How does Alien: Romulus hold up? Is it a worthy sequel? Or is it another franchise retread? Let’s dive into the latest film in the Alien saga.
A Space Colony Horror
The movie takes place after the events of the original 1979 film. A space colony is home to some young colonists seeking to escape. Cailee Spaeny plays Rain Carradine, an orphan who works on the colony. With her android Andy, played by David Jonsson, she’s hoping to find a way out of working in the mines forever. Her only shot lies in teaming up with a ragtag group of scrappy colonists. Their plan is to find parts on the abandoned space station Romulus. What they find is an attack from the Xenomorph aliens.
The film is directed and co-written by Fede Álvarez. His previous horror films include the 2013 reboot of Evil Dead and 2016 original horror Don’t Breathe. With his focus on trapped individuals, Álvarez was a great choice for an Alien movie. He knows how to build tension within this familiar setting. He also spends enough time with the characters to care for them. We get to know their plight and the perils they face. It’s enough to make you root for their survival rather than a gruesome death.
Álvarez also remains highly faithful to the Alien franchise. He favored practical effects where possible for the alien creatures. They become a highlight for all their detail. The scenes of facehuggers forcing themselves into human throats are disgusting. The egg sacs that shoot out acid look believably gooey. The Xenomorphs that stalk the humans feel like they’re right there in the room.
Classic Sci-Fi Designs
Speaking of the environment, the space station is wonderfully authentic and retro. Álvarez also favored practical sets and they work extremely well. The classic sci-fi design is present in everything. The computers have that old and rustic quality. The abandoned space station has a brilliantly spooky atmosphere. Everything from the leaking pipes to the hole in the floor to the horror. The trapped nature takes hold quickly in such an environment. Álvarez does a great job adhering to what makes an Alien movie intense and engaging. At the same time, he also plays to his own strengths as a director. He gives the film his own touches of terror. Shades of Don’t Breathe can be felt in everything from the closed spaces to the grotesque reveals.
There’s a bluntness to the thematic elements that is refreshing. The ensemble is admirable more for their overall goal of escaping the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. The condemnation of capitalism is easy to read in this script. These people don’t want to die in service to a company. This aspect becomes most apparent with how Andy is framed. He undergoes a transformation from friendly android to a company-serving tool. There’s a deeper questioning of how our existence is shaped by corporations.
Some Potential
Unfortunately, some of these themes get lost in the shuffle. By the third act, Romulus turns into a run-and-gun Alien movie. While these final scenes are exciting, they also lose sight of saying something more. There’s more focus on survival than anything else. While this still makes Romulus a good movie, there’s some potential left on the table. This is especially true with the sexual overtones. The aliens present are far more sexualized than they were before. There is a payoff of sorts concerning one crew member who is pregnant. This development, however, proceeds down a very familiar path.
The faithfulness within Romulus doesn’t always work. There are several moments that feel like blatant Easter egg hunt — from cameos and references to repeated lines. A familiar punchline pops up during a crucial scene in the film. While it may bring some smiles to fans of the franchise, it might leave others underwhelmed. There’s a dependency on nostalgia that robs the film of its more original allure. It’s not as numerous as other sequels that bait with spotting old stuff. That said, these minor issues will take some out of the movie.
Is Romulus A Worthy Addition to the Alien Franchise?
Alien Romulus feels like a balance between being an Alien movie and Álvarez production. It doesn’t have as much philosophical meat as the previous films by Ridley Scott. But it does boast that gruesome Alien atmosphere — claustrophobic in its setting and brutal with its violence. The characters are also worth caring about, thanks to the bold theme of defying corporate interests over human life. There’s also a huge swing taken with its ending that is sure to draw debate among fans. That aspect, to me, makes the film more appealing. It’s a balance of the familiar and the fresh. As far as Alien movies go, Romulus is a great addition to the saga. It’s sure to please, for being as challenging as it is respectful of the franchise.
What did you think of Alien Romulus? Where does it rank among the Alien movies? Let’s talk in the comment below.
Rating: 4/5
