Review - Alien: Romulus (2024)

       Hey guys, Chuck here. Alien: Romulus is the latest film in the legendary sci-fi horror franchise Alien. The movie is directed by Fede Alvarez, and stars Cailee Spaeny, Isabela Merced, David Jonsson, Archie Reneaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu. 

      So, the movie sees a young crew that consists of Rain, Andy, Tyler, Kay, Bjorn, and Navarro exploring an abandoned space station, which is divided into two parts: Romulus and Remus. Of course, as they explore the station in search of equipment they need to reach a far-off planet, they run afoul of the deadly creatures known as the Xenomorphs, as well as an android named Rook, and all hell breaks loose. 

      Okay, so one thing that Alien: Romulus does quite well is that it recaptures the feeling of suspense and sheer terror of the original Alien. Fede Alvarez, who of course is known for directing horror films like Don't Breathe and the 2013 Evil Dead, really did an excellent job of recapturing the horror element that made the original Alien iconic, as well as really capturing the blue collar world of the future that Ridley Scott designed in the first Alien. Now, the interesting thing about Alien: Romulus is that it takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens, so there are certain events, particularly those of the original Alien, that are directly referenced in this movie. Unfortunately, the movie also tries to tie in certain plot elements from Prometheus, but not until roughly the third act. 

      The performances, for the most part, are really good. Cailee Spaeny as Rain, David Jonsson as Andy, Archie Reneaux as Tyler, Isabela Merced as Kay, Spike Fearn as Bjorn, and Aileen Wu as Navarro all did a really good job, and you definitely get a sense of camaraderie with these characters, especially between Rain and Andy. And, it should be noted that Andy is, indeed, an android, and thus is a source of concern amongst the other characters. However, it's the character Rook where I am a bit split. For one, the performance by Daniel Betts is absolutely fantastic, and I give major kudos to him. However, the character is an identical android model as Ash from the original Alien, and thus Rook is modeled on the voice and physical likeness of the late Ian Holm, which occasionally creates an uncanny valley scenario. But, the character is an android, so it doesn't necessarily feel too off-putting. 

       The creature designs are, of course, a highlight. Seeing the iconic forms like Facehuggers, Chestbursters, and the fully formed Xenomorphs was absolutely chilling. Now, without getting into spoilers, there's another creature that appears near the end of the movie that just has an unsettling appearance. And, as mentioned before, it's at a point in the movie that attempts to tie back to the film Prometheus. So, check this movie out for yourself, and make of it what you will. 

      Now, while I mostly agree with most people that Alien: Romulus is arguably the best film in the series since Aliens. However, while I do think that this movie ranks up there with both Alien and Aliens in terms of the better films in the Alien franchise, it doesn't quite top either film. But, it's an absolutely terrifying thrill ride, and I absolutely loved this one. I'm giving Alien: Romulus a rating of 5/5. 

      Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you guys next time.