REVIEW #400 Alien Romulus (2024)

SYNOPSIS

In a desperate hope of finding a way out the struggles of their home mining planet, a group of young inhabitants explore a decommissioned Wayland ship.

REVIEW

Fede Alvarez has created a wonderful addition to the Alien franchise, utilising a talented young cast and innovative ideas to deliver something new, whilst respecting what has come before. The practical sets and impressive effects create a sense of realism that is so immersive, producing an aesthetic akin to the original 1979 movie. The sense of horror is ever present, with Alvarez incorporating his experience in the genre to create a truly frightening experience for the audience. The opening 15 minutes is dedicated to providing context to these characters, set on their home mining planet and familiarising ourselves early on to the relationships within the group. That was one aspect I really appreciated because I felt I had such a deeper connection to the characters, which makes the horrors that follow even more impactful. The entire cast was great, with Cailee Spaeny producing a performance that more than lives up to the legacy left behind by Sigourney Weaver. But the standout for me was David Jonsson, wow! The vocal range, the physical performance, everything was perfect to accurately portray Andy. 

The fresh new threat towards the end of the film was sickening and super creative, it provided something fresh for the franchise that only creates further excitement about where it’s heading in the future. I will say that i prefer it when the films within this franchise, stick to the horror tropes, when it ventures into more action based, I feel like the tension and the unease fades a little bit, even if it does provide some cool scenes for us to enjoy along the way. I believe Alvarez did find a nice balance between the two, definitely leaning towards the horror more, but explaining my personal preference might help explain my scoring approach to the movie. Another aspect that’s purely personal preference, is the amount of Xenomorphs that appear. I prefer it when there is just one, the ultimate predator huntings its prey, similar to the first movie. Don’t get me wrong, when there’s multiple, that is pure carnage for sure, but the eery horror that comes along with one is just unmatched. But all in all, I loved it, I loved Prometheus and Covenant too, so as a big fan of the Alien movies, I’m loving life right now! Plus, it was one hell of a chaotic ride experiencing this in 4DX.

RATING: (9/10)

Thanks for reading.

Callan (Film Review Club)