Alien: Romulus Review
Words by Alex Secilmis 20 August 2024
Words by Alex Secilmis 20 August 2024
Romulus is exactly what you’d expect from a Fede Álvarez Alien movie: a taut thrill ride with splashes of mean-spirited bloodshed. It’s looking like the most praised entry since Aliens, but its critics are calling it a Force Awakens-type rehash. So, which is it? A cannibal to its past or a new beginning for the beloved franchise?
In line with Romulus’ tendency to play the hits, my answer is the tried and true “a bit of both”. With that said, the past that Romulus emulates is the magnificent Alien and Aliens—and it emulates them well. Despite protests, this is thankfully a far cry from the copy/paste nostalgic practice of the Star Wars legacy sequels.
Excellent set pieces (the floating acid!), a familiar rich orchestral score courtesy of Benjamin Wallfisch, and incredible performances place Romulus cuts above your standard sci fi horror. In the central sibling relationship, Cailee Spaeny (check out the slept-on The Craft: Legacy) and David Jonsson absolutely deliver. The rest of the Corbelan’s crew is equally on form, accessing the most primal of human feelings: love, fear, and strength in the face of the latter. Isabela Merced is a stand out in that regard.
Ultimately, Romulus plays out like a first-class Alien video game. The emphasis on gimmicky set-pieces ensures the comparison, working best as a frightful series of obstacles filled with Xenomorphs and facehuggers. It’s a quality that will endear its fans and underpin the disappointment of its detractors. In my book, Romulus may lack originality in a franchise known for taking big swings, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great time at the movies.
This is Phantasmag, signing off.
In line with Romulus’ tendency to play the hits, my answer is the tried and true “a bit of both”. With that said, the past that Romulus emulates is the magnificent Alien and Aliens—and it emulates them well. Despite protests, this is thankfully a far cry from the copy/paste nostalgic practice of the Star Wars legacy sequels.
Excellent set pieces (the floating acid!), a familiar rich orchestral score courtesy of Benjamin Wallfisch, and incredible performances place Romulus cuts above your standard sci fi horror. In the central sibling relationship, Cailee Spaeny (check out the slept-on The Craft: Legacy) and David Jonsson absolutely deliver. The rest of the Corbelan’s crew is equally on form, accessing the most primal of human feelings: love, fear, and strength in the face of the latter. Isabela Merced is a stand out in that regard.
Ultimately, Romulus plays out like a first-class Alien video game. The emphasis on gimmicky set-pieces ensures the comparison, working best as a frightful series of obstacles filled with Xenomorphs and facehuggers. It’s a quality that will endear its fans and underpin the disappointment of its detractors. In my book, Romulus may lack originality in a franchise known for taking big swings, but that doesn’t stop it from being a great time at the movies.
This is Phantasmag, signing off.