Movie Review: Alien — Romulus

4 stars out of 5

I was 10 when the original Alien came out so didn’t see it at the time, but even the poster was scary. Since then I think I only skipped part 4, despite the presence of Winona Ryder. So it was no surprise on an overcast late summer afternoon to find myself at Alien: Romulus. I guess 86-year-old Ridley Scott was too busy with the Gladiator sequel to direct this one, but at least he and octogenarian pal Walter Hill were in producer chairs.

Taking over as director and cowriting is Fede Álvarez, who made the decent 2018 Girl in the Spider’s Web. While the cast lacks star power, they did wisely sign up Cailee Spaeny as the lead. She has impressed me as Priscilla and in Civil War, and on the smaller screen in Mare of Easttown and Devs (no spoilers, I’m only 2 episodes in). Spaeny may not possess the physicality of a young Sigourney Weaver, but she definitely has the spunk.

Storywise, I won’t give much away, except to say Romulus is cleverly slotted between Alien and Aliens. Spaeny and her robot pal (David Jonsson) are stuck working on a dismal mining planet. Seeing a chance to escape, they… in the words of Steve Winwood… take it. And maybe sort of run into some aliens.

Romulus is tense, action-filled, dark, and yes, scary. Pretty freaking scary, actually. So if you like these movies, go see it in a big dark movie theater while you still can. At home, no one can hear you stream.