- The seventh episode of the sci-fi cult series Alien: Romulus.
In 1979, Ridley Scott's atmospheric, dense science fiction thriller "Alien" was a groundbreaking achievement in the genre. Action specialist James Cameron delivered the spectacular sequel "Aliens - The Return" in 1986, followed by four more "Alien" installments. However, the first two remained unmatched. Now, the seventh film in the series is set to hit theaters. "Alien: Romulus" is chronologically placed between these two classic works.
Ridley Scott as Producer
After directing "Prometheus - Dark Signs" (2012) and "Alien: Covenant" (2017) - both prequels - Ridley Scott handed over the reins to Uruguayan director Fede Alvarez. However, Scott remained actively involved as a producer throughout the film's creation process.
"Ridley was involved the whole time," Alvarez emphasized in an interview with the German Press Agency in London. "That's a huge privilege for me. I always look forward to the next time I meet and talk to him because he's a master of his craft. For me as a director, it's like a year of film school in an hour."
Alvarez was just one year old when "Alien - The Mysterious Creature from Another World" (the German premiere title) was released in theaters, establishing Sigourney Weaver as action heroine Ripley.
Memories of the Nostromo
In "Alien: Romulus," Ripley does not appear. The story revolves around a group of disillusioned young people who want to escape their bleak existence as miners in a colony. On an abandoned space station, the group led by Tyler (Archie Renaux) hopes to find some hypersleep capsules to embark on a long journey to a distant planet and start a new life.
To recruit for their illegal trip to the Romulus station, Tyler enlists, among others, the orphan Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and her "brother" Andy (David Jonsson). Andy is an android programmed by Rain's father to protect her. Tyler hopes that the friendly Andy can open a few security doors on the station. However, some rooms would have been better left closed.
Upon arrival, the intruders discover that scientists on the Romulus station have been breeding something. Soon, Tyler and Co. find out why there are no human survivors - it's aliens, who soon start hunting the young people. The horrifying events on the Nostromo, the spaceship from the first film, which is briefly seen here, are repeated.
Proven Concept with New Ideas
Filmmaker Fede Alvarez, who has horror experience as author and director of "Evil Dead" or "Don't Breathe," and directed the little-noticed Stieg Larsson film "Conspiracy" in 2018, relies on the proven concept of the first film and enriches it with original new ideas. A scene where Rain navigates through a zero-gravity room filled with alien acid is one of the tense highlights.
Originally, Alvarez wanted his film to only lean on the first part. "But over time and ambition, it grew bigger and eventually more like a combination of the first and second film," Alvarez said, who also exchanged views with "Aliens" director Cameron about his approach.
"His attitude was: 'The first film doesn't matter, I'll show you how it's done.' He approached it with arrogance and courage, that's the only way you can do it. With that attitude, you have to go at it because fear is the enemy of creativity. If you're worried and want to please everyone, you won't do a good job."
"Alien: Romulus" captivates with a quasi-retro-futuristic aesthetic that consistently carries forward the 1979 look, without feeling dated. Even '80s sneakers fit right in. The sets and aliens still draw from the designs of the late HR Giger, who won an Oscar for his work on the original "Alien".
Composer Benjamin Wallfisch has woven elements from previous soundtracks by legends Jerry Goldsmith ("Alien"), James Horner ("Aliens"), and Harry Gregson-Williams ("Prometheus") into his atmospheric score. "That's the beauty of the language of music," said Alvarez, "we can quote melodies from other films that fans will instantly recognize." Sound effects and sometimes absolute silence also play a crucial role.
Reunion with a familiar face
Fans of the series, which also spawned two crossover films with "Predator", will find various Easter eggs. The group encounters an android named Rook, the same model as Ash (Ian Holm) from the Nostromo.
"I think it's unfair that many androids have returned in the films," joked Alvarez, "and the only one who didn't come back was Ian Holm's character, in my opinion the best of them all." Holm, who passed away in 2020, was digitally recreated with his family's consent, much to the director's delight. "I'm really proud of some of those shots."
Old-school filmmaking approach
Alvarez shot his film in the classic way, using as little CGI as possible. "I'm always very old-school in my approach," he said. "While everyone else was using CGI blood and CGI violence, I thought, 'No way. I'm going to do everything for real.'
"Alien: Romulus" is unlike many horror thrillers today, it's neither extremely gory nor does it overdo graphic violence and injuries. The Uruguayan avoids cheap shock effects and builds narrative tension. For anxious viewers, there's no need to worry: "Alien: Romulus" isn't a nail-biter.
Successful thriller with a minor flaw
The seventh film in the "Alien" series is still an entertaining science fiction thriller and a worthy addition to the franchise. Unfortunately, something happens in the final third of the film that was also annoying in 1997's "Alien: Resurrection". This could spark discussions among fans of the series. Nevertheless, they are likely to agree that the first two films remain unmatched.
Incidentally, it's set to continue in 2025. "Alien: Earth", the first TV series about the eerie creature from another world, is expected to premiere in the first half of the year.
In the film "Alien: Romulus," the character Andy is described as Rain's "brother," showing a familial bond between the two characters.
During the creation of "Alien: Romulus," Ridley Scott, the producer, provided valuable guidance and mentorship to director Fede Alvarez, acting as a mentor figure for the younger filmmaker.
