MOVIE SCENE CANADA
ALIEN ROMULUS
I 20th Century Studios Canada I August 16, 2024 I 119 mins. I
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82%
* As of 8/15/24
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu
Directed By: Fede Alvarez
A truly terrifying cinematic experience from producer Ridley Scott and director/writer Fede Alvarez, 20th Century Studios’ “Alien: Romulus” opens in theatres nationwide August 16, 2024. The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
REVIEW BY: Darren Zakus - 8/16/24
RATING 4.5 out of 5
Alien: Romulus once again plunges audiences back into the deadly and terrifying outer space world first created by Ridley Scott, that under the brilliant direction of Fede Álvarez and featuring unstoppable performances from Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, injects new life into the fan favourite horror franchise that will once again have audiences screaming in theatres worldwide.
For decades, fans have been arguing which film was better: Ridley Scott’s claustrophobic, heart pounding horror masterpiece Alien, or James Cameron’s explosive, action packed horror infused Aliens which remains one of the greatest action films ever made. Two stellar films with very distinct tones and direction, both revered by audiences, but Alien: Romulus is the perfect melting point of the franchise’s two best films and creates one spectacle-filled, blockbuster experience that brings the franchise back to its terrifying beginnings. It should come as no surprise with the film being directed by Fede Álvarez and written by himself and his co-writer Rodo Sayagues, the masterminds behind the twisted 2013 Evil Dead reboot and Don’t Breathe, which allows Alien: Romulus to become a sensational homage to Scott’s original horror classic with a breathtaking and harrowing new entry in the franchise that is the sequel fans have long been waiting for.
The Alien franchise has seen many different stories and tones over the previous six films (eight if you include the Alien vs. Predator films), but it is evident that Álvarez and Sayagues have an undying love for the first two films that made the franchise what it is today. Loaded with nods to the entire franchise, it is easy to call Alien: Romulus the greatest hits of the franchise in terms of kills, story structuring and themes, but if you look beyond the film’s surface, it is far more than that. At the core, it’s about a rag team of young individuals looking to start a new life, but while in search of that, they discover a new life that just happens to be the deadliest force in the entire galaxy. Set largely within the Romulus space station, the single setting environment of the film immediately calls back to Alien, while the staging of the set pieces and exhilarating action that accompanies them captures the magic that Cameron brought to the series with Aliens. The character arcs of our two lead characters, Cailee Spaeny’s Rain and Daivd Jonsson’s Andy, help develop the film’s emotional core and only up the stakes for the film, while the themes played with by Álvarez and Sayagues do a great job of capturing the cold and calculating nature of the Weyland Yutani Corporation that has always been responsible for the chaos of these films and the ideas that Scott began building in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.
Throughout the first two acts, fans of the series will know what to expect with set pieces that play out on screen, including a new and gruesome new chest burster sequence that ranks among the series' most startling scenes to date, as well as some bloody and shocking deaths. Given that Álvarez and Sayagues are the geniuses orchestrating everything, it’s surprising that they haven’t created gorier and more brutal film given their track record within the horror genre, but their restraint manages to match the unsettling mixture of gore and terror that has defined the entire franchise since its beginning back in 1979. And then, the film enters its final act, and oh boy is it a divisive final act! At this point, Álvarez and Sayagues are truly cooking with the direction the story heads, and while the staging of it feels like other conclusions in the franchise, it truly is new life for the Alien franchise that will leave audiences speechless and scared to death, in the best way imaginable. By the time the credits begin rolling, Alien: Romulus works as a standalone outing within the Alien franchise, but it leaves the door open for another entry following these characters, and given the nightmare inducing spectacle that Álvarez has created, I for one would love to see him return and continue to push the boundaries of this franchise.
Sigourney Weaver. Winona Ryder. Noomi Rapace. Katherine Waterston. Each one of these actresses has fearlessly led their films with a gripping and harrowing performance, and Spaeny is joining their ranks as this film’s lead character. Continuing a hot streak of performances, Spaeny wows every second on screen by bringing an honesty and strength to Rain as she tries to make a better life for her and her brother while finding herself in one unimaginable situation. There is a grit that Spaeny possesses that makes her the perfect lead for an Alien film as she squares off against face huggers and the xenomorph, but there is an emotional vulnerability to her performance that instantly bonds the audience with Rain. Needless to say, over the course of one year between Priscilla, Civil War and Alien: Romulus, Spaeny has cemented herself as one of the most talented and exciting young actresses in the business.
Jonsson, as the film’s synthetic Andy, delivers a beautiful performance that gives us the most human synthetic we have ever met in the series at times, which only goes to help build the emotional arc of the film with his on screen chemistry with Spaeny who portrays his sister. At the same time, Jonsson has a detached coldness when required by the script that reminds viewers of some of the series’ most terrifying villains, only amplifying the madness that Álvarez and Sayagues have conjured up for the audience.
Archie Renaux continues to impress as an actor with his portrayal of Tyler, capturing a true leading man quality with a great presence in the action sequences and tender connection with Spaeny, making him one young actor you will want to keep your eye on as he is going places. The rest of the cast is good, as Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu each excel in their character’s encounters with the xenomorph to bring a true sense of terror to the film. But this is an Alien film, and many characters are written just to be prey for the xenomorphs, leaving the leading performances of Spaeny, Jonsson and Renaux to carry the film from start to finish.
It’s hard to imagine that Alien: Romulus was originally slated for a streaming release, because this is one stunning film that demands to be seen on the big screen. Galo Olivares’s cinematography captures the feels of Alien at every turn, helping to recreate the signature claustrophobic feeling that captures excellent production and set design that calls back to both Scott’s and Cameron’s films. The xenomorphs and face huggers themselves are largely created through animatronics and actors in costumes, creating a true sense of danger throughout the film with the real interactions with and reactions by the cast, which you as the viewer can feel at every turn. While there are some visuals effects at play, they are sparingly used and when required, look outstanding, and the excellent creature design that has become synonymous with the franchise continues to excel in this latest entry. Combined with largely practical effects, Alien: Romulus becomes a visually entrancing experience that ranks among the year’s best that will have you watching in awe of what Álvarez was able to capture on camera, while simultaneously leaving you petrified with the horror that unfolds on screen. On top of all this, the sound design to the film is exquisite and truly comes to life on the IMAX sound system, capturing every moment of silence with a deafening terror, alien shriek, and explosion to truly get your heart racing. Supplementing this is Benjamin Wallfisch’s musical score, which frankly is the best score of the franchise to date, paying homage to the themes of Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner and Marc Streitenfeld from previous films, interweaving them with his own themes that only enhance the film’s overall experience.
Face huggers and chest bursters and xenomorphs, oh my! The Alien franchise returns with a vengeance to the big screen in what is easily one of its best entries thanks to the visionary direction of Fede Álvarez. What ensues is a two hour, heart pounding thrill ride that calls back to some of the franchise’s best moments both narratively and artistically, taking the franchise back to its horror roots while pushing it in an exciting direction that is going to both excite and scare fans to death. With the outstanding performances of Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson and Archie Renaux leading the film, Fede Álvarez’s twisted and mortifying vision of outer space terror comes to life with stunning cinematography, bombastic sound design and outstanding practical effects at every turn, making Alien: Romulus equally as dazzling as it is terrifying in one of the best horror films of the year!