Alien: Romulus (2024)
Directed by Fede Alvarez
The seventh chapter in the saga centered on the conflict between humans and xenomorph aliens, and the first under Disney’s ownership, Alien: Romulus by Fede Alvarez follows the familiar formula, delivers decent action sequences, and targets a teenage audience.
by Daria Pomponio
Open that door!
While rummaging through an abandoned space station in search of fuel to escape their planet—a bleak mining colony with no future—a group of young people unintentionally awakens the most terrifying organism in the universe.
Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez, seems to always choose the easiest path. This seventh installment in the saga that began in 1979 under Ridley Scott—who now only serves as a producer—perhaps benefits from this approach. Compared to the last two chapters, Prometheus and Covenant, both directed by Scott and serving as prequels to the 1979 original, Romulus has a clear advantage: it aims low, resembling a summer B-movie, avoiding lengthy philosophical digressions, and instead rehashing the usual storyline. After all, the first rule of a new film in a saga is to ensure it’s recognizable within the series, meeting fans’ expectations. The second rule in today’s blockbuster universe is undoubtedly lowering the age of the protagonists, targeting a teenage audience that can make all the difference at the box office. Given that Disney, as recently shown with Deadpool & Wolverine, has now completed its acquisition of 20th Century Fox, it follows that the creature designed by H.R. Giger must now turn its appetite towards fresher prey. Here, the focus is on a group of twenty-somethings, led by a heroine played by the rising star Cailee Spaeny (seen in Priscilla and Civil War). Rain Carradine, the protagonist, has just been swindled by the ubiquitous corporation (the familiar Weiland Yutani Corp.), which extended her years of forced labor on the Jackson Star mining colony, preventing her from leaving for a more hospitable planet. She’s also accompanied by her brother Andy (David Jonsson), a “synthetic” programmed to protect her, whose skills are immediately put to the test when Rain’s group of friends suggests heading to an old space station in search of fuel to escape the bleak and desolate Jackson.
So, we have the heroine and the android; now it’s time to thaw out the creatures. In fact, their entrance is almost too delayed by unnecessary introductions of a young cast destined, as we know, for a quick and gruesome death. The xenomorph embryos are inadvertently revived by the young crew, they start scurrying on their little legs, there’s the facehugger, the chestbuster, the close encounter with the creature, a copious flow of corrosive drool, the theme of motherhood, the capsules, vomit, and synthetic innards on full display. All the classic tropes of the saga are present in Alien: Romulus, with few variations. However, two themes are noteworthy in Alvarez’s film—which seems to be set between Scott’s first Alien and James Cameron’s Aliens (1986)—the first is an evident subtext on viruses, vaccines, and species evolution, inevitably evoking memories of the recent COVID pandemic. The other, far more intriguing, is the theme of Artificial Intelligence, used in Alien: Romulus in the way feared and opposed by the recent Hollywood actors’ strike: resurrecting the face and voice of a long-deceased performer. While we wait to see whether this technique becomes widespread in Hollywood cinema, we can certainly say, without giving too much away, that it’s the AI aspect that provides the most interest in an otherwise unsatisfying and even less creative viewing experience. Though Fede Alvarez, who has become something of a specialist in cinematic sagas (having handled the Evil Dead reboot and The Girl in the Spider’s Web), crafts solid action sequences (especially the elevator scene), the narrative structure of Alien: Romulus often reveals its weaknesses, moving forward in disjointed bursts. The action starts and stops, in rapid waves, always stemming from the same scenario: doors that open (or don’t open) and close (or don’t close). But Alien: Romulus isn’t a lighthearted romp; on the contrary, humor is entirely absent. It’s a shame because when a saga reaches so many chapters, a touch of irony (and self-irony) wouldn’t hurt. As for the script, even the solutions devised to survive and eliminate the creature and its offspring don’t seem like paths the story genuinely wants to pursue, such as the initial idea of raising the ambient temperature, which is quickly discarded. The concept of removing and then restoring gravity works better, at least providing a visually impressive scene from a special effects standpoint. Speaking of effects, in keeping with the saga’s tradition, they are largely “old school,” relying heavily on prosthetics and animatronics. Finally, regarding the film’s title, with its grandiose “Romulus,” aside from an effigy of the twins suckled by the she-wolf and the fact that the space station is divided into two parts—Romulus and Remus—it’s not clear what the significance is. But perhaps the explanation is reserved for the next chapter.
Quinlan, 14 agosto 2024
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Alien Romulus Review: A Return to the Roots, Sometimes Excessive
by Gabriele Laurino
From a franchise as intricate as Alien, one might expect a reboot at some point—a fresh start allowing 20th Century Studios to breathe new life into the saga focused on the xenomorph while detaching, at least partially, from everything that came before. Yet here comes Alien: Romulus, deeply connected to both the classic chapters and the recent entries of the series. Directed by Fede Alvarez, the film takes over the reins from Ridley Scott’s controversial Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, in a project that surprisingly works beyond expectations. It has its flaws, but this feature—released in Italian cinemas on August 14—respects the mythology while serving as a bridge between the original Alien films and the expanded universe.
Welcome Aboard the Romulus
As for when exactly Alien: Romulus takes place within the saga, we’ve already covered that, but to summarize: the film, directed and co-written by Alvarez, is set between the first Alien (1979, directed by Ridley Scott) and Aliens (1986, directed by James Cameron), functioning as a midquel between those two entries.
Its chronological placement is more of a general guide, as despite numerous references to past (and future) events within the Alien universe, Romulus primarily tells a small-scale story. The focus is on new characters exploring abandoned space stations, with one constant element returning to haunt their nightmares: being hunted by monstrous, ravenous xenomorphs. This familiar starting point is what works best in the midquel—acting as a small, new piece in the larger puzzle. The new narrative threads add to the general lore but don’t drastically alter the balance, thanks to the introduction of new protagonists. The story centers around Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny, star of Alex Garland’s Civil War—read our review of that here), an orphan seeking to leave her old life behind and find happiness on a new planet.
Her only companion is Andy, a malfunctioning android who represents her sole inheritance from her parents. Rain soon joins up with Tyler, Kay, Bjorn, and Navarro, other young souls like her, each dreaming of a better existence. However, when the group manages to escape, they collide with a massive, drifting space station and are forced to explore it for essential supplies. It’s here, between the spaceships Remus and Romulus, that an old nightmare with an elongated skull and multiple jaws reawakens.
Referencing Alien
Alien: Romulus has two distinct sides. One is original, taking elements already seen in the saga (such as the malfunctioning android Andy, the film’s most fascinating and enigmatic character) and reinterpreting them according to the film’s own needs. This is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the project, as Alvarez manages to tell his own story within the Alien universe. The other side, however, is steeped in references and fan service, almost forcing the film to tie itself repeatedly to the core mythology.
Thus, the third act is filled with nostalgic cameos and countless references, drawing connections to everything from Alien and Aliens to Prometheus and Covenant. In this way, the film acts as a bridge between the franchise’s past and its more recent chapters. While this may be a thrilling and energizing return to the roots for long-time fans, it must be admitted that Alvarez’s work occasionally loses its own identity in its relentless pursuit of classic imitation. This is most evident in the chaotic, reference-heavy finale, which feels as if its only goal is to add more pieces to the overarching Alien puzzle.
Visuals and Direction
Visually, Fede Alvarez’s direction introduces some very interesting ideas, occasionally new to the saga, though not without sequences that borrow so heavily from the original Alien that they border on being remakes. This fluctuating direction, while uneven at times, still delivers in the key moments: when the xenomorph is center stage, Alien: Romulus satisfies, particularly with its practical effects and sound design. The film’s main flaw lies in the missed opportunity to be more original, though it remains solidly grounded within its established mythology.
Ultimately, Romulus is a good Alien movie, especially in the first two acts, where it presents a small and original story well-embedded in a much larger context. Problems arise mainly in the final act, which tries too hard to connect to both older and newer chapters of the franchise, filled with explicit and sometimes brazen visual and narrative references. While these elements will surely please the franchise’s most die-hard fans, they ultimately rob Fede Alvarez’s work of a bit of its unique identity.
Everyeye, August 14, 2024
