Fede Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus is an immediate and intense jolt of life for the long-running sci-fi horror franchise. Stepping neatly into the timeline between the 1979 original and the 1986 sequel, Álvarez successfully manages to respect the lineage while carving out his own terrifying niche.
The film follows a crew of young space scavengers who inadvertently awaken the horror aboard a derelict space station. The tightly wound plot and confined environment are key to its success, allowing the director—known for the Evil Dead remake—to emphasize claustrophobic, practical horror over sprawling science fiction action. The atmosphere is thick with dread, reminiscent of the best moments of Ridley Scott’s original film.
Romulus is refreshingly focused, allowing the Xenomorph to reclaim its status as a relentless, biological weapon of terror. The commitment to minimal CGI and practical effects enhances the grittiness, making every narrow escape and sudden attack feel visceral and earned. This is a taut, suffocating survival film and a brilliant example of how to revitalize a classic series by going back to basics.
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