‘Alien: Romulus’ REVIEW: In space, no one can still hear you scream (from stress and anxiety)
‘Alien: Romulus’ REVIEW: In space, no one can still hear you scream (from stress and anxiety)
The Xenomorph in all of its terror in Alien: Romulus | Photo taken from IMDb
Maybe it was the frozen white coffee from Dunkin' I had inside the cinema kicking in or my keen anticipation for a new entry in the Alien franchise — but Alien: Romulus is a surefire, spine-chilling interquel that brings together the best elements of the worlds created by Scott in Alien and Cameron in Aliens.
Director Fede Álvarez (Evil Dead 2013, Don’t Breathe) breathes new life into the franchise by utilizing practical effects and set pieces to make the world feel real. In a world where “fix it in post” and heavy VFX work is the easier route, Álvarez and the rest of the crew go back to the heart of making horror cinema.
He capitalizes on the artistry and craftsmanship of those who worked hard on creating the Xenomorph animatronic and sections of the Renaissance space station, where the film mostly takes place. Granted, we’ll take our nightmares in the form of well-crafted animatronics over CGI-filled monsters any day.
Alien: Romulus features the love and care of everyone involved in not only continuing the franchise but also adding a piece of a thrilling experience that pushes the narrative of films still best experienced on the biggest screen possible. Initially planned to be released on the streaming platform Hulu, 20th Century Studios made the right call to release the film in theaters. It’s better to have your heart pumping feeling extra stressed and anxious with other people in the cinema.
Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) senses danger in Alien: Romulus | Photo taken from IMDb
Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine continues the trend of having strong female protagonists in the franchise. Spaeny is no exception, having had amazing performances in the 2021 HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown, and the films Priscilla and Civil War. Rain’s motivations in the film are laid out, making the audience want to see her succeed. It’s the feeling of rooting for the underdog, her being perhaps the last person you’d expect to stand toe-to-toe with the Xenomorphs, but that’s what makes the experience of the film so thrilling and somewhat uncertain.
She stands out as the film’s final girl but there are moments in the film where you doubt her survival. Even with the string of Xenomorph and Facehugger-related deaths, the characters are, at the end of the day, expendable.
Andy (David Jonsson) front and center in Alien: Romulus | Photo taken from IMDb
Moreover, an unexpected bright spot in Alien: Romulus is David Jonsson’s portrayal of Andy, a synthetic or “artificial person” programmed by Rain's father to be her surrogate brother. His character is introduced as this oddball that may seem out of place among Rain’s human friends. Given his characterization, the film masterfully captures his development, even including new programming, thanks to a certain character likeness from the original Alien film who surprisingly gets a significant amount of screen time.
There are roaring celebratory cheers coming from fellow movie attendees at the film’s Philippine premiere, of seeing Andy’s development, even though it mostly depends on him being an “artificial person” and not a real human. But it also portrays how those who’ll never be human are the ones who get to showcase the best of what being human has to offer. It also feels fresh to have a character like Andy on the good side of things, especially after Michael Fassbender’s portrayals of David and Walter as evil in the prequel films Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, respectively.
The Xenomorph and Rain in Alien: Romulus | Photo taken from IMDb
One minor gripe about the film is its pacing. The first half can be quite a drag, as it is your average introduction of new characters and setting up the plot before all hell breaks loose. Soon after, when we reach the film’s turning points, it shifts into high gear, delivering on what was advertised in the promotional posters, trailers, and other marketing materials.
There are moments when you may feel out of breath, as the film is anxiety- and stress-inducing, to say the least. There are a few moments where you get to breathe, literally and figuratively. So, going into this, it’s better not to drink coffee before or during the film to avoid palpitation, just like the stupid idiot writing this review.
Ultimately, Alien: Romulus promises a good time if you enjoy being anxious and stressed. You get to experience fear, anxiety, and everything in between. Álvarez proves he can be a key architect in pushing the franchise forward, and with the forthcoming 2025 series, Alien: Earth, from Noah Hawley (FX’s Fargo and Legion), many more stories are waiting to be uncovered.
Alien: Romulus is now showing in Philippine cinemas.
