From the Vault Review: 'Alien: Romulus'

Author's note: This is a throwback review and I've watched this film several times since I wrote this initially.

After many years of no films in the Alien franchise and what folks considered to be a letdown with Alien: Covenant, a return to form was necessary. Rather than shuffle ahead into the future, we’re sent back to a timeline between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) with Alien: Romulus. Thanks to Fede Alvarez and his vision, the film pays homage and injects new life into a beloved franchise. It’s a film that likely made Ridley Scott (the director of the original film) very proud of the end result.

Alien: Romulus follows Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her adoptive android brother Andy (David Jonsson) who embark on a mission with friends to finally flee their dead-end situations. Only to land themselves in hot water when they board an abandoned research spaceship that has facehuggers galore. And thus throws them into a hellish battle involving face huggers, xenomorphs, and a horrifying mutant. It’s a sci-fi horror delight that is relentless in its own mission to have you on the edge of your seat. That gives us a fantastic final girl in Rainn and a new Black final boy (yes, I know he’s an android) in Andy.

As soon as our characters board the Romulus (and Remus), the doom already sets in because of the atmosphere. We know most of the people are going to die, but how is the question. It’s something any fan of the Alien franchise (or at least the first film) will expect going in. Regarding the other characters, they all serve their own purposes. Tyler (Archie Renaux) is Rain’s ex who she clearly still holds a torch for, Kay (Isabela Merced) is Tyler’s sister, Bjorn (Spike Fearn) is the hot-headed cousin of Tyler and Kay, and Navarro (Aileen Wu) is Bjorn’s pilot girlfriend. All of them have their own personalities, with Bjorn being the least likable of the bunch. But it doesn’t do a disservice to the film in my eyes, it just goes to show not everyone is going to be a character you root for.

Rain’s struggle to trust her brother, who is briefly influenced by the damaged android they find, plays perfectly throughout. Not to mention, Andy is tremendously played by Jonsson. Making an android into an interesting character with complexity isn’t an easy task. But it’s executed well here. Just as it was with David (Michael Fassbender) in the previous two installments. The major differences in motivation lie with David rejecting what his core purpose is initially for.

Of course, Andy doesn't entirely turn heel and proves to be the more level-headed character in moments that require as much. The film posits the idea that acting upon emotion isn't always the wisest choice in dire situations. Instead of the characters consistently making poor decisions, they are stuck in moments where they can't afford to be reckless. Does that mean everyone survives? Absolutely not, and that's the formula of any Alien film.

Alien: Romulus takes big swings in the latter half of the film and takes a terrifying direction. The imagery will be hard to forget after you've finished the film. Don't go spoiling that for yourself before you watch, though, you'll have to see everything for yourself.

The Alien franchise at its core is very introspective and has more than a few subtextual and outright textual moments regarding reproductive issues. This film is no different, with one character being revealed to be pregnant. A revelation that plays into how the film isn’t afraid to be eye widening. This isn’t a B-movie with strictly awfully written characters and questionable motivations. These are people with desires to get out of their situations and make better lives for themselves. Something that’s always relevant, but is especially so considering the state of the real world at the moment. We don’t need a spaceship or xenomorphs running around to understand that.

Some horror doesn’t require there to be impactful emotional beats. Horror fans can be versatile in regard to what we’re in the mood for or what we might want in specific films. Alien: Romulus will make you care about Rain, Andy, and their relationship and whether or not they’ll survive their ordeals. Instead of some stereotypical sacrificial moment, Rain proves to be heroic and a badass. On top of that, Andy reminds us that even as an android, he does love Rain. And wants her to be safe as well as live a better life than she is.

Don’t be fooled though by the mention of emotional beats because this film isn’t feel-good. It’s cutthroat and barely allows its viewers to breathe for the majority of the runtime. And you won’t be able to get enough of that feeling. Alien: Romulus is already one of the best sequels in the entire franchise because it boldly carries the essence of Alien. The horror is top-notch, Rain has the bravery of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and deserves every moment of badassery that she displays throughout.

There’s no arguing that Alien: Romulus is chock-full of frighteningly gorgeous visuals and practical effects. It goes to places that I’m not going to spoil because you have to see the film for yourself. There are homages to other films in the franchise, including the iconic line from Aliens, to other moments that remind us just how scary the franchise can be. The well-loved game Alien: Isolation has been a confirmed source of inspiration, and that really comes through in some shots that feel like a video game. And that’s absolutely a compliment.

The film does lose slight points for its inclusion of AI in terms of the character of Rook, who is a deep fake ofIan Holm (who played Ash in Alien). In our current age and the increasing use of AI in the entertainment industry, rather than relying on practical effects, it's controversial to openly admit to using it. Other than that, the film works on multiple levels and when practical effects are used instead of CGI, it's highly appreciated.

At the end of the day, Alien: Romulus is for fans who love the original Alien, enjoyed Prometheus, and have a fondness for women protagonists with a lot of heart. It's best not to go into the film with expectations that it's reinventing the sci-fi horror wheel, though. If you're a fan of the franchise, then you might very well enjoy what Alien: Romulus has to offer. And if you're someone who has only ever watched the first film, you'll enjoy this all the same.

If you're looking for a sci-fi horror film that might cause your heart to start pounding, look no further. It might be the time to grab your favorite snacks, keep hydrated, and climb aboard the Romulus/Remus. Try to avoid the facehuggers, the xenomorphs, and whatever else might be on board. You're guaranteed a good time with this entry in the Alien franchise.


(image credit: 20 Century Studios)