Alien :Romulus

            It has been said that in space, no one can hear you scream, which might be a good thing for the two astronauts stuck out there until next year. Hopefully, they won’t encounter any face huggers, because if they do, things will go from bad to worse real quick. Meanwhile, on another ship in a different time and place, a crew looking to escape the darkness and the harsh conditions of a mining world don’t have the same luck, as their little adventure just took a turn for the worse.

Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her synthetic brother Andy (David Jonsson) are trying to complete their hours so they can leave their current location. That day seems to have finally arrived, but while trying to finalize her exit, Rain is informed she must work another six years, mostly in the mine. Lucky for her, a friend named Tyler (Archie Renaux) and a few others Rain knows have a plan to travel to a place where life is a lot better. The plan involves traveling to a deserted ship in orbit that has cryogenic equipment, which can help them achieve their goal. They need Rain because Andy can communicate with the ship’s computer, thus giving them access to the entire ship. Together, they leave the planet, but what they thought was a ship turns out to be a station. Not only that, is it on a collision course with an asteroid belt, but things also appear to have gone bad inside the station. Rain and everyone soon find out what went wrong, as face huggers are plentiful, and Rain and her friends are just what they’ve been looking for. Now the clock is ticking, and you have to wonder how many will make it off this station alive.

Written by Rodo Sayagues and Fede Alvarez, with the latter also directing, Alien: Romulus takes place between the classic films Alien and Aliens, with Romulus also deciding to marry the tones of those films perfectly. Where the original is still one of the scariest horror films out there, Cameron went for more action with Aliens. Romulus combines those two in the best of ways. Alvarez definitely leans more into the horror side and delivers an atmospheric science fiction horror/action film until the end.

Alien: Romulus returns the franchise to its origins, which will make fans of the series very happy. Some might not be pleased that Alvarez offers very little that’s new, but he does interweave the well-known elements of the series in a coherent way. That said, Alvarez delivers one of the best installments in the series in a long time, and it makes you excited for the Alien franchise again. The cast is strong, both Spaeny and Jonsson leave a lasting impression, with Jonsson creating the emotional tension that elevates everything. It all comes together because you can feel the enthusiasm that Alvarez has for the franchise, as he takes bits and pieces from the other films that finds a balance between fan service and homage. This is a true cinematic experience that will have you welcoming the silence of space again and all the face-hugging that comes with it.