Alien: Romulus

In preparation for ALIEN: ROMULUS, I recently revisited the original ALIEN, knowing that the latest chapter in the legendary series was to take place immediately following the events of the Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic. As it has remained since the moment it was released, the 1979 film is truly one of the all-time greats. It fully envelopes the viewer into its world of desolate terror and features one of cinema’s greatest creatures. Despite spawning countless homages and even parodies, the chest-bursting scene still finds a way to disgust and delight in equal measure.

Set between the events of ALIEN and ALIENS, director Fede Alvarez’s ALIEN: ROMULUS goes back to the ship where the whole thing started. After learning that there is a vessel floating in space that carries cryo chambers that would help get them to a distant paradise, a group of down-on-their-luck scavengers look to escape a sunless (and soulless) mining colony. This crew includes Rain Carradine(Cailee Spaeny), a young woman who longs to see the sun but is destined to spend her life working in the mines with her synthetic brother Andy (David Jonsson). He is timid and has a penchant for dad jokes, but Rain views him as an actual brother. Also in the mix is Tyler (Archie Enaux), Rain’s ex-boyfriend, Kay (Isabela Merced), who is Tyler’s sister, Bjorn (Spike Fearn), Tyler and Kay’s cousin, and Navarro (Aileen Wu), who is Bjorn’s girlfriend.

What the crew doesn’t know is that the super sketchy Weyland-Yutani corporation had sent a probe to investigate the wreckage of USCSS Nostromo (the ship from ALIEN) in hopes of finding the xenomorph. The probe was successful, and it had brought the crystalized creature aboard. Needless to say, things get pretty messy from here.

ALIEN: ROMULUS succeeds in story building and filling in the gaps of what happened in between ALIEN and ALIENS. Alvarez takes some brave swings, choices that will delight some fans and no doubt irk others. From resurrecting a character (and performer) who is no longer with us, to a horrifying grotesque late stage reveal, credit should be given for trying to find the balance between tribute and evolution. Rain fills the void left behind by Ripley, and while Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal within the franchise will remain one of the great performances off-all time, Spaeny exudes the right amount of empathy, terror, and resilience to establish herself as the heir-apparent of the franchise.

The ALIEN saga is no stranger to divisive entries. Most recently, the two prequels PROMETHEUS and ALIEN: COVENANT drew passionate opinions from critics and fans alike. I enjoyed both entries, with PROMETHUS standing out as the superior out of the two. While some found it convoluted and hollow, I thought it was an intense and thought-provoking origin story that featured superb performances by Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace.

Alvarez, who has shown an aptitude for terror with EVIL DEAD and DON’T BREATHE, combines the most successful elements of his previous ventures to craft a film that touches on the same elements that made the original a classic. Tension builds slowly within the recesses of space and in the darkest corners of the ship, and when the violence arrives, it is stunning in its swiftness and brutality. For those with no previous knowledge, the introduction to facehuggers and xenomorphs will likely make you squirm from the terror, whereas fans of the franchise will rejoice in their modern upgrades. Alvarez has created a film that obviously wants to honor the past and satisfy the nostalgia-based itch that has become prevalent in recent remakes, reboots, and sequels, while also winning over those who have never seen a second of the ALIEN franchise. With a little originality thrown in for good measure, he has crafted a sequel that not only entertains, but ensures the longevity of the franchise moving forward.