★★★★1/2
Alien: Romulus is a non-stop thrill ride! I genuinely really enjoyed it - it manages to really capture the tone, feel, tension, and atmosphere of the original Alien so well, while also honouring the rest of the films in the franchise — even Prometheus — which made me (a fan of that movie) super happy!
Romulus leans heavily into its horror origins to craft a relentless, visceral thrill ride that starts off slowly and increases in intensity until you’re left gasping for breath by the end. Devoid of any thematic depth, it incorporates so many winks, nods, and moments of fan service it often feels more like a greatest hits entry than trying to provide anything new or profound. It felt to the Alien franchise like what The Force Awakens or Jurassic World were to their respective franchises. (Note: I love those movies) Still, the grounded performances from Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson provide just enough emotional weight to keep audiences invested during the slaughter. It’s definitely the most straightforward of the franchise.
But that doesn’t mean the film doesn’t have its own merits. Fede Alvarez has outdone himself with this thrilling, suspenseful, gnarly, and most importantly cinematic film! His direction is smart and efficient with some very clever setpieces that put a spin on what we know, the practical creature effects are off-the-hook, and the world-building, or expansion thereof is superb — exquisite and of a piece with Alien and Aliens. It fires on all cylinders, masterfully using the familiar in unfamiliar ways. The film prioritizes thrills over depth, but it works surprisingly well. Romulus’ technically deft exterior more than makes up for its slight thematic nature and everything else in between. The film looks visually beautiful (especially in the expanded IMAX ratio), with terrific cinematography and lighting and detailed practical sets. Don’t even get me started on the incredible, bone-crushing, machine-like sound design! And those last 20 minutes… wow Alvarez and his team really swung for the fences with an insane 3rd act that I was so pleasantly surprised with! It took a bold risk that won’t work for everyone, but I loved the heck out of it. (Prometheus fans will get me) There was one aspect of Romulus that I undoubtedly had issues with (a certain character - you’ll know it when you see it), but luckily it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the film.
Alien: Romulus is a thrilling flex of visceral storytelling with the kind of frights that rattle you to your core. Fede Alvarez combines elements of what made the ‘79 and ‘86 films flourish, from eerie stillness to fun twists. I never knew where this film was headed! Not what I was expecting, but everything I wanted! A claustrophobic, chaotic ride, as all Alien films should be! This one rules!
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