This seventh installment in the Alien franchise, set between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), is to the series what Star Wars: The Force Awakens was to its franchise: a soft reboot that echoes the original’s plot while delivering well-crafted set pieces to update the classic elements for a modern audience. It may not offer much in terms of originality, but it certainly delivers in sheer entertainment.
The plot follows a familiar Alien formula: a group of young space colonists encounter a menacing creature while scavenging a derelict space station that resembles the original film with its labs and dark corridors. While The Force Awakens excelled in character development to mask its plot’s familiarity and setting, with Rey’s early scenes standing out as some of the decade’s finest, Alien: Romulus doesn’t quite achieve that accomplishment. Its characters rely heavily on expected tropes, with David Jonsson’s role standing out as athe exception. Like in Prometheus, a droid emerges as the most compelling character, adding much-needed complexity to the film. His most memorable moments include his reaction to learning about a character’s intentions and a surprising quick move where he holds a facehugger by its tail. On the other hand, while Cailee Spaeny delivers a strong performance, her youthful appearance, fitting for Priscilla but already a bit distracting in Civil War, feels out of place here, making it difficult to fully take her seriously in the role, as she looks like a teenager.
On the technical side, the visual effects are a bit hit or miss, particularly in one awkward attempt to recreate a legacy character. However, the practical effects, like the puppetry and larger-scale visual shots, are generally impressive, with the creature design standing out, especially a memorably eerie ‘creepy baby’ that’s sure to stick with viewers. The score pays tribute to Jerry Goldsmith’s original work and even includes nods to the Prometheus theme, while the cinematography captures the moody, atmospheric lighting and smoky visuals reminiscent of the 1979 Alien. A notable script flaw occurs between the first and second acts, where a character delays acting on critical instructions until they are explicitly reminded, making their actions feel disjointed as the plot progresses.
The characters may be somewhat underdeveloped, and the script has its weak spots, but what really elevates the film is Fede Álvarez’s direction, especially in the action and suspense scenes. Having already demonstrated that he is capable of skillful tension-building in the 2013 Evil Dead remake and Don’t Breathe, Álvarez creates genuine scares without over-relying on the score, making the characters feel like they’re in real danger, particularly during the many well-crafted action sequences. These include inventive moments like anti-gravity acid blood, intense facehugger chases, and a tense climb up an elevator shaft, all executed with precision. Álvarez also respects the franchise’s legacy, incorporating subtle nods to earlier films and delivering a strong final act, which is arguably the movie’s standout. While it doesn’t quite reach the groundbreaking terror of Alien or the relentless pace of Aliens, comparing Álvarez to Ridley Scott or James Cameron isn’t entirely fair. He operates in a different filmmaking landscape where audiences, and studios, often prioritize familiarity over innovation. Given these constraints, and especially compared to the franchise’s recent offerings, the film feels like a small triumph, delivering far better results than one might expect.