Film Review - Alien: Romulus
Images courtesy of 20th Century Studios.
Ever since reading about the first Alien vs. Predator film as a young boy in Video Ezy magazine, I've had a deep-seated adoration for the Alien franchise. Even at its low points, it's a fun formula with an incredible central creature, often feeling like an old friend who occasionally shows up at your doorstep with a bottle of wine and a crazy story to tell. Sometimes, they entertain wholeheartedly, and other times, you wonder if maybe it's time you moved house. Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Álvarez, is one of those visits where you’re glad to have let them in, even if they did manage to track some mud on your carpet. Spoilers ahead.
Álvarez, known for his work on the spectacular 2013 Evil Dead remake (one of my absolute favourite horrors), brings his knack for practical gore and trashy setpieces to the table, paying off with a final act that tops most modern horror films, as we're forced to bear witness to the birth of something that can be best described as what would've happened if James Cameron commissioned H.R. Giger to design the Na’vi for Avatar. The film is drenched in a sense of cosmic dread that harkens back to Ridley Scott’s seminal classic Alien, while invigorating the formula with just a dash of the bombastic action in Aliens. Between the gross, slimy practical effects and the propulsive score that mixes the ethereal nature of the original soundtrack with obliterating electronic impacts, it’s a visual and auditory feast for horror fans, with every creak, echo and flickering shadow playing on the nerves like a finely tuned instrument.
The plot, while not groundbreaking, is refreshingly straightforward. After a brief prologue that sees Weyland-Yutani retrieving the first film’s lone alien survivor shortly after Ripley blasted it out into space, we follow Rain Carradine (played by the very talented Cailee Spaeny), a blue-collar worker stuck on a mining planet shrouded from sunshine by an ever-raging storm. This relatively grounded setup gives credence to a universe where survival is a luxury, not a guarantee. When Rain and her ragtag group of friends decide to raid a derelict space station for cryo-pods so that they can make the seven year trip to the next solar system over, things go predictably awry in a scene that reminded me just how gross the series’ iconic reproduction method is. Enter scene left the xenomorphs - free hugs for all.
Rain makes for a decently compelling, if not exactly deep protagonist, embodying the resilience and grit that made Ripley an icon. Her relationship with her surrogate brother Andy - a broken down and decommissioned android, played by David Jonsson in a powerhouse role - adds a layer of emotional depth that would otherwise be sorely missing amidst the cannon fodder supporting cast. Andy’s struggle between his two distinct modes of programming and his burgeoning human emotions is one of the film’s highlights, providing a poignant counterweight to the horror.
Another of the film’s strengths is its ability to balance nostalgia with innovation. There are plenty of nods to the original films - from the design of the space station to the iconic hiss of the xenomorphs - but Álvarez isn’t content to rest on his laurels. He injects new life into the franchise as he finds new, disturbing, uses for the facehuggers and the titular creature’s acid blood, while also surprisingly tying the plot back full circle to Ridley Scott's Prometheus. The special effects are mostly top-notch, blending practical and digital effects seamlessly, outside of a frankly awful deepfake (if this isn't fixed for the streaming release I swear I'm stealing something out of your house, Bob Iger).
Alien: Romulus certainly isn’t without its flaws. The plot, while generally engaging, can feel a bit thin at times. There’s a large chunk of the film in the middle that feels very much like Álvarez is playing it safe in regards to how violently he dispatches the crew members, when his films are usually excellent at constantly escalating the gruesome stakes. The supporting characters also have barely any traits beyond being poor and/or British - in space, I guess no one can hear the kettle boil. Additionally, some of the action sequences, while thrilling, border on chaotic, making it hard to fully appreciate the awesome effects work and atmosphere.
All in all, Alien Romulus is a worthy - if conflicting - addition to the franchise. It clearly has a lot of respect for its roots, which sometimes gets in the way of carving out its own identity. Álvarez’s direction, combined with strong performances and a palpable sense of dread, makes for a gripping cinematic experience. It may not reach the masterpiece status of Alien or Aliens, but it’s a solid entry that should leave fans both old and new satisfied, as well as thoroughly grossed out.
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Alien: Romulus is screening in cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.