‘Xeno’ Review – An Intergalactic Friendship Is A Beautiful And Heart-Wrenching Thing

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial inspired an entire subgenre of alien-buddy movies—the endearing nature of E.T. is that he is a toyetic alien. We are not talking about the creature from The Thing or even Alien. E.T. is a classic, and rightfully so, but I have been waiting for someone to come along and give us an update on the human befriending alien trope, and specifically with a creature that is far from cuddly and cherubic-looking. Enter, Xeno, a coming-of-age story that centers on an isolated girl who rescues an alien, who in turn rescues her. Combining the themes of E.T. with the look of an xenomorph from Alien, we have a tale of friendship that spans across the stars. Bring a box of Kleenex, too, because this one is heavy on the waterworks.

I’ll admit I was skeptical going into this film. E.T. is never far from mind whenever there is a plot involving someone bonding with an alien. Two lost souls, seemingly finding each other in friends, despite being galaxies apart. In a lot of ways, I had already seen the movie before it started. I was glad to be wrong. The film attempts to convey the story of how training an alien would unfold in the modern age. It goes about as well (or as poorly) as you might think. E.T., this is not. 

Xeno flips the script here in two ways. First, the creature in this feature hails from Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, so already the visual game is raised. In addition, we’re not working with an E.T. stand-in, or some adorable creature meant to sell toys. The alien in this film is a nightmarish creation that looks like it would send E.T. home in a pine box. But herein lies the genius: the alien is terrifying, which makes the friendship it forms with Renee (Lulu Wilson) all the more endearing.

Second, the characterization and the world we find ourselves in are unsanitized. Renee and her mother, Linda (Wrenn Schmidt), live on the wrong side of the tracks. While Renee is stereotypically an outcast, her performances come across as believable thanks to her rough-around-the-edges personality. We believe she is someone who would make friends with a creature from outer space. 

A chance encounter brings Renee into the heart of the desert on a starry night. There she discovers this alien, whom she affectionately names Croak. A bond soon forms between the two, forcing a deep understanding of good and evil. Soon, the government becomes involved, and one agent, Jonathan Keyes (Omari Hardwick), sets out to capture Croak. The search intensifies after it becomes clear Renee shares a connection with the alien. 

Now Croak looks otherworldly and is a fantastic rendering of a frightening alien, but at the same time, it pierces its way into our hearts in a way that we find endearing. Putting aside the visuals, the story here is grounded; we only focus on Renee. The government actors are tangential to the situation. They exist neither as a malevolent source, as we have seen in some sci-fi films, nor as agents here to save the day. They are simply doing their job, regardless of the connection between Renee and Croak. The script takes ample time to build up this relationship as something meaningful. She saves Croak, and in turn, Croak becomes her protector.

A broken home life and a tenuous relationship between mother and daughter further isolate Renee. Even her one and only friend Gil (Trae Romano) is on the periphery of her life. Throw in the complications of Linda’s abusive and alcoholic boyfriend, Chase (Paul Schneider), and the stage is set for a girl who feels like an outsider to be drawn to the ultimate otherworldly outsider. 

Another contributing factor to this film’s success is the stripping away of the usual alien mythos. Even though Croak is nightmare fuel, and there are a few hair-raising moments, the script works to make the creature misunderstood. This is not an alien hell-bent on world domination. In a lot of ways, it is a case of wrong place at the wrong time. That contrast, along with the terrifying visual, makes for a refreshing course. It makes sense that Renee is willing to risk all in to protect her extraterrestrial friend. 

The inclusion of the family melodrama is present, but never overloads the story. These elements establish the unshakable bond between Croak and Renee. The alien senses when she is in trouble and responds to any cry for help or shout of pain. Is Croak an evil alien? The government would like everyone to believe so, but the story is not cut and dry. It is not a case of clearly defined stakes of good and evil. The script plays it brilliantly by committing to a gray area when it comes to Croak.  

What Xeno does not shrink from is making this a story of friendship. There are homages to E.T., but the film is far more interested in telling a story that tries to make sense of this vast universe and puts Renee at the center of it. An unexplainable link in sci-fi is nothing new, but the movie injects earnestness into the dynamic that works on both a story level and cues up the waterworks. 

Which brings us to the driving course of this film: the sentimentality and heartbreak. Even without seeing the movie, the presence of government agents and the raw nature of the performance make a happy-ever-after impossible. What we have is a bittersweet climax that firmly establishes the unbreakable bond between Renee and Croak. What is refreshing about the film is that it delivers what we might expect to happen, while remaining true to the characters and situation. The bond between Croak and Renee is a beautiful and tender friendship that speaks to our moment about community and the need to belong. 

Renee transforms, gaining a better understanding of herself and her place in the universe. It is a monumental performance by Wilson. She captures the complexity of being a teenager and the loneliness of modern American life. The fact that the story leaves her sitting on her swing set, looking up at the sky, stays true to her character from the start. Hers is a story of personal understanding and longing to belong. 

Some may try to brush this off as a grittier version of E.T. or My Xenomorph a la The Iron Giant, but Xeno plunges deeper into the alien/buddy story. The change is more than the trappings, but a reordering of what it means to be human and alien. Splicing this together with a terrific creature-feature and a cosmic performance by Wilson — Xeno is a heartwrenching spectacle that goes beyond the usual alien fodder into telling us a story that shows friendships extend beyond the bounds of Earth.

Xeno will debut in theaters on September 19, 2025, courtesy of Blue Fox Entertainment.