Alien: Romulus is derailed by its own faithfulness to the series

As a long-time fan of the Alien franchise who’s seen my fair share of xenomorph terror, I must say that Alien: Romulus delivers a rollercoaster ride of thrills and chills. The set pieces are inventive, and it’s always fascinating to see new twists on classic tropes, like the facehuggers trying to get their end away!

The series “Alien: Romulus” resurfaces following a gap of seven years since “Alien: Covenant,” which did not perform well at the box office, suggesting that director Ridley Scott’s intention of creating a prequel trilogy to his 1979 classic “Alien” may have been thwarted.

In a twist of fate, it’s uncertain what further antics David, the mischievous flute-player, might have gotten up to. However, it’s reassuring to know that Xenomorphs are once again gracing the big screen, returning to their rightful place in Fede Alvarez’s direct sequel to “Alien”.

20 years following the initial film, I found myself eagerly anticipating the release of “Alien: Romulus.” Initially billed as a standalone movie, it was exclusively for streaming. Later on, director Alvarez made it clear that it was indeed connected to the original series. In other words, he opted to acknowledge only the “Alien” franchise and not any other films like “Halloween,” ensuring a faithful continuation of the saga.

After watching “Alien: Romulus“, it’s clear that the creator is an ardent fan of the entire “Alien” series. It remains true to its roots, but sometimes this loyalty hinders it, as it intertwines exceptional sequences with concepts that were used before and don’t carry the same impact as they might have in other contexts.

In the year 2142, Rain (Cailee Spaeny) is finding life at the Jackson’s Star mining colony rather challenging. They’ve recently increased her workload, which means she’ll be stuck there for longer, a situation that, as it did with her parents, could prove fatal for her.

Tyler (Archie Renaux) signals to her that they might find a means of escape when he points out an abandoned Weyland-Yutani station, the Renaissance, drifting into their vicinity. With Rain’s synthetic companion Andy (David Jonsson) by his side, Tyler believes they can harness the station’s technology to break free from Jackson’s Star.

Without having watched any of the Alien movies, it’s still clear that this mission won’t unfold as anticipated. Not long after they boarded the Renaissance, the team found themselves embroiled in a fierce struggle for survival against one of the universe’s deadliest creatures.

Just like the first two films, Alien: Romulus delays the gory scenes involving acidic blood, allowing viewers to appreciate the impressive craftsmanship showcased. Filmed on intricate and expansive sets, the movie possesses a realistic, tactile feel, skillfully captured by cinematographer Galo Olivares.

As a longtime fan of the “Alien” franchise, I found Alvarez’s modern take on the series to be a delightful and faithful continuation of Ridley Scott’s original vision. The movie felt like it could have been released between “Alien” and “Aliens,” and I appreciated how Alvarez paid homage to the classic films without simply imitating them.

Whenever Alvarez orchestrates his chilling scenes, I marvel at the ingenious blend of revamped traditional elements (the relentless pursuit by facehuggers seeking to fulfill their purpose) and groundbreaking innovations (the intriguing impact of acidic blood in a zero-gravity environment).

Regarding suspenseful moments, “Alien: Romulus” certainly delivers and may even induce fear for those with a high tolerance level. Interestingly, its familiarity might mean that long-term fans might not be as scared as they’d expect, despite one sequence reminiscent of the “Aliens” movie. Generally speaking, this film leans more towards the survival horror genre that was characteristic of the initial movie.

The issue arises when sticking faithfully to the Alien series carries over to the plot. It’s challenging to talk about without revealing spoilers, but there’s a significant link not hinted at in any promotional material that seems superfluous at best and off-putting at worst, and it persists throughout the film.

Fans of Prometheus might take delight in learning that Ridley Scott’s prequel film also contributes significantly to the storyline. However, Alien: Romulus fails to effectively explore its connection to the original material, resulting in a sense of repetition rather than innovation. This could potentially lead to confusion if one ponders too deeply about its logical consistency.

As a gamer, I found myself at the edge of my seat for the climactic finale, which has been hyped as a game-changer. While it does venture into uncharted territory, it doesn’t feel entirely out of place in the expansive universe of the Alien franchise. However, the design work could have been more consistent with the eerie Giger-esque aesthetics that the movie’s Xenomorph is known for.

The cohesion of the narrative in Alien: Romulus is primarily sustained by its skilled ensemble cast, although the evolution of secondary characters often remains shallow, even after impressive performances from actors such as Isabela Merced and Archie Renaux.

In this rephrased version: Cailee Spaeny gracefully assumes the role reminiscent of Ripley, exhibiting an effortless screen presence that goes beyond the typical portrayal of a Strong Female Character. However, it’s David Jonsson who truly shines, displaying an impressive range that can melt your heart with his puppy-dog expressions and simultaneously send chills down your spine with his chilling portrayal of a synthetic human.

The close relationship between Rain and Andy, their siblings, holds your attention as events escalate and become increasingly bizarre when the Xenomorph situation worsens. Despite Jonsson’s impressive performance, there’s one instance where a callback to an iconic line due to their bond seems out of place and is rather poor fan service.

What stands out about “Alien: Romulus” is its impressive technology and pulse-pounding action scenes. However, it occasionally stumbles due to an overreliance on nostalgia, which hinders its ability to stand independently as a strong production.

At least we can take comfort in the fact that things never escalate so much as to resemble a fight between ‘Aliens and Predators’. That’s something to be grateful for.

Alien: Romulus is released in cinemas on August 16.

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2024-08-14 23:20