For many horror fans, Alien: Romulus was the most anticipated release of 2024. The ninth film in the Alien franchise, if you include the two Alien vs Predator films, Alien: Romulus was directed by Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe) and co-written by Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues (Evil Dead, Don’t Breathe). With this duo’s successful franchise work on the 2013 Evil Dead, it seemed like the perfect recipe for one hell of an Alien film.

Alien: Romulus takes place between the events of Alien and Aliens and follows a young woman named Rain who has lived her entire life in a desolate mining colony. Desperate to escape, Rain and a group of other young colonists board an abandoned space station where they meet horrors beyond their wildest nightmares.

There is so much to enjoy about this installment of one of the most popular horror/sci-fi franchises. Alvarez and Sayagues waste no time continuing the theme of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation’s corruption. The planet these characters live on is used for mining. The weather causes planet-wide cloud cover so the inhabitants never see the sun, the people are worked to death and aren’t allowed out of their work contracts, and the workers are constantly plagued by new illnesses. This not only reminds audiences of the cost of corporate greed on the working class, but it also helps to show just how desperate these young people are to escape the planet. Once in space and on the derelict station, things quickly go from bad to worse. This film has action, it has extreme horror, and it is sure to have audiences screaming in fear and joy.

While there is no denying Alien: Romulus is a memorable addition to the franchise, there are certain elements that didn’t work as well as others. When it comes to the small primary cast, audiences get to know Rain and her “brother,” a somewhat rundown synthetic named Andy, who is programmed to look after her. Outside of these two, the character development is fairly thin. It would have been nice to get to know these other characters more, as well as their relationship dynamics. That way the audience would feel more invested in their individual fates. Alien: Romulus also has quite a bit of nods to other films in the franchise throughout the film. While many of these nods are fun Easter eggs for the fans to spot, it does veer into fan-service territory. There is one element in the film that not only isn’t necessary for the plot, but it seems to take the nostalgia grab a bit too far. It’s especially disappointing because this could easily have been replaced with something new and it would have worked just as well, if not better, for the story.

Every performance in the film is great, but Alien: Romulus has two definitive standouts fans are sure to love. Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, The Craft: Legacy) stars as Rain. Rain, in many ways, embodies what Alien fans have come to expect from the leading ladies of the franchise. She’s smart, resourceful, and will do whatever it takes to save herself and those she loves. Yet what makes her perhaps a bit different is her love and compassion, especially for the synthetic that is her only family. Spaeny is great at playing Rain the survivor, but it’s the more emotional scenes where her performance really shines. David Jonsson (Industry, Deep State) plays the artificial human, Andy. While he’s been programmed to take care of Rain, his older tech means that more often then not, Rain seems to take care of him. Jonsson is the breakout star of the film. He not only shows incredible range, but his physicality in the role as a robot is also stunning to watch. Spaeny and Jonsson have great on-screen chemistry, exuding familial love and devotion from start to finish.

There is an artistry to Alien: Romulus that is both beautiful and terrifying all at once. Between the Facehuggers, the Chestburster, and the Xenomorph, the filmmakers chose to implement a combination of animatronics, fabricated creatures, and CGI. These creatures all look as horrific as they do impressive. It delivers something familiar for franchise fans, while also incorporating some frightful new surprises. However, there is one CGI element that doesn’t work as well. It looks subpar compared to the rest of the effects and brings to life the aforementioned nostalgia element that should have been left on the cutting room floor. Luckily, the production design is phenomenal. It leads to some truly iconic, disturbing set pieces audiences won’t soon forget.

Alien: Romulus is a worthy addition to the Alien franchise, giving audiences a taste of something new, along with plenty of nostalgia. Sometimes that nostalgia is overdone, but there is enough new to balance out the film and keep it interesting. Spaeny and Jonsson are the perfect leads for the film, adding emotional weight amidst the action and the horror. Be sure to see Alien: Romulus on the biggest screen possible to experience all the frightening creatures, stunning sets, and memorable action sequences.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10