As the great Ian Malcolm once said, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they just didn’t stop to think if they should.” This quote hangs over so many of today’s IP-focused franchises. Well, it’s been six years since Hollywood last explored the storied Alien franchise. Is Alien: Romulus a much-heralded return to the legendary sci-fi world or should the xenomorphs just stop trying? Read on.
Alien: Romulus follows a group of scavengers who break into a derelict space station in hopes of tracking down cryogenic equipment. However, as they begin to make their way around the ship, it becomes clear they aren’t alone. Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu co-star in the movie. Fede Alvarez directs the film from a script he co-wrote Rodo Sayagues.
To put this out in the open first and foremost, I come to the Alien franchise with a very light knowledge of the in-depth lore. So, I’m going to leave franchise-specific analysis to those far more versed in the series than myself. With that being said, Alien: Romulus very much feels like a reboot of the legendary first film in the opening acts. Before too long though, it brings in moments from later works like Alien Resurrection and even Prometheus. It sees itself as a wide-ranging love letter to the franchise as a whole.
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Unfortunately, this ends up leaving the film feeling like a bit of a mishmash. In the grand scheme of things, this is a tale of two movies. Alien: Romulus loses its footing towards the end of the second act and in truth, doesn’t stick the landing.
When Alien: Romulus plays in the silent, simple terror inherent in this situation, this story is at its creepy best. At times, Alvarez feels to be playing direct homage to legendary filmmaker (and this film’s producer) Ridley Scott. Moments of this movie, particularly in the early acts, feel like Alien and Blade Runner had a baby and frankly, it’s pretty cool to see.
With that being said, when the film strays from this simplicity and quiet spookiness, it devolves into a relatively basic popcorn action flick. Perhaps most noticeable are pronounced struggles with effects. The movie’s antagonist (no spoilers, sweetie!) shows the same kind of “dead-behind-the-eyes”, uncanny valley effects that have plagued many works of this variety in the last decade. Meanwhile, another monster feels so close to the DCEU’s big-horned final bosses that an important sequence ends up feeling distracting and frustrating.
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From a personal perspective, this critic comes to this franchise wanting to see the xenomorphs. They are the Alien franchise. This time around though, they feel like a bit of an afterthought in their own movie. There’s an abundance of facehuggers and they are used to creepy effect. However, that is about where it ends. The film struggles to use their most notable creatures leaving them feeling almost absent in the increasingly clunky action.
As mentioned, Alvarez prioritizes a Blade Runner-esque aesthetic. It’s dark and creepy. Anything can hide in the silence. Unfortunately, though, the film struggles to balance its striking visuals with the overpowering blackness. There are many moments where shots meant to induce horror are left obscured in the darkness, ruining what tension might be hiding there.
While there’s an interesting script on the surface here, there’s little behind the initial idea to let this film truly soar. The brunt of this is felt by the actors. Cailee Spaeny, in particular, is coming off a strong year. In the grand scheme of things though, she’s given little to do. It’s clear this character is supposed to remind us of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Unfortunately, Rain feels like little more than an intergalactic “Mary Sue.” She’s a not-so-plucky space orphan. While Spaeny is given brief opportunities to shine (usually with the stunt work), she struggles to stand out and ends up overwhelmed and floundering.
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Spaeny is not the only actor struggling against this lackluster script. For a fairly small cast and a bloated two-hour runtime, there’s pitifully little character development. Despite solid performances from Isabela Merced and Aileen Wu, none of these characters have enough humanity to be memorable. In fact, they aren’t even caricatures. They’re one-note, not all that interesting, and in some cases, seem only to exist to fill plot points.
In truth, the only actor who manages to stand out from the crowd is David Jonsson as Andy, the film’s resident android. Jonsson steals scenes out from under everyone in what is a heck of a star-making role for the young actor. While he is best in Act Two when his character is granted a little more to do, he’s gently likable throughout the entire movie and is a joy to watch.
When all is said and done, Alien: Romulus doesn’t break new ground. Actor David Jonsson steals the show while director Fede Alvarez shows flashes of stylistic brilliance. However, this movie is afraid to take a chance. It throws so much at the screen leading to a bloated film that really isn’t that scary. Alien: Romulus is a tale of unrealized promise and that is disappointing to see.
Alien: Romulus is in theaters around the country now.
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