Alien and Aliens are untouchable, although that hasn’t stopped Hollywood from trying to make lightning strike three times. While some attempts have been more admirable than others, this franchise’s track record is only slightly better than The Terminator’s. Alien: Romulus might not go down as a classic, but it comes the closest to replicating the dread we haven’t felt since 1986. The film restores two ingredients that have been missing from past Alien sequels/prequels/crossovers. First, Fede Álvarez returns Alien to its horror roots. Álvarez is more than up to the task, having previously directed Don’t Breathe and 2013’s Evil Dead. What’s surprising is the second element that Álvarez brings back: heart.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an Alien film without a strong female lead. Cailee Spaeny continues her streak of winning performances as Rain Carradine, who refreshingly isn’t related to Ellen Ripley. Set between the first and second film, Romulus isn’t without a few on-the-nose references. As a whole, though, the film functions as a standalone story, prioritizing its main character over mythology. Rain has spent her life working in the mines for the Company. Her only family is her adoptive synthetic brother Andy (David Jonsson). To get out from under the Company’s thumb, the siblings hitch a ride with some fellow colonists. They naturally come across a ravaged space station where certain doom is only a face hug away.
The young supporting cast, which includes Isabela Merced, Archie Renaux, Aileen Wu, and Spike Fearn, all turn in convincing performances. The heart of the movie lies in Rain and Andy, however. Most of the others ridicule Andy, not only because he’s an android, but due to his stutter. Although Andy’s directive is to look after his sister, Rain is just as protective of him. Andy is almost reminiscent of someone with autism, speaking matter-of-factly, yet sincerely caring about Rain’s well-being. When Andy gets an upgrade, it gives the gang an advantage over the aliens, but it strips him of whatever humanity might be inside.
It’s often been said that Alien was a haunted house movie in space. Since Álvarez already made a couple of haunted house movies, space was the next logical frontier. With an emphasis on practical creature effects and bloodcurdling cinematography, Álvarez creates an atmosphere that honors the Alien legacy. At the same time, Álvarez leaves his signature with a few innovative set pieces. A zero gravity sequence, in particular, is among the franchise’s most intense moments to date. Álvarez even manages to improve upon some ideas that never met their full potential. Let’s just say that Alien: Romulus thrives where Alien Resurrection failed.
Romulus doesn’t drastically shake up the formula. Spaeny and Jonsson are the film’s secret weapons, although the supporting characters could’ve had more depth. For its first two-thirds, Romulus is solid but not spectacular. It’s the third act that earns the film an additional star. Learning from its predecessors without repeating too much, the finale is a genuine feat of terror that finds the ideal middle ground between sci-fi and horror. The creature design here is on a whole new level with imagery that’ll fuel our nightmares for a while. I wouldn’t say the ending saves Alien: Romulus, as the film was already doing its job well. Yet, the ending separates Romulus from being a good Alien movie and a great one.