‘Alien: Romulus’ | Movie Review (Spoiler-Free)

Alien: Romulus

“Alien: Romulus” takes place after the first “Alien” and is directed by Fede Alvares, one of the top horror filmmakers in the business.

In “Romulus”, a group of scavengers is heading to space to forage for fuel to get them off the planet and to a better situation. Little do they know, they aren’t the only living thing on board.

Our main character Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her synthetic protector Andy (David Jonsson) will have to face death to escape — but will they be able to make it out alive without a Xenomorph getting to them first?

The premise of “this”Alien: Romulus” feels similar to Fede Alvares’s “Don’t Breathe” centered around a group of kids trying to escape a blind psychopath. Instead of the traditional “Space Mission”, we’re given a different perspective and an added sense of tension that works great for the first act. The world-building is great and space is shown beautifully.

Rain and Andy are the two most compelling characters and I loved their dynamic. We see how much Rain cares for Andy even though he is a synthetic human. Andy’s main goal is protecting Rain, but can that directive change? The Alien franchise has frequently discussed the ethics and curiosity of synthetic lifeforms and in “Romulus” Andy has a great character arc that fans will love and discuss after the credits roll.

What stood out to me most was how much care was put into practical creature effects, set design, and miniature work that worked brilliantly. I loved seeing the art in the practical horror, and that adds to the horror once you see the Aliens. Whether they are on the group, attached to a face, or about to spit acid, there is a real fear in seeing an actual thing as opposed to a green screen and I hope Hollywood looks at this and considers how impactful it is.

Much like John Carpenter’s “The Thing” I found myself completely in awe of the ending of “Alien: Romulus” and know that if seen in a theater it will horrify audiences this weekend.

Where they do use CGI and digital effects come from some characters that don’t work for me. Without getting too into it, they are utilizing the de-aging technology, but the truth is, this technology just does not work for me. It’s always a distraction especially when you can see the mouths and facial features softened and filtered like an Instagram post, and though I understand the need for it here, I just feel there was another route to take.

Additionally, while “Alien: Romulus” pays tribute to the previous “Alien” and “Prometheus” films, some of the story beats can feel a little too predictable as a result of the homage. Fans of the series will likely be able to predict some moments, but new fans with no knowledge of the previous films will be surprised.

Overall, “Alien Romulus” is a great addition to the series and one that beats many of its previous sequels. Is it the best Alien Film since “Aliens”? No, but it deserves a spot in the top 3 best. Go in ready for horror, and you will be delighted.

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