ALIEN: ROMULUS Review

Life hasn't always been kind to the Alien franchise, with fans subjected to their fair share of questionable outings. Ridley Scott's most recent attempt at adding to the Xenomorph lore proved no different, with his Prometheus prequels failing to deliver the same level of gore or peril, focusing more on psychological thrills. Now that the franchise is under the Walt Disney umbrella, following their acquisition of 20th Century Fox, there is hope that new life can be given to these once terrifying creatures, with the various trailers and promo clips for Alien: Romulus generating hype.

Set between the events of Alien and Aliens, the plot follows Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and a group of young space colonists as they scavenge a derelict space station. What our plucky opportunists find within proves to be more than they bargained for, coming face to face with one of the deadliest creatures in the universe. This all leads to a blood-quenching fight for survival, with our scavengers having to band together and use all their wits and resources to overcome this terrifying Xenomorph. 

The franchise has seen its fair share of talented directors over the years, with Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and David Fincher (just to name a few) all leaving their fingerprints on the series. The latest to take the helm is Fede Álvarez, with the visionary behind 2013’s Evil Dead remake and Don’t Breathe bringing the series back to its horror-driven roots. Capturing the claustrophobic feel that made the 1979 classic so gripping, Álvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues deliver a narrative that, despite its imperfections, manages to captivate at every turn. In doing so the director manages to deliver a product that takes inspiration from its predecessors, whilst standing tall on its own, being the breath of fresh air that the franchise has so desperately needed.

Álvarez does an amazing job of setting the tone of this movie, utilising the first act to establish our band of scavengers and identify their goals in life. In doing so the director not only allows the film to breathe but adds a sense of desperation to proceedings, highlighting the poor conditions our young group has been subjected to. Talking of our band of renegades, they ultimately prove to be a very mixed bag, with it being easy to root against certain characters. The only real expectation from this was that if these rotten crew members were going to meet a perilous fate, make sure that it was epic and gory.

As for the cast itself, each member brings something unique to the party. Whether it's the brash, gung-ho nature of Spike Fearn as Bjorn or the level-headedness that Archie Renaux brings as Tyler, the result is a dynamic atmosphere. The star of the show, however, is Cailee Spaeny, with the young actress giving a breathtaking performance as Rain Carradine. Between the character’s close relationship with Andy (David Jonsson) and the bold way she handles gnarly situations, the actress goes above and beyond to convey emotion. The overall character depth and development would also shine throughout, with Rain going from a quiet girl, looking to improve her life, to a badass heroine that won’t hesitate to fight a Xenomorph.

Over the years we’ve seen the franchise grow from a pre-visual effects era to the wonderful benefits of CGI. Now when it comes to most blockbuster movies nowadays, there is the tendency to go overboard with visual effects. Alien: Romulus, for the most part, avoids this trap, opting to deliver a hybrid of CGI and practical effects. This results in a blissfully grounded project, with the suspense and horror prospering from this visual composition. Despite this, there was one particular use of CGI that simply didn’t work, with the desired effect proving both horrifying (for all the wrong reasons) and drastically unrealistic.

One of the more interesting characters throughout this flick is Andy (David Jonsson), with the android quickly proving to be a very complex entity. Being introduced as somewhat of a brother to Rain, the android evolves into a truly captivating character, with his cold, calculating temperament being rather chilling. The way that Jonsson brings this artificial intelligence to life is a wonder to behold. Whether it’s his confused reaction to the discriminating mindset of certain crewmates or the dedication with which he follows directives, the actor conveys tremendous emotion, reminding us of the importance androids have had to this franchise.

Now as much as Prometheus would try and prove differently, you can’t have an Alien movie without the terrifying Xenomorphs present. Along with their Facehugger intermediaries, these acid-blooded foes prove as deadly as ever in Alien: Romulus, giving our young team a bone-chilling experience. Having the Xenomorph stalk their prey in the pitch black, Álvarez takes these predatorial creatures back to basics, proving once again that less is more. This all leads to some satisfyingly horrific moments, that live up to the series’ legacy. Despite all this, there was a major twist near the end of the film that proved very questionable, with the director clearly trying to deliver a visually creepy conclusion at the expense of practicality.

Verdict

Alien: Romulus brings the franchise back to its horror roots, with director Fede Álvarez delivering a terrifying experience for the characters within. Proving very much that less is more, the film harkens back to its predecessors, whilst standing tall on its own, expanding on the lore along the way. The claustrophobic playground in which our Xenomorph roams also proves bone-chilling, and despite its flaws, the film generally proves to be an amazing addition to the franchise.

7/10

AVATAR 3 Gets its Title at D23

Disney's D23 expo has been in full effect this weekend, giving us plenty of announcements to get excited about their upcoming products. One franchise to be featured at the event was Avatar, with the James Cameron series unveiling the title of its third instalment. Going with the subtitle Fire and Ash, the upcoming film looks to continue with the elemental theme, mirroring the franchise's second instalment, The Way of Water. Other than the title and a new logo, there wasn't much revealed about the film, which is currently scheduled for a December 19th, 2025 release.

Revolutionising the film industry with its inception in 2009, Avatar became a box-office smash, being historically the #1 grossing movie at the time. It's use of advanced special effects and 3D cinematography made it an instant sensation, with the world of Pandora being both majestic and barbaric. It would take thirteen years for the franchise to produce its second instalment, with 2022's The Way of Water continuing Jake Sully's (Sam Worthington) journey into the Na'vi culture, facing a familiar threat. Thankfully we don't have as long a wait between instalments this time around, with a fourth and fifth instalment also in development. 

Sinister FINAL Trailer for ALIEN: ROMULUS

The Alien franchise has certainly had its fair share of ups and downs over the years, with Ridley Scott's most recent attempt at giving us some history to the creatures in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant being questionable at best. Now that 20th Century Studios is under the Walt Disney umbrella, we're set to get a new take on these frightening foes, with Fede Álvarez’ upcoming blockbuster getting a tantalising final trailer.

Having a very familiar feel, this latest entry in the Alien franchise looks almost like a mirror image of the 1979 classic. And given that it's meant to act as a standalone interquel, set between the events of Alien and its sequel Aliens, it's nice to see that the film has these classic traits. Showcasing the menacing Facehuggers as well as a brief glimpse at the sinister Xenomorph that it eventually turns into, this trailer certainly sends shivers up the spine, looking like a promising addition to the beloved franchise. 

Alien: Romulus makes its way to a cinema near you August 16th