Choose between the original Alien and its grander sequel, Foreignersby Fede Alvarez Alien: Romulus features the greatest elements of these films, while also offering its own spin on the 45-year-old franchise. There is a delicate interplay of light and shadow AlienWhile nodding to Ridley Scott’s artful aesthetic. There are beautifully crafted sets that evoke the horror and outright villainy of James Cameron. Foreigners. But Alvarez also expands Alien universe, focusing on a group of twenty-somethings growing up on a decrepit Weyland-Yutani colony whose primary goal is to escape the bureaucratic clutches of their corporate overlords.
Although it is easy to dismiss Alien: Romulus as a mere rehash designed to appeal to a younger audience, it’s hard to deny the sheer level of craftsmanship on display. Alvarez’s approach to composition was clearly influenced by the series’ writers, from the starfield opening revealing a crashed ship rendered invisible by the darkness of space to subsequent sequences set near the planet’s ice-filled rings. And he manages to masterfully manage tension for both action and horror, another skill borrowed from Scott and Cameron. Just like Alvarez’s hyper violence (and great!) Evil Dead remake, it manages to put its own spin on an iconic horror franchise without being a devoted fanboy.
for Ripley’s colleague Alien: Romulus Rain (Cailee Spaeny) is a young woman who recently lost both of her parents to the Weyland-Yutani mining operation. On a sunless, waterless colony, the only family she has left is her brother Andy (David Jonsson), a malfunctioning android who is tasked with taking care of her.
After Rai’s request to leave his colony is denied and his forced labor commitment is unjustifiably extended by several years, he joins a group of friends to secretly go off-world. The plan involves stealing cryostasis pods from a decommissioned space station—which, as you might expect, is home to untold horrors. As Rain and his friends explore the station, they encounter face-huggers, get a quick lesson in Xenomorph biology, and are hunted down one by one.
Spaeny is easily believable as an empathetic yet tough hero (a remarkable achievement, since he’s practically a full foot shorter than the original. Alien lead, Sigourney Weaver) and Jonsson create an engaging and likable android. It’s a bit disturbing that the film throws a ton of abuse at its only black character, and he doesn’t get much motivation outside of his program. Again, Jonsson who is incredible The first few seasons of the industryHe manages to bring some spirit to Andy.
Admittedly, we’ve seen a lot of this before, but I still think it’s worth introducing a whole new generation to the Alien franchise. Scott’s Prometheus and Alien: The Covenant was interesting to longtime fans, but they were also underwhelmed by the director’s fascination with androids and Weyland-Yutani’s backstory. They weren’t exactly the best entry point to the series. And sure, Alien and Foreigners fantasy films are easy to find and save, but I personally found it difficult to connect some younger audiences with older films.
Focusing on a crew of twenty-somethings instead of old, world-weary space trucks or colonists, Alien: Romulus but also better reflects the views of the new generation of viewers. But Millennials and Gen Z are well aware that the Earth is dying, and they’ve seen how global corporations have gotten us into this mess.
It’s not hard to see the parallels between Weyland-Yutani sending workers to their deaths to reveal the secrets of the Xenomorphs—beings that could destroy all of humanity—to fossil fuel companies who are ignoring the climate crisis they helped create. Human cost is irrelevant when there is huge profit potential and shareholder value on the horizon.
