13/20
Director Fede Alvarez explains the rule he set for Alien: Romulus that “if possible
Line of Events
While delving into the depths of an abandoned space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe. “Be practical, it will be practical,” he said, so the cast always acted opposite a physical representation of the xenomorph. Director Fede Alvarez sought out the special effects team from Alien 2 (1986) to work on the creatures. Physical sets, practical creatures, and miniatures were used whenever possible to help tackle the subsequent visual effects work.
The logo itself suffers a static explosion and turns green
When Rain turns off the ship’s gravity and shoots all the aliens, all of their blood is suspended in the air in long butter-like patterns. Zero gravity in real life causes liquids to form in spheres, not spread out in long, flat chunks like in the film. Andy: The solution for a claustrophobic astronaut is to give him more space… Fanfara Studios 20th Century freezes and turns ominous, much like in Alien 3 (1992), leading into the film’s opening scene.
Theme from Alien, written by Jerry Goldsmith
Featured on Nerdrotic: The Acolyte: Force is Female CONFIRMED? Death of Movie Theaters – The Real BBC @MauLer @HeelvsBabyface (2024). Alien: Romulus offers a serious experience reminiscent of the original film, with impressive world-building and familiar technology that longtime fans of the franchise will appreciate. The film captures the essence of the Alien universe, offering a standalone story that fits well within the established timeline and makes a clever nod to Prometheus.
We’ve seen this before – another Ripley
However, the film’s reliance on references to previous entries in the franchise detracts from its originality. While some references are clever, others are forced and cringe-worthy. The introduction of lead character Rain, played by Cailee Spaeny, comes off as boring. In reality, it’s David Jonsson’s character Andy who ends up being remotely the most interesting.
Despite these negatives, Romulus is technically impressive
If there’s one franchise that would benefit from exploring new characters rather than rehashing old ones, it’s this one. It’s beautifully shot, the effects are good, it has some genuine scares, and it manages to deliver thrills and action scenes that are sure to please. I just wish it were brave enough to create its own identity. Whether they’re exploring the stars, escaping dystopias, or making the world a better place, these women are what sci-fi is all about.