Alien: Romulus

Alien: Romulus

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Rating: 15

Alien: Romulus marks the first entry in the Alien franchise under Disney’s ownership. As I write this, I can’t help but feel it’s a somewhat redundant task. After years of watching Disney’s handling of various franchises, and considering the quality of the last two instalments, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, it was hard to muster high expectations. On every level, it feels like another IP carcass being picked at by the vultures of Disney for whatever little financial gain possible. Perhaps I was wrong, perhaps this was a new fresh take on the franchise, from a director who clearly understands how to deal with tension and horror with films such as Don’t Breathe (2016) and Evil Dead (2013). I put my cynicism aside, went into the film with an open mind and here I am. . .

Writing.

So here are my thoughts. . .

I remember the first time I saw Alien (1979). It was the last night at Mini European competition in Strasbourg. It was late, the screen faded from black into this putrid star system, the eerie music building. . . A L I E N slowly faded on across the star scape. What was this? I sensed from the tone that perhaps at 12 years old, this was not the type of thing I should be watching. There I was. I watched as this industrial ship entered the scene. The Nostromo. As my tiredness grew, I watched the Nostromos wake up, as I was led down corridors slowly, my body adjusting closer o to the edge of the bed, what was I watching? My interest was fixated, characters woke up and then started speaking French. Badly dubbed French. . .

The first time I watched the English version however, it left an immediate impression on me. It felt as if the film existed as a perfect contained entity! The design was haunting, avoiding excessive lore to make room for character development and story. The film put you in the same position as the characters trying to survive while finding out along the way about the species that has infested the ship. Horror in the purest form.

There was an intensity to the first instalment unmatched in the later sequel. From the moment the alien bursts from Kane’s chest, the film reaches a peak of tension and fear but never rushes to get to the point. It allows the suspense to sit with you, comforts you with uncertainty, before picking the moments to break the tension, revealing what is hunting the crew of the Nostromo. Although slow paced at moments, the film does not overstay its welcome. It is direct and impactful and the characters seem to make on the whole, sensible decisions. Alien (1979) is an example of the filmmaking that didn’t rely on flashy effects or constant stimuli to keep viewers engaged. It was crafted with care and took the audience seriously.

So 45 years on from when we first met Ripley and the Nostromos, we have have had 6 new entries into the franchise. That is not including the forgettable Alien vs Predator films (let’s pretend they do not exist for the purpose of this conversation but also generally, that is for the best.)

• Aliens ( 1986)
• Alien 3 (1992)
• Alien: Resurrection (1997)
• Prometheus (2012)
• Alien: Covenant (2017)

And finally. . .

Alien: Romulus. Set between the events Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), Alien: Romulus begins in the depths of space with a Wyeland-Yutani probe, scavenging through the wreckage of the USCSS Nostromo after it was destroyed in the 1979 original. The probe retrieves an organic fossil like object and takes it to a scientific space station to be examined. The object is opened revealing the imprint of a Xenomorph left within.

(Let’s pause there for a brief moment. . . at the end of Alien (1979), Ripley evaporates the Nostromo with multiple explosions by setting off the self destruct sequence in order to kill the Alien. In an escape pod, Ripley is confronted with the fact that the Alien made its way on to her ship and survived the explosion. The film ending with Ripley successfully blowing the alien out into the vacuum of space. . . even if the Nostromo ship had wreckage to be explored, the Alien was blown out into space. . . how this opening happened in Alien:Romulus for me undermines the struggle the characters went through in the first film. . .undermines, diminishes, disrespects. Key words I find myself returning too, but let’s get back to the synopsis.)

We are then introduced to Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), an orphan who lives on the Weyland-Yutani mining colony, Jackson, with her adopted brother Andy (David Jonsson). Andy is a damaged synthetic human, or artificial person, whose primary directive is to do what is best for Rain. We meet Rain, as she completes her contracted hours and hopes to apply to leave the planet and travel to on the distant planet called Yvaga III. However, the company decide to add on additional hours and refuse Rain’s request to leave.

Shortly after being refused, Rain’s ex-boyfriend Tyler contacts her with a potential opportunity for freedom. We are introduced to Tyler and the rest of the forgettable cast of expendable characters. They reveal the simple plan for escaping Jackson. Tyler explains that a derelict Weyland-Yutani spacecraft is coming close to the planet, and is due to crash into its rings in around 36 hours; the manifest for the station includes multiple cryostasis chambers, which if salvaged would allow the group to make the long journey to Yvaga III. The catch is that they need Andy in order to operate and communicate with the station’s computer MU-TH-UR 9000.

Despite her reservations about using Andy in this manner, Rain agrees to the plan. The crew departs Jackson's Star, heading toward the spacecraft in hopes of finding their freedom. Upon arrival, they discover that the derelict vessel is actually the Romulus-Remus space station, which has been conducting scientific experiments. The station, previously glimpsed at the start of the film, is now ravaged and in disarray.

What began as a hopeful escape quickly turns into a desperate fight for survival. As this is an Alien film, you can guess what unfolds next without delving further into the plot.

Small Glimmers of Hope:

There is some credit due to the film, and before delving into its deeper issues, I want to be fair. Firstly, since Aliens(1986), it felt like I was once again watching a true Alien film. The look and feel of the movie provided a nostalgic throwback to the first two installments. The sets were grotesquely beautiful, and the Xenomorphs and Facehuggers felt tangible, with their ooze and slime dripping throughout the corridors of the space station.

At this stage in the franchise, we understand that the Weyland-Yutani corporation is a corrupt entity, potentially the true antagonist even in a world with acid-blooded Aliens. Despite this, it was interesting to see a glimpse of life on a Weyland-Yutani run planet. The harsh conditions endured by the workers and the palpable desperation of the human colonists were striking. Clearly, humanity is ill-suited for space travel, and I found myself wanting to explore this aspect further. Perhaps a more intelligent story exists somewhere that delves deeper into these issues. For instance, a mining planet could uncover an Alien hive during excavation, leading to a claustrophobic struggle for survival.

A few set pieces in the film stood out as particularly interesting and offered some of the movie’s most refreshing elements. One significant challenge the Xenomorphs pose throughout the franchise is their corrosive acid blood. This acid can eat through nearly anything, including the space station’s integrity, which separates the characters from the cold vacuum of space.

One mechanism used to combat this was the anti-gravity function on the space station. Rain turns on the ani-gravity before opening rounds of a marines pulse rifle to kill an onslaught of Xenomorphs. Instead of the acid blood tearing a hole through the station’s hull, it floats and spirals weightlessly through the corridor. This weightless, swirling acid gives Rain and Andy a crucial opportunity to escape to the elevator shaft. A fairly positive set piece.

Another scene that piqued some interest involved the characters raising the corridor temperature to match their body heat. This tactic concealed their presence from the Facehuggers, allowing them to quietly traverse a corridor infested with these nightmarish spider-like parasites to reach their destination. The approach felt a little bit “A Quiet Place” or even Fede Alvarez’s previous work, Don’t Breathe (2013) where sound plays a crucial role in survival. It was a concept that I don’t recall from previous instalments, adding a slightly intriguing twist to how the characters tried to survive.

As I write this, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to find pockets of positivity or hope. I genuinely wanted to enjoy this film. At one point, I noted that the sound design and composition were good, but in truth, I was likely clinging to any positive aspect to distract from the film’s broader shortcomings. Let’s be honest: this was a disappointing film, at least for me.

The Truth

There are many issues with this film that I found difficult and frustrating to watch. To begin addressing these shortcomings, it’s helpful to analyse a key scene required in any Alien film: the chestbuster scene. Inevitably, a character becomes a host when a Facehugger successfully latches onto their face, tightens its grip around their neck and implants a Xenomorph embryo. This horrifying moment is always uncomfortable to watch, especially when the Facehugger appears real and tactile, as it often does with practical effects.

Let’s revisit the 1979 version. John Hurt’s character, Kane, becomes infected and endures a prolonged period with the Facehugger attached. He is placed in the medical bay, giving the other characters time to figure out how to handle the situation. This downtime also allows for character development, showing how each person reacts to the crisis. Eventually, the Facehugger dies, Kane wakes up, and the crew has more opportunities to develop as individuals.

Then the characters share a final meal, a last supper before going back to cryosleep and returning to Earth. During this meal, Kane begins to choke, setting the stage for the inevitable chestburster scene. This horrifying moment, where the dining table is splattered with blood and the baby Xenomorph scurries into the depths of the Nostromo.

From the moment that Kane has the Facehugger attached, the tension builds. The crew inspect the parasite, analyse their options, set out agendas and thoughts. Each minute of screen time contributing to the development of the characters as real people. Real people with real thoughts, feelings and motivations. Differences, tensions. Of course as a fresh audience watching this scene for the time, there was no expectation of what was to burst from Kane’s chest, so that mystery and passage of time helped build tension successfully.

To be fair to Alien: Romulus, or any new Alien film of that matter, it faces the challenge of working within established expectations. The element of ignorance and the surprise of not knowing what comes next are no longer available tools. Audiences come with a set of anticipations, making it difficult for the film to generate the same level of suspense and impact as the original.

However, despite difficult to establish the same element of surprise, let’s examine the chest buster scene in Alien: Romulus. Navarro falls victim to the facehugger. Regardless of this inevitably, this is an example of what is wrong with the wider film. The crew manage to quickly come up with a successful a plan to remove the parasitic Facehugger, with the help of a character (who will be discussed later). The Facehugger is removed successfully, Navarro awakens they must deal with the potential consequences of what has just happened. Despite their efforts of removing the parasite, they are informed that Navarro’s fate is statistically likely be negative and that she will be impregnated with the Xenomorph. A confrontation between the group breaks out on how to proceed.

Deciding not to listen to the probability of the Xenomorph being inside Navarro, she makes an escape with Bjorn (the cousin of the ex boyfriend. . . all very unforgettable) as they refuse to let her die. They take off in the ship, leaving Rain, Andy, and Rain’s ex-boyfriend behind on the space station. Within minutes, Navarro begins to choke, and the Xenomorph bursts from her rib cage. Chaos ensues as the spaceship crashes back into the space station, landing in a different hangar on the Remus side of the station.

That was quick.

No tension, no build up. Within minutes of screen time, the Xenomorph is free from its host and to make matters worse, even quicker has grown to full size ready to tick off the unforgettable characters from its kill list. A quick, meaningless series of events that have not earned the right for audience to be truly invested.

As the space station's collision course accelerates due to damage, the film rushes through the remainder of the plot, cramming in every throwback from previous Alien installments. It feels as though the creators were trapped in a doom-scrolling loop of Alien fan pages, compelled to fill the screen with content in a desperate attempt to engage viewers. Don’t think about the plot just watch content.

Let’s distract the audience with plot points and stuff from previous films while we take their money to the bank. Do you remember the pulse rifles from Aliens (1986) and Ripley standing in front of an elevator shaft. . . don’t worry, this film has that. Remember in Alien: Resurrection, there was scientific experimentation and cloning to create the perfect human species using the Xenomoprh’s DNA. Don’t worry this film also had that but refreshingly, they threw in the black goo that creates life from Prometheus! Do you remember the goo?

Thinking about Prometheus, remember Noomi Rapace’s character. She, gives birth to an alien creature because her pregnant DNA is infected with Black Goo and it evolves and mutates inside her. Don’t worry there is a pregnant character in Alien: Romulus that goes through the exact same plot point. To finish the film let’s go back to 1979. Remember when Sigourny Weaver dressed in very little, slowly escapes the alien by climbing into her space suit before blowing the Xenomorph out into the vacuum of space? Of course, Alien:Romulus will also have the same ending, with the Ripley replacement wearing very little climbing into the Space Suit to blow the Xenomorph human hybrid from Prometheus and Alien:Resurrection out into the vacuum of space. . . but because it is 2024 we will make the effort and have more explosions.

The film did not work hard enough to earn the right for the audience to care. Bjorn is a perfect example. I barely remember the character other than he did not like androids. His purpose however became very apparent, leading to another nostalgic call back important to the “plot”. Consistently, he would refer to Andy as a ‘bitch.’ In lines of dialogue that never quite sat right with me. In one fleeting moment however, Bjorn’s purpose revealed itself. Perhaps the most important character development out of anyone in the roster of characters, including Rain. Bjorn calling Andy a ‘bitch’ was vital so that Andy could say the line. . .

Do you remember the famous line Signourney Weaver says when protecting Newt in Aliens (1986)

Get away from her you bitch - Ripley, Aliens (1986)

The line delivered by Sigourney Weaver resonates deeply with the audience because it’s not just a throwaway line for algorithmic nostalgia. It holds significant weight within the context of the film. Ripley’s journey in Aliens (1986) evolves from a struggle for personal survival against the Xenomorph to a desperate fight to save Newt, who has become a surrogate daughter to her. By the film’s climax, Ripley’s battle against the Xenomorph Queen is not a monster fight it is a mother protecting her child against a matriarchal monster. The film earned this moment. Ripley confronting the Queen Alien in the exo-suit she uses earlier in film, embodying both maternal instinct and the physical struggle against a species of Alien that has dramatically impacted her life and killed everyone she knows and cares for.

In Alien: Romulus, Andy says the same line in a scene that hasn’t earned anything from the audience. Bjorn’s remarkable character journey as an annoying figure who repeatedly says ‘bitch’ culminates in Andy “learning” and using the same word while saving Rain. As he unloads the pulse rifle and kills the Xenomorph just in time, he delivers Ripley’s line in a weak and soulless manner, offering nothing more than a reminder that the installment from 1986 was a much better film.

The Core of the Issue. . .

All this leads to the crux of the issue with this film and why it ultimately feels like nothing more than an attempt at making money. No matter how much promotional material released emphasises the importance of practical effects and how important the legacy of this franchise is to makers of this film, it is nothing more than a smoke screen to the truth. A quick attempt to make some money before moving on to the next prequel or sequel IP merry-go-round Disney will latch on to next.

The point during the film when they disrespectfully perched the reincarnation of Ian Holm on to the computer station desk was the moment I knew this was just another parasitic film to add to the shelf of Disney’s financially fuelled obsession. I can only imagine a bunch of out of touch studio executives all nodding in delusional agreement that it was a good idea.

The scene discussed previously, when Navarro is impregnated by the Facehugger, is when Ian Holm is placed on screen. Throughout the film from that point he continues the primary objective that his android was programmed with in Alien (1979). In the original, he played the android Ash and it was a terrifying performance, I have not looked at a magazine the same since he used one to try and kill Ripley in such a cold and lifeless manner. In Alien: Romulus he is Rook. An android with the same goal.

His plot points are sadly irrelevant because it was not necessary to have him at all. Just because we have the technology to recreate performance from actors who have passed away, does not mean we should. Taking Rook out of this film and replacing the android with a different actor would not have impacted the narrative in anyway. I am sure in interviews to come, the people involved in making this decision will emphasise the importance of this character to the story because of continuity. . . despite the fact we have a new model of Android in Aliens (1986) played by Lance Henriksen. I am confident the truth behind the inclusion is the same reason why the previous points discussed were included, it was nostalgia and content to distract viewers away from the fact this film made no effort to be something new.

Perhaps it was too expensive to bring back Sigourney Weaver and de-age her so they dug up the memory of a fantastic actor sadly no longer with us instead to save on the bottom line, I mean to make a good film.

Final Thoughts. . .

Technology is veering into unethical territory and sadly it is in the hands of people that only care about one thing and that is how much money can fill their pockets. Alien: Romulus is an empty and lifeless film. The redeeming qualities are nothing more than dwindling hope that perhaps there was a better film in there somewhere but the execution feels like a blended concoction of Alien IP with a heart sprinkling of unethically manufactured nostalgia.

It is sad to admit that the most interesting characters on screen were the Xenomorphs themselves, as the practical effects looked great. The rest of the cast were forgettable. There out of necessity. I can’t count how many times while writing this I have gone to check names of the characters on IMdB as with the exception of Rain and Andy, I do not remember at all.

Perhaps the best way to conclude this review is with the words of Ripley herself. Taken from Aliens (1986) after Burke attempts to impregnate both Ripley and Newt with the Xenomorph embryo in order to bring the species back for financial gain. . . Ripley says

“You know Burke, I don’t know which species is worse. You don’t see them fucking eachother over for a god damn percentage” - Ripley - Aliens (1986)

I wonder when big mainstream studios will start to understand that their percentage wouldn’t be at risk if they turned their attention to making films with heart and honesty again.

I feel as if this discussion around Alien: Romulus has descended into the chaotic ramblings of a very tired and cynical lover of cinema —a weary fan bored of watching IP that made me fall in love with going to the movies in the first place become shallow vessels for financial profit.

In the same vein as the film itself, perhaps this writing has taken a turn that leaves you, as a reader, wishing you had not started down this road. But if you are here, it is over. Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. Have you seen the film? What are your thoughts? What do you think of current films in general? Let me know in the comments!

And if you want a to watch a good Alien film, just go back to 1979 instead. . .

Thanks for reading. Until next time!