Alien: Romulus’ Amazingly Practical Xenomorph Effects Revealed In BTS Video Of Creature’s Development
Summary
Alien: Romulus' first reactions are rolling in, with critics sharing their thoughts on the new horror sci-fi. Directed by Fede Alvarez, the latest installment in theAlienfranchise follows a young crew as they encounter a Xenomorph aboard their derelict ship in the dark reaches of space. Cailee Spaeny leads the film’s cast as Rain, with other cast members including Isabela Merced, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu.Alien: Romuluswill releasewide in theaters later this week, but the film premiered in Los Angeles on Monday night after months of building anticipation.
Following theAlien: Romuluspremiere, critics and audiences are taking to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts about the film.So far, the general sentiment is very positive, but there are a few outlierswho were less charmed by Alvarez’s entry. Check out select reactions below:
Matt NegliacallsAlien: Romulus"a relentless, visceral thrill ride"that will leave audiences “gasping for breath.” While he admits that the film is “devoid of any thematic depth,” he does praise Spaeny and costar David Jonsson for providing some “emotional weight” to the storytelling.
A.A. Dowdshares one of the less glowing reactions to the film, writing that he “Can pinpoint the exact moment I turned on ALIEN: ROMULUS. You’ll know it when you see it.”
@metaplexmoviesshares a similar sentiment, callingAlien: Romulus"a gratuitous nostalgia play, remixing what came before with some occasionally stron thrills." He calls the film “the safest, blandest and most vapid the series has ever been.”
The reaction fromHarris Dangcould be interpretted as either positive or negative, depending on one’s personal preferences for anAlienfilm. He simply writes: “More like ALIEN – VOMITOUS.”
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the reaction fromRachel Leishman, who reveals that Alvarez’s film “is the first time I have been terrified during one of theAlienmovies.” She also calls Spaeny’s Rain “a perfect character to follow” and says the film’s third act is “truly WILD.”
“Alien: Romulus is shockingly good,” writesBrandon Davis. “This movie is so inventive with horror, thrills, and visuals while never crossing into gratuitous blood or gore.” He, too, calls the third act “insane.”
Eric Vespecalls the movie “absolutely gorgeous” and says it “honors every single movie that came before.” Ultimately, he calls himself a “[b]ig fan of this one.”
Andrew J. SalazarpraisesAlien: Romulusfor its “truly marvelous visual storytelling” and argues that “Fede has proved his worth for a trilogy.”
How Will Alien: Romulus Fare With Audiences?
Why Fede Alvarez’s Film Could Be A Hit
The response toAlien: Covenantin 2017 was generally mixed from both audiences and critics. Ridley Scott, who directed the first film in the franchise back in 1979 before returning with 2012’sPrometheus, continued his exploration of the origins of the Engineers and told a story once again focused on the AI David (Michael Fassbender). For some, this fleshing out of the world of the franchise was just not what they were looking for from anAlienmovie.
Alien: Romulustakes placebetween the 1979 original film and James Cameron’s 1986 sequel,Aliens.
Alien: Romulus' story, by comparison, is relatively simple, and it is essentially built around the same premise as the first film – one Xenomorph versus one spaceship crew.Alvarez has proven himself adept at this kind of horror-thrillerwith 2013’sEvil Deadand 2016’sDon’t Breathe, both of which are contained and relatively brutal in terms of depictions of violence. Both of those films were generally successful critically and commercially, which bodes well forAlien: Romulus.
Another notable point that comes up in several reactions is the inclusion of nostalgic elements inAlien: Romulus. While nostalgia doesn’t always please critics, who sometimes criticize it as a storytelling crutch,audiences have proven far more receptive to nostalgia plays in major franchises, such as withGhostbusters: Afterlifein 2021 and this summer’sDeadpool & Wolverine. So far, it looks likeAlien: Romulusis shaping up to be a hit.
Source: Various (see above)
Alien: Romulus
Cast
Alien: Romulus is the seventh film in the Alien franchise. The movie is directed by Fede Álvarez and will focus on a new young group of characters who come face to face with the terrifying Xenomorphs. Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone film and takes place in a time not yet explored in the Alien franchise.
