By Jamil Weeks

The date, June 22, 1979, is a significant date. Not only did that Friday happen to be the day I was born, but it was also when 20th Century Fox released the quintessential sci-fi space horror film, Alien, in theaters. The film took horror to a new level introducing the world to the iconic and terrifying xenomorph creature that would claw its way into pop culture history. Some of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors have lended their expertise in establishing the mythology behind the creature, such as Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and David Fincher. Ridley Scott stepped back in the director’s chair for a pair of prequel films (2012’s Prometheus and 2017’s Alien Covenant) to provide the origin story to the xenomorphs. The films were met with a mixed reception from critics and fans. With the latest film in the series, Alien: Romulus, Scott has handed over directorial duties to Fede Álvarez, known for movies like Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe (2016), while Scott returns to the series as a producer. In Romulus, a crew of teenagers attempt to steal supplies from a seemingly abandoned space station so they can escape a mining colony. However, the teens soon discover they are not alone in this space station.

Deviating from the continuing storyline established from Prometheus and Covenant, Romulus is more of a return to the horror roots of the original Alien than a direct follow-up to the previous two Alien films. While this may frustrate some fans who were looking for the next chapter in the Engineers storyline, other fans will be pleased to see the focus shift to making the xenomorphs frightening again. Romulus channels the suspense from the original Alien where you know there is danger lurking around the corner but you do not know when or where that terror will be unleashed on the screen. The xenomorph creatures are as lethal as they have ever been. What makes this film especially praiseworthy is that Álvarez was able to pull this off with practical effects instead of using the standard CGI effects. Ultimately this is what makes the aliens scarier, much like the original, as the use of real people in alien costumes, puppeteer creatures, and creative camera work serve to heighten the believability factor of the xenomorphs. In addition, Romulus pulls off making the creepy face huggers much more menacing and formidable this time around. There are heart-racing scenes where the space crew is frantically being chased by the relentless face huggers.

While the characters in Romulus may not be fully fleshed out, you do understand the reasoning behind why they find themselves in such a perilous predicament. Álvarez manages to sneak in some social commentary on socioeconomics without being too on the nose. The desperation the crew members develop in search for a more meaningful life away from their current surroundings is how they end up embarking upon such a fateful journey into outer space. The idea that the rich continue to reap the benefits from the lower class, who ultimately pay the price with their quality of life, serves as the backbone for Romulus, and makes you root for the survival of these characters as they face off against the horrid aliens. When they are being stalked by the deadly creatures aboard the ship, the motivations of these characters to escape their mundane existence from their mining colony amps up the suspense. The subtlety of the greed and evil of corporations is another way Romulus ties into the original Alien.

Speaking of ties, if there is one thing that could be considered a drawback of Romulus it is the lack of originality. If the original Alien film and its 1986 sequel, Aliens, had a baby, it would be Romulus. There are a good number of scenes where you will think to yourself “this scene looks very familiar”. That is one gripe you may have with this film is the abundance of fan service. While some will be thrilled with the nostalgic callbacks from previous Alien films, others may view this as lazy filmmaking, particularly those who wanted to see the next chapter in the Engineers storyline. That being said, Romulus does not completely abandon the Engineers plot. Álvarez does manage to provide a twist involving the creation of “the perfect organism”, which connects Romulus to the two previous Alien films. The twist may be polarizing amongst moviegoers but I personally liked that Romulus did not completely ignore Prometheus and Covenant.

Alien: Romulus is a petrifying trip down memory lane for fans who loved the original Alien films. What the film lacks in innovative storytelling, building upon the Alien mythology, it more than makes up for by restoring the magic from the initial Alien films that have become pop culture staples. Many might rank this film as the third best Alien film in the franchise. Romulus blends the spine-tingling suspense from Alien with the action from Aliens masterfully with sprinkles of familiar elements from the other films in the Alien saga. Álvarez has managed to inject some much-needed enthusiasm back into the Alien movies after decades of lackluster receptions to the sequels. Romulus is a must-see movie theater experience that should be enjoyed in the company of others. With an engaging story, chilling thrills, creative action sequences (especially one particular scene that involves the use of gravity), and placing the focus back on making the alien creatures as terrifying as possible, this latest Alien film promises to be one of the most fulfilling films since the original first two films. The movie will surely place Fede Álvarez on many people’s radars with any future projects involving the director. Catch Alien: Romulus in your nearest theater this weekend, and relive the horror.