Back in 2013, director Fede Alvarez revitalized the much-loved horror franchise Evil Dead, delivering an edition that paid homage to its predecessors whilst injecting plenty of new life of its own. Just over ten years later, the director who also received acclaim for his original movie Don’t Breathe in 2016, aims to do the same thing with the Alien franchise. A passion project of his that stars Cailee Spaeny (Priscilla), Archie Renaux (Upgraded), David Jonsson (Rye Lane) and Isabela Merced (Instant Family), Alien: Romulus follows a group of young space colonizers who come face-to-face with the most terrifying form of life in the universe, whilst scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station. Slotting beautifully in between Alien and Aliens and many decades after the events in Prometheus and Covenant, Alien: Romulus is a dread-inducing, tense and scary space horror with excellent performances, a concise story and tremendous use of practical effects.
From the moment this film entered development, Alvarez was clear on what he wanted to deliver: an Alien movie that goes back to its roots. The first way this is made particularly clear is within the storyline. The script of Alien: Romulus is very simple and stripped back, offering a similar take to the movie that started the franchise – a group of people are confined to one space, fighting for their lives against dangerous, terrifying villains. The simple nature of the story doesn’t only mean it’s akin to the original but easy to digest. Later entries of the franchise are known for going a little off the rails, with many viewers even stating the story becomes convoluted and drawn out, so this snap back into familiar, accessible territory seems to be a good move. However, going back to basics doesn’t mean to say that Alvarez doesn’t put his own spin on things. This steady story lends itself nicely to exciting fragments of action that are placed exceptionally well throughout and a ballsy third act that undeniably makes it clear that Alvarez isn’t here to mess around. The choices involved in bringing this final act to life are bound to be divisive, particularly for die-hard fans of the franchise, but they do make for exciting viewing. There is one action sequence in particular, featuring anti-gravity, that is especially memorable and one of the movie’s greatest moments. The story isn’t exactly perfect as the ideas introduced towards the end are rushed through, and a couple of narrative choices along the way regarding one character, in particular, are questionable, though it mostly delivers.
Another aspect that Alvarez wanted to bring back to the forefront of this franchise is the horror. We haven’t seen an entry lean into the horror genre as fully as the original did, so those who still hammer home that the first installment remains the best will certainly be impressed. Alien: Romulus is utterly dread-inducing from the first frame to the last. It builds tension from the moment it kicks off, with a moody darkness that takes over the screen, making you feel claustrophobic and trapped alongside our characters. Once our team of colonizers is thrust into Xenomorph territory, the stakes are certainly increased, and the movie rarely lets up on the fear factor. Alvarez ensures plenty of horror elements are included, from cringe-inducing gruesome body horror and gore to heart-pounding jump scares. Those who aren’t overly impressed by the jump-scare method should rest assured by the fact they’re used sparingly, and one during the final act of the movie is seriously effective, perhaps the most effective of the year. The team also isn’t stingy with their villain usage, inserting more face-huggers and Xenomorphs than we’ve seen in one single movie within this franchise thus far. Absolute undeniable havoc is wreaked upon our cast of characters, and even with its particular focus on the action arm of horror, it still manages to be disturbing and unsettling in the traditional sense, too. That third act is bound to freak out plenty of audience members this weekend. The element that makes the horror so effective and applaud-worthy is simple – it’s the usage of practical effects. Not only is it refreshing to still see practical effects so prevalent in the horror genre, but it once again proves that they’re the way to go.
None of the above could be achieved without a competent cast delivering the material, which Alien: Romulus thankfully has. Each member of the cast understands what’s asked of them, and delivers performances that aren’t only an asset to the horror genre but are memorable within it. Many have been excited to see Cailee Spaeny in her leading role as Rain, due to her recent fantastic work in last year’s Priscilla and this year’s Civil War – she’s expectedly great. She certainly has what it takes to lead a film of this caliber, creating a final girl-esque character that is easy to root for and cheer on. Spaeny has big shoes to fill when it comes to Weaver’s turn as Ellen Ripley, and luckily they give her plenty of individuality alongside the similarities. Archie Renaux is also impressive as Tyler; the actor has been popping up on our screens regularly, proving his talent in entries including Prime Original Rom-Com’s Upgraded and The Other Zoey and Netflix Original Series Shadow and Bone. He always has a lot of charm and commands the screen with authority, and this knack is translated into Alien: Romulus. Isabela Merced gets a little less to do than expected as Kay, yet utilizes every second of screen time she receives beautifully. Providing harrowing guttural screams and injecting plenty of emotion and believable fear into her character, she still manages to stand out. Without question, the performance that impresses the most is delivered by David Jonsson. Playing Andy, a synthetic android whose sole purpose is to do what’s best for Rain, Jonsson flawlessly delivers a stoic yet layered and emotional performance. The script demands a lot from him as Andy’s prime directive changes halfway through the flick, meaning he becomes someone entirely new for a large portion of the run-time, and Jonsson seemingly effortlessly flips between the two. He proves he is one to keep an eye on, giving such a masterful and memorable turn.
Alien: Romulus mimics exactly what Fede Alvarez delivered in his rendition of Evil Dead; it oozes with his own signature style, impressive direction, and tons of flair and injects new life and passion into the franchise, whilst being ripe with nostalgia, nods and callbacks that are bound to impress long-standing fans. The horror elements work a treat with grizzly gore and faultless practical effects, the performances delivered by this young cast are absolutely stunning and the story takes a simple yet effective approach that pays perfect homage to the 1979 original. The technical elements are also fabulous, with impeccable, consistently intriguing set design, a looming score that matches the sense of dread perfectly and excellent costuming. There are times when the sound mixing is a little off, making it tricky to catch every line of dialogue, and the way this story plays out will certainly be divisive, with an exciting and bold yet rushed final act.
Alien: Romulus is a fun, action-packed and horrifying sci-fi horror hybrid that blends the best assets from every entry of the franchise together to make an engaging, cohesive film that fits tidily alongside its predecessors. The love for the rest of the franchise within the film-making is clear and is ultimately what makes Romulus work so well.
