After decades of flops, “Alien: Romulus” births life back into the franchise.
“Alien,” released in 1979, offered a unique spin on the sci-fi and horror genres. Directed by Ridley Scott, the film seems like a simple scary monster movie at first glance; however, you start to understand its true colors after just a few minutes of watching.
The sequel, “Aliens,” shared this intrigue, but any entry since has felt relatively simple and lackluster, catered more to the box office than to audience satisfaction.
The once daunting and cunning xenomorph aliens seemed to disappear from the series along with the thought-provoking incidents that made the first movies captivating. These complaints are mostly remedied in “Alien: Romulus.”
Director and co-writer Fede Alvarez has a rich history in the horror industry and a true appreciation for “Alien,” and it shows.
Alvarez guided the narration in a way that allowed the scenes to create tension and flood questions into the audience’s mind. The most notable one is “How will they escape?”
For the most part, this is answered with a “they won’t” except for a very disappointing moment at the end, but that’s approaching spoiler territory.
Before that point, the movie does an incredible job exploring its predecessor’s greater meanings such as birth, life, death, work, the universe and survival.
It’s clear that the characters of the series are more down to earth than the typical sci-fi scientist or soldier, as many explore space because they have to, not because it’s their grand passion. They take this risk to enhance their livelihood and the success of the corporation they work under simultaneously.
“Alien: Romulus” is set directly after the events of the original, where the crew of the Nostromo were ultimately sacrificed by the greed of their higher-ups.
The same happens now, as Rain’s, played by Cailee Spaeny, contract has been extended and she flies out to an abandoned ship hoping to find cryo pods to make a run for it.
She ultimately puts everything on the line just to have her own autonomy instead of trying to create the “perfect organism.”
Rain does this with the help of her adopted brother, Andy (David Jonsson). The two have a compelling relationship that is explored appropriately and is one of the biggest highlights of the film.
Rain and Andy are a treat, in that they seem to have a head on their shoulders. The streak of, frankly, stupid main characters lasted a little too long in the previous “Alien” entries. This duo feels like they have that innate human desire to survive and the ability to do so.
This plot reflects much of what we see in real life. Families desperate for refuge from corruption and violence are unfortunately common today, and that search is not without its fair share of troubles.
The adage saying art imitates life is nothing new, but it’s a concept that helps the audience bond with the characters on screen.
Alvarez’s influence on “Alien: Romulus” was positive, allowing fans of the franchise to have a movie to be proud of again. It’s generally a good watch and requires no previous knowledge of the franchise. There are dozens of showings over the weekend, and if you’re in need of something to do, “Alien: Romulus” won’t be a waste.