Directed by Fede Álvarez and produced by Ridley Scott, Alien: Romulus is set between the events of Alien and Aliens and the story follows a group of young space colonists who, while scavenging a derelict space station, come face to face with the most terrifying life form in space.
The Alien franchise is easily one of the most iconic sci-fi horrors in existence but there is no denying that it has had a really rough road since the first two films made their historical mark on pop culture. After two very disappointing sequels and two very divisive prequels, the series has been in a state of limbo ever since, with seemingly no hope for a good installment in sight.
But then along came Fede Álvarez who decided to take the helm and create a brand new Alien story with the intention of going back to the roots of the series while also adding his own unique spin on it. The result? A near-perfect organism!
Alien Romulus is a bold, bloody, and glorious return of the Alien franchise that is fantastically crafted by Fede Álvarez and his crew who went above and beyond to deliver the best modern Alien installment we’ve had to date. You can feel the immense passion that was oozing out of this film with its strong performances, twisted story, terrifying atmosphere, gorgeous visuals, and beyond-incredible practical effects. It embraces all the elements of what made the first two Alien films so beloved while also hugely standing out on its own with its bold story choices and distinct style that may be beloved by most and divisive for others.
Let’s get into what makes Alien Romulus a fantastic and refreshing revival of the series, starting off with the cast, who I will say right off the bat is easily the best cast we have had since Alien and Aliens. Everyone delivers top-tier performances with their respective characters and thanks to their acting and solid writing you feel attached to each of them in various ways, which is something that many of the previous installments after Aliens were severely lacking. This was a doomed crew that I understood the motives of and felt really worried about, which in turn made the tension and suspense of this film feel more effective.
Cailee Spaeny delivers a phenomenal and fierce performance as the character Rain, finally giving us a lead character that matches the level of intensity and bravery of Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley after several failed attempts in the past. Rain is the one you feel the most for in this group as you understand her motives right from the get-go with her current living situation on a backwater colony, leading you to root for her from the start and continue rooting for her when the shit hits the fan. Cailee Spaeny radiates badass energy but also is able to deliver genuine human emotion, making her extremely compelling in both the small and big moments.
She’s not the only one that won my heart in this film though because Isabela Merced as Kay was also very compelling as a character even in a supporting role. The way she was able to display complete fear and horror in this film was so damn perfect and powerful that she truly made me feel everything she was enduring and therefore made the horror that she endures feel a lot more powerful in terms of impact on the audience. Isabela Merced has come a long way since her days as live-action Dora and I have a feeling her career is just beginning to take a major rise, starting with this.
Another performance that took me by surprise was David Jonsson as Andy, a mentally decaying android programmed by Rain’s father to be her surrogate brother. It can’t be an Alien film without an android included but this is definitely the most unique one we have had in the series by far, one that is different compared to the previous ones largely due to the way he is written and brilliantly performed by David Jonsson. Jonsson plays the part of an android excellently but also manages to give this particular android a lot of humanity that really hit my heart multiple times throughout the film. I will always like Ash, Bishop, and David but honestly, I think Andy could be my new favorite in the series mainly because of his arc and performance.
The rest of the cast is solid as well but there is one unannounced supporting character included that I didn’t expect to show up, and to be completely honest this character was the one main problem I had with the film as a whole. Due to heavy spoilers I will not reveal the identity of this character but I will say I was not a fan of their inclusion in this film, or how it was executed, due to how off-putting it is. The role of the character works for the story but I feel there were multiple alternatives that could have been chosen instead of what was done here.
As for the titular aliens in this film, I am happy to say they are magnificent and terrifying in every way possible as they are showcased in all their practical and horrifying glory. Long have I missed the time that the very sight and presence of the Xenomorph shook me to my core and I finally felt that feeling again watching this film with the way it was handled. The fact that Fede Álvarez and his crew went as far as to make the Xenomorph as practical as possible throughout the entire film through puppeteering and costumes is a testament to how much passion was put into this film as a whole and the dedication to make this iconic monster feel scary again.
Interestingly enough though the Xenomorph was not the only creature to get an upgrade because we also have the return of the Face Huggers that are honestly the scariest they have ever been in the entire franchise. One Face Hugger is bad enough but a whole pack of them chasing you down at lightning speed is the most terrifying idea imaginable and it is executed masterfully in this film with some of the most anxiety-filled sequences I’ve seen in an Alien film. And just like the Xenomorph, they are also done practically throughout a majority of the film, making them 10 times creepier than they were in previous installments.
The plot is simple yet extremely effective, with Fede Álvarez delivering masterfully built-up horror, anxiety-driven thrills, a claustrophobic atmosphere, excellent action, relentless gore, and great scares that recapture the magic that made the first two films as beloved as they are but with modern technology and filmmaking techniques. In a way, this film felt like a mix of Alien: Isolation and Dead Space with some of its terrifying elements being fully utilized within the given setting. Additionally, this film takes situations and ideas from previous films and puts new spins on them that are all executed beautifully and had me completely on the edge of my seat from start to end.
The film has occasional references and connections to Alien and Aliens since this film is set between those two films, but there is one other installment that gets a major connection to a part of the story that I didn’t expect to see brought up again but I personally thought to be brilliant and narratively made sense within this universe.
Now things end up taking a sinister and sadistic turn in the third act of this film when some very bold and creative decisions are made that may end up being extremely divisive for some people for a variety of reasons. It wouldn’t be a Fede Álvarez if something sickly demented wasn’t included and oh boy do we get something like that in this film that will be awesome for some and immensely disturbing for others. For me personally, I was completely on board with it not only because of how it made sense narratively but also because I loved how bold and f**ked up it was, making for an unforgettably insane finale that was just extremely well executed in my view. Even though I personally loved it I can completely understand why some wouldn’t as it really isn’t something for the faint of heart.
The other part of this film that deserves all the universal praise is the technical elements including the effects, sets, cinematography, sound design, and the score. This is by far the most gorgeous Alien film of the franchise in terms of visuals and modern effects that were crafted to perfection by passionate hands. Fede Álvarez stated numerous times that he wanted to avoid using CGI and green screen as much as possible throughout this film and he lived up to that promise by showcasing a high usage of practical effects and sets that all look absolutely stunning and really absorb you into the horror on screen just like the first two films did. The same goes for the gore that really hits hard when it needs to but remains mostly grounded and doesn’t go too over the top in comparison to some of the previous Alien films.
Now there are some instances where CGI is used but only when it is needed and it all looks excellent throughout the film except for one thing that wasn’t as refined or gorgeous compared to the rest.
The cinematography by Galo Olivares captures the haunting atmosphere of the setting while also enhancing the intense thrills of the most terrifying sequences this film has to offer.
The sound design is also masterfully well done, featuring some haunting sounds that enhance the anxiety of this film as well as nostalgic sounds from the older films to match the time period this film takes place in. Adding to all of that is Benjamin Wallfisch’s amazing score that enhances everything in this film, from the haunting and suspenseful atmosphere in the quiet moments to the unhinged and exhilarating action moments that go big and loud even within a claustrophobic setting. Occasionally there are a few musical references to the themes of the previous films but for the most part it is its own thing, much like this film is a whole.
There were so many ways this revival of the Alien series could have gone wrong but this film was in completely safe hands with Fede Álvarez and his dedicated team of artists. It makes some very bold choices that not everyone will agree with but it at least committed to its creative choices rather than playing it safe and being repetitive. If you are an Alien fan who has been desperate to see the franchise make a grand return to its former glory then I highly suggest seeing this film as it will definitely give you what you have wanted while also giving so much more. I’m going to give Alien: Romulus an A = 97.
You can find more of my writing on instagram, and check out my channel on YouTube!