Direction: Fede Alvarez
Country: USA
Set chronologically between the first two films of the saga, Alien: Romulus marks a return to the basics, reviving the franchise with a blend of old and new elements. Without Sigourney Weaver, this visually captivating, energetic, and intense science-fiction horror flick is enhanced by magnificent sets and thrilling action sequences. It relies on a rejuvenated cast that delivers, even if most of the characters lack full definition. The standout exception is Rain (Cailee Spaeny), a young space colonizer who, along with her friends and humanoid brother, explores an abandoned space station named Romulus, only to face the most terrifying life forms in the universe.
Directed by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, 2013; Don’t Breathe, 2016), who co-wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues, the film is invested with awe-inspiring ingenuity in some sequences and details for the sake of a deliriously entertaining experience. While it borrows elements from its predecessors, it still manages to find originality in its design and tone, delivering impactful moments. The beast’s drool still causes some frisson; the velocious, creepy Facehuggers inject new excitement; and the humanoids makes us feel the coldness and indifference of machines.
Alvarez directs with a blend of technique and artistry, crafting a visually arresting experience. He knows how to create suspense in confined, claustrophobic places and pumps this new chapter with nauseating fluids and relentless adrenaline. Alien: Romulus never reaches the potential of Ridley Scott’s original or James Cameron’s sequel, but it’s terrifically executed and, just the same, viscerally monstrous.
