies.

How are these scores produced? →

Featured in

  • Best Religious & Cultural Representation in Film

Similar Movies

Movie poster for Alienoid

Alienoid

2022

No user ratings available yet
Diversity score: 5.0 out of 10

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.