NOSTROMO REROUTED
TO NEW CO-ORDINATES.
INVESTIGATE LIFEFORM. GATHER SPECIMEN.
PRIORITY ONE
INSURE RETURN OF ORGANISM
FOR ANALYSIS.
ALL OTHER CONSIDERATIONS SECONDARY.
CREW EXPENDABLE.
Since 1979 the formidable Xenomorph has been terrifying audiences in the deep recesses of space. While our friendly neighborhood extraterrestrial hive-based endoparasitoid has set foot on our planet, it’s never been more terrifying than when it’s discovered as a stowaway on the USCSS Nostromo or the Weyland space station Renaissance. It thrives in the shadows as it stalks with a cunning and intelligence far greater than its human prey. It is, as long since claimed, the perfect organism.
In nature, the alien is inspired by real life parasitoid wasps which have a similar life cycle to the Xenomorph. Much in the same way, a female wasp will use a stinger-like appendage to inject eggs into a host such as an adult insect or larva. The egg will then hatch and begin to feed on the host often from the inside. The newly formed larva have been known to form saw-like teeth to help burst from the host’s thick skin. And this happens on planet Earth. Talk about the stuff of nightmares. It makes sense why they would model their alien concept after something that would be so unimaginably horrific to endure.
It stands to reason that a franchise that has stuck around for nearly fifty years is going to feature some lackluster efforts. But among the wreckage of Alien 3 and the AVP dreck are some genuinely well-made entries into the Alien mythos. Of course the original and its direct sequel are masterful pieces of science fiction. As a long-time supporter of Prometheus and its sort-of-sequel, Alien: Covenant, I turn to them when I want something that isn’t like the rest of the franchise. I believe the classic Alien settings and pacing are distinct and something specific to their own style. With Prometheus and Covenant they went in a different direction creating a kind of offshoot that is enjoyable, it’s simply not my go to choice when I’m craving that familiar Alien terror that only the Xenomorph can provide. While Covenant does feature the iconic alien species, its more Prometheus centric storytelling puts it firmly in the same camp as Prometheus.
My point to all this is that not since the 80s has there been a completely worthwhile continuation of the Alien franchise that feels fully in-line with what we’ve come to know and love about the franchise. Until now. While not exactly trailblazing a new path, Alien: Romulus captures the essence of what makes these movies so thrilling, so imaginative and yes, so unforgettably terrifying. The claustrophobia, the sinister shadows, the hopelessness, the inevitable carnage to follow and of course the unrelenting Xenomorph are all present. There’s a familiarity to it that might feel redundant to some but I choose to see it more as an homage to what was while still finding the spirit of something new.
If you’re familiar with the NERDs here at Nerd Alert you know that the Alien franchise is of particular contention between those of us that have good taste and everyone else. I, the one with good taste, find Prometheus to be a viable entry however flawed it may be. But even as a staunch supporter, there has long been one aspect of Prometheus that always bothered me and it’s the portrayal of technology. In the timeline of Alien, Prometheus takes place nearly thirty years before the tragedy on the Nostromo. The technology in Prometheus is somehow far more advanced than anything in Alien or its sequel. The first two Alien films feature a more analog, tactile vision of a future in space travel. Fall back thirty years prior and for some reason the tech is hundreds of years more advanced and it has always bugged me. Luckily director Fede Alvarez noticed this too and returned to the original aesthetic with Romulus. And it just feels… right.
As much as these movies are about the titular monster, they also bring a version of humanity that has seemingly forgone any real niceties for a more purely functional, no-frills existence where food is nothing but fuel and corporations have taken over in a kind of corporatocracy reality. Needless to elaborate, it’s not the most incentivizing potential future which only adds to the overall feel of an aimless human species. It heightens the despair and desperation behind their often misguided inclinations of infiltrating abandoned space ships nosing around where they simply do not belong. Of course without their naivety there is no fun to be had so it is, from a storytelling perspective, a narrative imperative that they go exploring and snooping around.
In the time between Ripley’s first encounter and her eventual rescue after a long hibernation, the events of Romulus took place. Rain is alone on the current world she finds herself stuck on, slaving away for the Weyland Corporation. Thinking she has finally served her mandated hours of work, she is unceremoniously given double the amount of time simply because the corporation is having a worker shortage and they’ve decided to make that her problem. Suddenly without options, she turns to a group of estranged friends who have a plan to scavenge an abandoned Weyland owned ship floating just above their atmosphere. It is there they believe they will find the proper equipment to allow them to hibernate on a long nine year journey to a better prospect on a far away planet.
Once on the derelict ship they discover something far more harrowing than they ever could have imagined. Lying in wait, the most terrifying life form in the universe is awakened to wreak havoc once again. It quickly becomes a straight-lined quest of pure survival in a ship with its own kind of horrors lurking around every corner. Rain, although terrified, becomes the heroine she must to survive and utilizing her intelligence and tenacity, she takes the fight to the creatures in a brilliant, brutal battle between two competing species.
Cailee Spaeny as Rain is a fantastic homage to one of the most badass female characters in cinema, Ripley. She demonstrates similar characteristics of undeniable survival skills, unrelenting perseverance, and a true toughness that despite her small stature is always backed by her high intelligence and loyalty to those she’s trying to save. Armed with tools scoured from the deserted ship, she is a formidable continuation of cinematic badass women. She is thrilling to watch as she navigates her way to hopeful survival. This is Alien however, nothing is certain, especially hope.
The first half of Romulus is very much the Alien inspired portion of the story. It’s a slower burn, a more methodical progression alluding to the terror to come. It’s tense and uncomfortable. In the second half, when all hell breaks loose, it’s very much the Aliens portion of the tale. From that moment on it’s a melding of action packed sequences without ever leaving the horror aspect behind. In an instant it can go from M-41A pulse rifles firing to a more intimate, a more horrifying interaction as the creature closes in and doles out its brutal method of killing its prey. It’s a fantastic combination of the two best films in the franchise while still managing to find its own identity when and where it matters.
It isn’t perfect, but I would argue it is absolutely a return to what makes this franchise so much fun. It’s violent, gory and incredibly tense. The visuals are fully realized as is the world in which these characters reside. The kills are wonderfully imaginative and the few deviations are admirably unexpected and ultimately a welcome change. The characters, particularly Cailee Spaeny’s Rain and David Johnson’s Andy, are complex and interesting and definitely worthy adversaries to the Xenomorph. I can find faults with it but ultimately it’s what I wanted it to be. It feels like a triumphant return to form and leaves me excited at the prospect of more deep space adventures. I’m fairly certain this is not the last we’ll see of our favorite alien serial killer.
Rated R For: bloody violent content and language
Runtime: 119 minutes
After Credits Scene: No
Genre: Monster horror, Space Sci-Fi, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Johnson, Isabela Merced, Archie Renaux
Directed By: Fede Alvarez
Out of 10
Story: 8/ Acting: 9/ Directing: 8.5/ Visuals: 8.5
OVERALL: 9/10
Buy to Own: Yes
Check out the trailer below:
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