As is often the case with the release of a new sequel, I returned to the original for reappraisal. Yes, Ridley Scott’s masterwork is still frightening and expertly paced, but what makes the film exceptional is the diversity of the acting talent. And by diverse, I don’t mean the sort of DEI casting-by-numbers that turns every movie into a shiny Benetton commercial. No, I mean that in the 1979 original, we witness the full gamut of acting talent available at the time. Classical actors John Hurt and Ian Holm are on fine form, as is the burgeoning movie star Sigourney Weaver. Then there’s old-timer Harry Dean Stanton doing his thing alongside relative newcomer Yaphet Kotto, who played grumpy engineer Dennis Parker. Even the ship’s cat puts in a memorable performance.

I’ve no doubt the Romulus actors gave it their best shot, but as with so many modern action movies, the casting feels like a committee-led afterthought. You can just imagine the risk-averse studios insisting that none of the actors should be allowed to detract from the costly special effects. What we end up with is a bunch of generic young nobodies who won’t alienate (sorry) global audiences.

But bland, inoffensive casting drains the lifeblood from movies. Actors become mere tools, there simply to drive the narrative. As for appealing to “global markets,” I reckon we should impel studios to paint “NEVER PATRONIZE YOUR AUDIENCE” in huge letters across their backlots.