Alien: Romulus is the latest entry in the classic science fiction horror franchise that started the craze for extraterrestrial terror almost half a century ago. Set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), Romulus follows a group of space colonists as their path crosses that of extraterrestrials in cryostasis.

It is the year 2142, two decades after the unfortunate events that happened to the Nostromo spaceship. Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) works at a space colony owned by a large conglomerate Weyland-Yutani, dreaming of one day leaving the planet that sees no daylight. When her contract is unexpectedly extended, she and her adoptive android brother Andy (David Jonsson) turn to her former companions as they plan to board a derelict spacecraft passing by the planet’s orbit to retrieve cryostasis chambers necessary for an escape to the nearest colony. Unbeknownst to them, the group stumbles into the aftermath of a tragedy that broke out on the ship years ago, spelling doom for their short-lived hopes of ever seeing daylight.

Nearly 50 years after the unsurpassable original by director Ridley Scott, Alien: Romulus revisits its roots, reflects on what made the original effective and ground-breaking in the first place, and revitalises the franchise that has since been burdened by unnecessary backstories tarnishing the original film. Director Fede Álvarez, along with co-writer Rodo Sayagues, presents a story that is stripped down and free from expositional lore mumbo-jumbo, focusing instead on the pure chance of events and crossing of paths between the protagonists and the xenomorphs, invoking the brilliant randomness of Alien. It is the horror of the moment and how the characters react to the ever-changing threats that matter and draw the audience in, and the filmmakers understand that. The film often marries the creatures that we are familiar with to horror sequences that are seldom associated with space horror, forming set pieces that are instantly rewatchable despite their utter lack of physical (and physiological) realism.

The film starts off with a Blade Runner-inspired setting where a large corporation enslaves others for labour and our main protagonists strive and yearn for freedom. This sets up the motivation for the characters and launches them onto a journey of escape. While it takes 30 minutes to get to the first horror sequence, the padding proves effective in allowing the audience to empathise with and care for the core relationship in the film between Rain and her synthetic human brother Andy, which turns out to be a major plot element. It’s this world-building done on a personal scale that has been missing since Aliens (1986) in the franchise that makes Alien: Romulus stands out to me. Characters are written to be flawed and relatable. Ridley Scott’s classic original is as much about the terror of the perfect killer machines as it is about the space truckers who bicker over their bonuses. These are tangible human beings that we can relate to, and Alien: Romulus understands their importance.

The central performance of Cailee Spaeny is riveting, reminding me of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games series, both in terms of likeness and strength of performance. David Jonsson as Weyland-Yutani’s android Andy is brilliant. Following in the footsteps of Sir Ian Holm and Michael Fassbender, David Jonsson’s android is more subtle and faceted in his character, equally matched by Jonsson’s layered portrayal. The remaining characters are equally memorable despite varying degrees of screentime.

The score by Benjamin Wallfisch is effective, drawing influences from his predecessors in the franchise, occasionally quoting their themes. The camera work is well done, invoking claustrophobia and fear around every corner. What stands out in particular for me, however, are the practical effects. There is a palpable sense of physicality in the creatures from the slime and goo to their designs, where I could feel all the icky sensation just by watching.

All in all, Alien: Romulus is a remarkable revival of Alien that keeps the spirit of the original and rejuvenates the franchise. With well-written characters, inventive set pieces, and solid performances, the film is a must-watch for long-time franchise lovers and newcomers alike.

Author: Chia Jing Heng (andreusjh99)