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Alien: Romulus is a brutal, suspense-packed return to form for the franchise. It captures the claustrophobic terror of the original while throwing in a few adrenaline-fueled nods to Aliens. The film wastes no time plunging us into chaos, with gruesome kills, smart pacing, and some truly beautiful sci-fi set pieces. It’s clear the creative team understands what makes this universe tick—and more importantly, what makes it terrifying.
Rain Carradine is the standout here—sharp, resourceful, and the only character you’re genuinely rooting for. Most of the supporting cast are classic alien chow, but they serve their purpose well. The film’s synthetic, Andy, is sympathetic and charming enough that you forget he’s an android… until he starts making you question his motives. That looming dread is handled beautifully, adding layers without slowing things down.
The real showstopper is the final alien baddie—no ordinary xenomorph, that draws on the disturbing bio-horror themes of Alien: Resurrection and the prequels. It’s fast, cunning, and horrifying in all the right ways. The design is fantastic, and the way it’s revealed makes for one of the creapiest and gut wrenching moments in the entire franchise – possibly since the emergency c-section of Prometheus.
But my one big problem? The film stumbles hard in its decision to bring back Rook using a mix of animatronics and awkward CG. It’s meant to be a tribute, but instead lands in the uncanny valley and never climbs out. It raises questions about digital resurrection in the industry and when it should be done, if ever. Still, despite that misfire, Alien: Romulus delivers an amazingly horrifying ride—and might just be the best Alien film since the ’80s.
And although I enjoyed the prequels, it was nice for once to get away from the philosophical mumbo jumbo and get back to something that occasionally resembles James Camerons interpretation of the franchise.
NerdScore: 7.2/10