Rating:
Summary: "Alien: Romulus" goes back to basics, keeps it simple, and the reward is a very good "Alien" film.
I'm firmly in the camp that there is no such thing as a bad "Alien" movie - I've liked them all (yes, even "AVP") - so perhaps I'm not the best person to be reviewing a new "Alien" film. I'll always try to be objective, but in my opinion, "Alien: Romulus" is the best "Alien" film since "Aliens" from way back in 1986.
To be fair, this isn't hard to achieve, as to anyone but the most die-hard "Alien" fan, the last few movies have either been convoluted, boring, disturbing (but not in a good way), with too much mythology building, have strayed too far from what made the original "Alien" films great, or were just plain weird. Or combinations thereof. I'm happy to say that "Alien: Romulus" mostly succeeds by going back to the basics. It doesn't try hard to be anything other than a good action/horror/sci-fi film, doesn't try to build upon the layers and layers of mythology that already exist for the franchise, and doesn't try to be a launch vehicle for a reboot.
The film takes a while to hit full steam with some necessary world and character-building. We are introduced to a group of young people on a mining planet owned by Weyland-Yutani, the evil/greedy corporation at the heart of all the "Alien" films, trying to escape their drab lives and travel to a far-off colony planet by salvaging the cryosleep chambers from a seemingly abandoned space station. By the time the action starts, we've grown to know the ensemble cast, at least to the point where we do care what happens to them. And to director Fede Álvarez's ("Don't Breathe", "Evil Dead") credit, he gives each character just enough to suggest they may deserve and eventually earn survival.
From then on, it's just a simple survival horror, with action borrowed from James Cameron's take on the "Alien" franchise thrown in and a third act that is just a bit bonkers and disturbing (in the right way? time will tell). The story does tie into the first "Alien" film in a big way (and gives "Prometheus" a purpose) and ties up some loose ends in the way "Rogue One" did for the first "Star Wars" film. There are other similarities between "Romulus" and "Rogue One", both largely standalone stories that bridge a gap between two major films, and both are great films and also unnecessary films from a franchise mythology point of view. And yes, there
The filmmakers are to be commended for the use of practical sets and effects, giving the film the right "Alien" look - grimy, industrial, and I love the fact they didn't find the need to update the late 70s/80s inspired technology with modern equivalents that other sci-fi franchises are infamous for (I'm looking at you "Star Trek"). The sound design is claustrophobically good, and you simply cannot beat that pulse rifle sound.
It's also a pleasure to find a prequel that doesn't suffer too much from prequel-itis - retconning to try to make the story work, shoehorning in too many references, nostalgia bait, and cameos (although there is one important cameo by a familiar character, sort of - it's not really a spoiler since the actor he's based on is listed in the IMDb credits, but I would recommend you avoid everything if you want the best experience). One character does repeat a memorable catchphrase from "Aliens", and the special preview screening audience I watched the film with burst out in laughter at the line. Not what the filmmakers had intended I suspect, which suggests it probably shouldn't have been included.
I really liked "Alien: Romulus". It tries to be a good sci-fi horror film first and a good "Alien" film second. Its lack of ambition is a breath of fresh air in an era where every film is seen as the origin story of a new franchise/sub-franchise. While there is potential for a sequel largely thanks to the terrific performances of Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, it feels the filmmakers would be perfectly happy if this was just a one-off.
"Alien: Romulus" is in cinemas 15 August 2024. Streaming release date: TBA.
