Alien Romulus (2024)
Ah, those fiendish xenomorphs! We just can’t get enough of these multi-headed extraterrestrial monsters. Our appetite for them never ceases. It doesn’t matter how many movies they’ve been in. They keep coming back to wreak more havoc, like Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees.
Alien Romulus is the seventh installment of the series, or the ninth if you count the Alien vs. Predator crossover movies. As franchises have grown lengthier, producers have become increasingly creative about how to reinvigorate them. Instead of plain old sequels, it’s now common to get midquels, spinoffs, prequels, and reboots.
Romulus, which is chronologically set in between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), is a midquel like Saw X (2023). It features one actor from Alien, the late Ian Holm, who portrays an android. He appears through the use of CGI, similar to Peter Cushing in Star Wars: Rogue One (2016).
I’m not sure how I feel about actors being “resurrected” with computers. I suppose it’s okay as long as the filmmakers get the permission of the deceased performer’s family or estate, but it still feels kind of sleazy.
Along with obviously being sci-fi, the Alien series has always straddled the line between the horror and action genres. The original movie was certainly horror, but the later installments quickly shifted into the latter category.
Alien Romulus is the most horror-centered installment since the original. This makes sense because it was directed and written by Fede Álvarez, who previously helmed Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe (2016). Álvarez’s script is refreshingly straightforward. It’s great to see the series return to its scary roots.
It’s easy to get bogged down in mythology and exposition when you’re part of a long-running franchise. Alien Romulus avoids this by featuring a simple premise and a small cast of characters in an isolated location, similar to the original Alien (1979).
a Fresh new heroine
Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) is a plucky young miner who dreams of escaping her humdrum existence. Together with her android buddy Andy (David Jonsson), and friends Kay (Isabela Merced), Tyler (Archie Renaux), Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Navarro (Aileen Wu), they journey to an abandoned space station. The group hopes to scavenge resources that will help them to reach a distant planet where they can live in peace.
The relationship between Rain and Andy is interesting. Her dead dad programmed the android to accompany and protect her, but Andy is only as loyal as his programming allows. He is capable of making coldly logical decisions involving life and death. Jonsson delivers an appropriately systematic performance as a technological marvel that falls just short of seeming human.
Of course, it turns out that the space station is infested with xenomorphs. Kay reveals that she’s pregnant, making the group’s circumstances even more challenging. There have been many pregnancy storylines in horror movies this year. They never end well, and Alien Romulus is certainly no exception to that trend.
Cailee Spaeny performs convincingly in her first appearance in a major franchise. She’s quickly made a name for herself after her performance in Civil War (2023). Acting wise, she definitely has the chops to play Rain.
She’s short and petite. Physically, she doesn’t fit the conventional image of an alien-battling space warrior. But it’s not like Sigourney Weaver was a mountain of muscle in the first Alien movie.
Rain is smarter and braver than most of the other characters, and that keeps her alive longer. I’m not sure if Sigourney Weaver would be up for it, but a movie where Rain and Ripley team up could be fun!
The movie concludes with a grotesque and imaginative twist. It’s a nasty climax, but anyone familiar with this mean-spirited series (remember what happens to Newt in Alien 3?) shouldn’t be shocked by how events transpire. The ending fits the franchise’s dark tone while leaving rays of hope for some characters.
Rating
Alien Romulus is a grim, violent journey that revitalizes the franchise with a new-ish storyline and young cast. A follow up installment is planned.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece): 7.5
