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It's like a terrible band doing covers of your favourite band's greatest hits.
What a disappointment! In this movie it takes 10 minutes from beast on your face till alien out of your chest. I'm a Alien fan but this film was a cheap and bad copy of alien 1/4.
It has its moments. David Jonson shines. There’s an element of how neurodivergence is viewed by society in Andy, on who it sees as a burden or unsettling, and he plays both sides excellently. There’s a creative zero gravity sequence showing Alvarez is finding new ways to play with the formula. But these things fall by the wayside buried under winking references, echoed shots and lines, and worst of all some grade A Rogue One/Flash shit. The climax is oddly enough examples of both. I somewhat admire committing to bringing in all the franchise, even the Prometheus side, but the design and CGI falters and it still has too much of that Disney and fan energy of holding onto the IP instead of creating something new or at least something new with it. I’d take the Assembly Cut of Alien 3 any day, and I’d even put Prometheus a cut above this one, flaws and all. This is more solid than Covenant but is similarly cocooned in the past without Ridley’s ambitious, almost spiteful Prometheus elements even if they didn’t work. I had a decent time, but I still think maybe it’s time to just let Alien rest. They definitely should’ve let Ian Holm.
Yeah, Alien: Romulus goes so freakin’ hard. Fede Alvarez is THAT guy for real! It also gave massive Dead Space vibes and I love that.
Excellent excellent excellent.
This is everything Alien should be, presented with solid acting and pacing, perfectly respectful of the original.
its simple. if you like the shit show writing that is alien covenant and prometheus, you'll like it. If you dont, you won't. This is just a third Black goo movie. which gives the writer(s) permission to create whatever nonsensical monsters they want. It had problems from the start, little "movie mistake" type things that most people won't notice, I won't even bring them up specifically cause I don't want them to bother people that would otherwise miss them and enjoy the movie. And still, even as I kept noticing little things i internally was like "thats fine, just a movie mistake, it happens". They made facehuggers seem weaker..... could have gotten past that. I bascially just kept telling myself "eh thats not a big deal, thats fine, just ignore it" most of the way through the movie. Then came the black goo. And the alien sac/cacoon thing it grew up in. and how much more intelligent these aliens seemed to be (like the one that was just born but figures out somehow that the 1 girls friends are gonna come open the door for them so it waits as a trap???). By that point I was just mildly annoyed but still....its fine. Then we got the part engineer part human part alien ....... part dead space? monster. Lazy writing imo. so ..... so disappointed.
Damn, I’m so conflicted about this movie. Moments of genius and awe are mixed with madness and disbelief. Visuals, sets, practical effects, sound, music and acting are all top notch. However, there is too much fan service. The director obviously loves this universe and is extremely talented but goes too far in trying to please the fans. There are 2 moments that just look ridiculous and you do wonder how they made it to the film. I’m pleased the movie has been made and it needs a second viewing. Not bad but not great. 7.5/10.
Initial Reaction:
This movie pays so much homage to the other titles in the series that it forgets to add it's own flavour. Every reference is done better on the other films aside the use of facehuggers and that of things in act 3, but even then they show way too damn much.
Everyone is raving about act 3, but I am left disappointed again with this series. Act 1 and the setup to this story is by far the best part and the most original the movie is. The rest is reference after excruciating reference and no characters feel their own after a certain point. The characters are alright, the most interesting being Andy, with the main character not being built up nearly enough to stand on her own as Ripley did or even Shaw for that matter. I didn't even remember her name until my friend reminded me.
The cinematography is okay and is on par with Prometheus and Covenant, but not Alien or Aliens. The score however, is pretty good.
The vibe of this film is more like Prometheus meets Alien 3, and I prefer both those over this film, flaws and all. The practical effects and sets are good, but it's nowhere near as good as everyone says. CGI is everywhere still and is very noticeable. The first 3 Alien films still hold a far better atmosphere and have better set designs.
Overall, I am disappointed with this entry, but it is not a Resurrection or Covenant. It isn't over the top stupid, and it isn't dumb boring philosophical slop.
Romulus is a well made horror action film, with writing that I despise.
6/10
If you are a fan of Alien/Aliens and have watched them about a 100 times each like i have, you will appreciate that they kept the "technology" in the film on par with what was in the originals, far better than Prometheus or Alien Covenant ever did.
The throw backs in this movie are amazing. Loved the android Rook! Greatest call back for sure.
They tried to keep this movie more of a horror movie like the original alien. It isn't nearly as suspenseful as the original but its still a great flick. A few surprises in it I didn't expect at all. If I had it at home, I'd be watching it again tonight.
I can't lie about your chances...... but you have my sympathies.
Get away from her...... you...... bitch
Can’t wait. Can’t wait!! Can’t wait!
Remember when they disguised "Force Awakens" as an original film when essentially it was a reheated version of "A New Hope"? Well, the first alarm bell goes off few minutes into Romulus when we see a "drinking bird" toy that was ever present in the original Alien. Buckle up for endless references and nods to other [much better] films in the series. Romulus is a cover band, all the notes are there but because it's a tribute there's little originality; it's a perfect example of the South Park " 'member berries" joke... 'Member the gun from Aliens..'Member the "get away from her.. You bitch"..'Member muthur,'Member Weyland-Yutani is evil..' 'Member "you have my sympathies".. 'member androids are untrustworthy.. Endless amounts of trying to elicit cheap endorphin hits in fan service.
The new stuff that it's there is mostly comical.. The guest appearance via CGI is really something to behold. Remember how crazy it was seeing Sean Young brought back ageless in Blade Runner 2049? Well this is an AliExpress version. I get the sentiment to try and tie this into the original Alien but it's so poorly done to see this character projected on the big screen I honestly laughed. I look forward to seeing the fan fixes hit YouTube in the coming months.
The final Alien is also comical looking and ends up looking like a "Hills Have Eyes" xenomorph. Say what you want about Alien Resurrection but their final Alien certainly is much more effective to what we end up with here. I understand the Romulus started off as something that would go straight to steaming and I can believe it. This is not Prey (2022).
The cast are ok, they do what they can but are let down by the script that's simply going through broad stroke motions. I cared more about the Ripley / Bishop relationship in the closing moments of Aliens than I ever buy into the entirety Rain / Andy duo.
The two questions I had going into Romulus, as a series fan since I was a child, was "do we really need another Alien film?" and "can they do anything original with the franchise?". Unfortunately the answer to both is a resounding no from me.
Instead of this boring fan-made film, they could have just done a movie that tied itself to the First movie and the game Alien: Isolation together. Sadly Alien franchise is a dead horse being beaten by corporate minds that rather brute force their badly criticized concepts and attempt them to make them work again and again. What they don't realize is you can make an actual modern Alien film, because you have the elements from Spielberg, where you have the time skip between the 3 films. Just use that time skip like Alien Isolation did, and make a damn movie about Weyland-Yutani and fill in the blanks in between the 3 films without resorting to heavy fanservice as well as having actual original substance that doesn't suck. Also please put Ian Holmes back in his grave Disney, you tried it numerous times in Star wars, it just doesn't work so stop trying to frankenstein dead people.
Or just let the Alien Franchise rest in peace. If you can't do it right, just don't do it.
Solid acting, some fresh space horror ideas (inspired from video games) and overall great atmosphere.
The actresses and actors were a bit too young for my taste though, and the action-to-horror ratio was a bit off (towards action).
This movie isn't perfect - but surely a great sequel in the Alien series.
Finally an almost proper reboot with the strongest influences to the first two movies especially the first one. Funny to see 80s tech in a scifi movie of 2024.
The first half was awesome. Very atmospheric and if you didn't know what aliens are, the experience would be similar to the very first movie experience.
The problem was the ever increasing worsening of the second half with the last part being so bad that it kind of ruined the movie.
- The end after the injection and the birth were completely unnecessary and ruined the movie. It had already started going wrong but it was okay. But the end was seriously not
- The obsession with the synthetic was kind of silly as well as a base to forward the story
- Ansering the pregnent's women call during stealth was also very silly
- The title of the movie should had been Aliens: Romulus . There were too many without a queen or a nest.
"DIE, MOTHERFUCKER!"
Kind of a frustrating movie. For every instance of boring exposition, painfully bad effects (that one character :person_facepalming:), or shoehorned-in callbacks, it pulled me right back in with another immaculately staged, genuinely heart-pounding scene.
Cailee Spaeny is just barely believable as a malnourished, sun-deprived miner. Isabela Merced, on the other hand, is straight up an Instagram model... kinda took me out of the movie tbh.
"That was fucked up."
Absolutely stellar sound design—it’s atmospheric, moody, and drenched in tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat! The score, while not really always hitting that mark, shines whenever it nods to the brilliance of Jerry Goldsmith’s work giving you all the right chills. Cinematography, set design, and lighting—simply breathtaking! Every frame is a visual feast, especially the ones off planet. The exploration of the face huggers and Xenomorph lore is pure gold, adding layers to an already fascinating universe. The plot holds its ground, but what truly elevates the film is the character development in those first two acts. And the evolution of David Jonsson’s portrayal of ‘Andy’ thought the movie is so thought out and smooth!
I gotta say that I'm totally statisfied with the way this movie went. It reminded me so much of the First two Alien movies. The movie brought back the claustrophobic and horror aspects that Prometheus and Covenant kinda lacked of. Also the design was on point. They kept so many design choices from the first movies without making the Romulus technically underdeveloped, which was probably very difficult if you consider how old the original movie is. How they brought the Aliens back to live was kinda lame and very predictable but you come to terms with it, bc the rest of the movie is just brills. I love they kept the design of the chestbursters which we haven't seen for a whole while. The ending with this humanoid Alien was quite scary and added Something new and terrifying to the franchise (eventhough it kinda reminded me of this weird human X alien Thing from resurrection, I don't wanna talk about). Don't get me wrong I Love the Xenomorphs and their design but by now we've seen them quite a few times so adding Something new at the end of the movie was the right choice. The cast is quite young but it didn't really disturb me because the crew doesn't act all "teenie". Conclusion: Great movie especially If you loved the first one of the franchise.
Great corse correction for the franchise, while still not hitting the peaks of the originals it did feel far more in line with them than recent entries.
Very classic but modern feel, that felt true to the originals, and honestly could have slotted right in as a sequel 20 years ago. While not without fault there are some things it got incredibly right that for me were important. The tactile feel and sounds of all the doors, switches, buttons and terminals is a small thing that I think has more impact than people might realize. Massive kudos to all the prop/set and costume designers.
Cailee Spaeny continues to have a great year, but the cast universally delivers without any major faults. The slow introduction and world building is great and feels right rather than just rushing straight into "Alien murder".
It's able to build tension, drop scares and action as required. Granted I only got jumped a couple of times, so people that watch a lot more horror than I do milage may vary on that front and it's not without fault. I feel like it could have ended with some questions remaining but then had an entire further act. Also while there is a lot of reminders of the original 1-2 films, there was one "member berry" that was a bit on the nose and not really needed, but all the rest felt more like homage or the fact it's in the same universe so certain things would be the same/similar.
The incredible feat of getting both Aliens and Predator franchises back on track is something I legitimatly not expect to ever see. Still aways to go before reaching peak, but certainly both better shape than they have been in a long while.
One trailer I saw made this movie look like it’d just be filled wall to wall with Alien / Aliens tropes. A throwback movie with new characters. That’s not what this was.
Another trailer I saw made this movie look like it’d just be filled with jump scares with not much to move from one to the next. That’s not what this was.
And it doesn’t have the face-palming stupidity and beyond terrible plot points & writing of the recent prequels Prometheus & Covenant.
This movie fits in quite well with the original two. Alien and Aliens. If you liked those, you’ll most probably like this and should probably catch it in a cinema to get the most out of a good loud sound system you can feel that most home setups lack.
And if you liked Prometheus & Covenant, you’re dead to me.
(Note: The only reason I don’t mention Alien 3 & Resurrection is because my memories of those aren’t strong enough).
Is this better than Prometheus and Covenant? Yes. Is this a good movie? Not even close. There are some people running around, and there are some aliens. That's about it. I can't tell you anything about the "characters" as the movie does not bother to tell you anything. They are just some random people that are there to get killed. No reason to care at all. What's even worse, the aliens are the same. The movie managed to make one of the scariest monsters in all the movies feel like nothing. There is a scene, about 90 minutes in, that completely makes them a joke. If the movie did not match the style of the first Alien quite well, and the one character behaved like a rational person for part of the movie (which the movie implicates as being bad), I would rate it even lower.
No clue if the other commenters were even watching the same movie lmao. This movie was incredible. Gorgeous. A great spectacle. I loved every minute of it. The practical effects are fantastic. The sound is top notch, like just blew me away. Actors are all great. The tension in the movie slowly builds over time to a huge climax and I fucking loved it. Also did not expect the ending, loved it. Gonna have nightmares about this movie lol.
This movie is hands down one of the best in the Alien franchise! The practical effects really amp up the horror feel, and once the plot gets going, it's incredibly gripping. The audio is absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it's released!
Alien: Romulus is more of a fan-boy film than a meaningful contribution to the franchise. That said, the film is entertaining. The set design, special effects, and music are all A+ but the characters are weak and the third act misses its mark.
I am surprised by the negative reviews because I really enjoyed this movie a lot. I see people comparing it to different films in the Star Wars franchise, and honestly, that's an apt comparison because it seems Alien fans are a lot like Star Wars fans, never satisfied with anything and constantly complaining. After the backlash to the pseudo-philosophical approach to the prior two entries in this franchise, this film goes back to the horror basics, using the template of the first two movies as a blueprint for how to approach its story. Yes, it does feel like it replicates a few plot beats, and there are attempts to shoehorn references related to the franchise into the movie. However, there are only a couple moments, and none that are set up as with a pause for audience applause. When the biggest movie of the summer is literally just a constant hammering of such moments, so what if this movie has a few nostalgia plays? Honestly, if you haven't seen any movie in the franchise, you would fully miss those moments, as they serve only as Easter Eggs. However, what this film gets right are the aesthetics which are immaculate. A++. Everything looks and sounds straight out of the 70s sci-fi world of the original. The focus on practical effects and little details is immediately noticeable. The set pieces feel engrossing and suspenseful as the movie slowly unravels before turning into a thrill ride. And it does leave its own twist on the franchise with a wonderfully weird final act. The cast is overall interesting, but Cailee Spaeny continues to steal the show, feeling like a bona fide scream queen. It's one of the better entries to the franchise and one of the better movies of the year. Ignore the mixed reviews and watch it in theaters without any sort of prescribed expectations about what the movie should be. You'll have a fun time.
Kinda felt like Event Horizon, First half was really good... then second half was a bit like WTF. Just because the first half was really good you feel like this movie deserves more... but the second half I was not a fan of... I will watch it again before rating it.
'Alien: Romulus' is actually very good.
Of the more modern day releases from this franchise, this is the one I've enjoyed the most. When I was immediately coming out of the cinema I was just plainly thinking of it as being solidly good, however the more I think about it the more I had fun with this seventh installment.
The plot, or at least the set-up to it, is quite uncreative, as in I feel like so many films - from this series included - have a crew make-up of similar people and similar characteristics/motivations; 'Crater' and 'I.S.S.' (both very good, don't get me wrong) are recent examples that spring to mind. Happily, though, the rest of the flick makes up for any weakness in that area.
Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are the great performers in this, I found them both to be excellent throughout. Two actors I want to see much more of, having already seen them in a few pleasing pictures; e.g. 'Civil War' and 'Rye Lane'.
I also liked the sound design and even the jump scares, which I'm not usually a fan of (bit lazy etc.) but there is enough about how they do them here that it works. Those facehuggers remain brilliantly effective, though the xenomorph isn't amazingly utilised - the human version didn't hit for me, felt 'I Am Legend'-esque.
All in all, it's up there as one of my favourites from the franchise. For me, 'Alien' and 'Aliens' just narrowly better this, though it's a marginal improvement on (the entertaining) 'Alien Resurrection' and it surpasses every other release, in my eyes.
An excellent addition to the installment. Compact story, right amount of thrill and suspense, great music, with sensible tributes to the series. Although, it could've had more scenes with the Xenomorphs...
Like a college reunion: fun but repetitive and all you do is hear the same old stories told over and over again.
Great action scenes, amazing sets, and strong directing, so indistinguishable from every other Alien movie.
Bafflement and bewilderment. This may just be one of the best in the entire franchise. Mr. Alvárez knew exactly how to take full advantage of the resources given to him. From cheesy 80s-style catchphrases to the stark silent cinematography. Ridley and Ripley brought us to this world way back, WHEN? Romulus takes the best qualities of each Alien movie and rebirths them into one collective masterpiece. Terror, love, guilt, anger, sadness, fear, hope, you could taste the adrenaline coming off the cast. My ears and eyes got shredded by the sound, set, and costume design. Pure cinema, at its peak.
Great movie. Almost as good as Alien and Aliens
Now this is what I call an exciting and thrilling film. I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through. The look is on point, very true to the original. The actors are all really good and the story is nothing new in the Alien universe but definitely still immensely entertaining. As a fan of Prometheus I also loved the reference to its storyline. I would really love to see a sequel from Fede Alvarez.
If you like the Alien franchise this will tickle your fancy, I had those moments where I think people are too stupid for their own good and should just run. It was just barely entertaining but nothing beats the original.
Whilst faithful to the original aesthetics of the first two films; this time, the characters are mostly hollow, too relatable, and therefore forgettable. But this is a big improvement over the previous two entries and worth watching for the scares and world building ideas.
"Alien jr." would have been a better title, since you get what you already got in the previous Alien movies, but now with younger, less experienced actors. And since we know what is coming in an Alien movie, it doesn't really surprise, scare, thrill. Nice visuals though!
I had sky high expectations for this going in (probably too high) because of Fede Alvarez being involved and while i'm a little disappointed I think he still did a great job. It's nowhere near as good as Alien or Aliens but it's the strongest sequel we've had yet except for Prometheus (which doesn't get enough love). Highly recommend watching Alien before this, countless easter eggs throughout. Romulus doesn't necessarily bring anything new for the franchise but what Fede Alvarez did here is he took old ideas and tropes from the past 6 films and puts a new spin on them. It's nostalgic but it's creative nostalgia if that makes any sense.
It takes a while before there's any action at the beginning but the payoff was worth it. The movie does that a few times actually, gets quiet for a bit but there's always a great payoff. Very epic action sequences mixed in with jaw dropping horror elements... thrilling and scary. Great jumpscares. The facehuggers in the water set piece had me on the edge of my seat. The zero gravity sequences are well-thought out, that was probably my favorite moment.
The only times where I was bored was the character buildup attempts, I just didn't like any of the characters except for the cyborg maybe. The brother sister bond was the best aspect but it was all so cliché. The acting isn't bad but there's a lot of cheese which kinda works in a movie like this honestly. The best performance was by far David Jonsson, he definitely elevated his character. Cailee Spaeny was good most of the time but she just does some weird facial reactions sometimes that took me out of the movie.
Some of the best cinematography this year, this is the best looking Alien movie we've had yet (excluding the first two of course). Very stylish and atmospheric. It needs to be seen at the cinema, the sound design was simply incredible and great score that gave me chills. Couldn't hear some of the dialogue at times which is frustrating, it's not loud enough and you have the accents that don't help. Very nice lighting choices. The sets look fabulous, they're filled with detail and make the action sequences much better and immersive.
Many thanks for using practical effects!! So rare these days. Can't wait to see a making of but everything looked amazing. The only effects I didn't like was a certain character's CGI face, I think it looked like trash and took a big fat spit on everything else in the movie. I can't imagine what it'll look like in 20 years.
What happens in the second third act (because yeah we got two basically) is soo predictable but it was simply bonkers, that's when I remembered this was an Alvarez film. He really went all out just like in Evil Dead (2013). Ends on a strong note. Overall, while Romulus isn't necessarily anything new it was one hell of a fun watch and a great cinema experience.
I feel like this is one of the weaker aliens movie. Prometheus with all it's lapses and unrealistic exaggerations is much better in most ways. .
The story and the storytelling is bellow mediocre here and pe characters too, even the xenomorphs are kind of stupid and weak.
Maybe they tried to introduce the aliens movies to a younger audience but I feel like they dumbed it down too much to the point that the simplest things like opening a dor don't make sense.
Another thing is that, nothing here is impressive visually, it's just dark generic ship interiors. The previous aliens movies were impressive by the scale of things or because of the futuristic and alien like setting. The humans were also portrayed more realistically and small while out of their own element and that made it more frightening. This new movie just feels like a mediocre sci-fi TV show.
I was disappointed with this, I've recently watches the 1 and 2 and Prometheus and those felt like much better movies with a more cohesive story.
Not quite sure what to think of this. As a movie in itself, it's actually quite solid, if a bit slow to gain momentum, and somewhat wonky with the CGI here and there. It manages to deliver those space horror spooks quite well.
But then - it's also an Alien movie, and I think this is where issues begin to fester. Right off the bat, sorry not sorry but the main cast made me twitch: I'm not interested in a bunch of snotty teenagers in an Alien movie, especially when the casting smells of disney-brand diversity (and even some writing). And when things start to pick up - they start to pick up with winks and nods and nudges: references, or I guess "homages" to earlier entries in the franchise. But there are so many of those, to every single movie. In visuals, in sound, in words, in action, in camerawork, in dramaturgy. It's as if the producer happened upon the collected outtakes of the franchise and used them to make a patchwork quilt. And, granted, it's sewn together rather decently, but it's still a patchwork quilt, and I'm not sure this franchise in particular needed one of those.
So all in all I'm quite conflicted. Is it a bad movie? No, especially if you have the craving for a space horror. Is it a bad Alien entry? Personally, bad as they might be regarded, I've been anticipating a continuation of the Prometheus/Covenant story, and I'm disappointed that that's not what we have here.
PS: shoutout to all the Hungarians in the crew. That's an astoundingly massive number/percentage, and I wasn't even aware of it until the credits started to roll.
A pale copy of alien and aliens, a small bit of alien isolation for the one who have played the game. Nothing to talk about.
This movie needs a rebranding in "Alien: 1 + 4". I was really surprised that this "masterpiece" transformed Prometheus to a good and Covenant "ok" movie.
Bro ..I am soooooo happy this didn't suck lol... xenomorphs are BACK baby!!! It's the summer of Alien!!!!
The dead rat they had to crawl past was the scariest part of the film
Shortest way to describe it is:
A mediocre alien netflix adaptation
I really hope Ridley Skott didn’t had anything to do with this pile of garbage
"in space, no one can hear you scream,
but everyone in my theater did, and then we all cheered"
Alien: Romulus could be the best film since Alien/s. Unlike Prometheus, which tackles complex ideas, Romulus sticks closely to the style of Alien/s. Director Fede Alvarez uses the original film’s concepts and technical aspects very well. The visuals are stunning and the practical effects add a strong sense of realism.
Alien/s were more than just about space and technology; it's nothing without class consciousness. This is why the first two films stood out. Romulus continues this theme, showing that human life isn’t not only to corporations but the larger expanse. It presents a tough reality and harshness through vivid visuals, showing humans born in corporate exploitation and knowing that Weyland-Yutani (fu) don’t care about them.
Prometheus suggested that humans might not be as important as we think, but Romulus goes further, proposing that not only are we insignificant, but we might also lack the resilience to survive. We could simply perish in the void. In earlier Alien films, Weyland-Yutani was classic sci-fi satire. In Romulus, it felt all too real, making me think, "Yep".
Worst of the Alien franchise . Very dark (literally), and unoriginal. The best part was the ending.
"There's more of those things."
"Yeah, that's not good."
Uneven; unnecessary; the best in the series since Aliens. (I haven't seen 3 or 4.)
Amazing theater experience. Looks absolutely beautiful—was shocked to discover this was not shot on film.
Up there with Blade Runner 2049. Ridley is a lucky man, as his children are well taken care of.
It went on for about 30 minutes too long.
another bunch of no ones get alien-ed
I just had no interest in any character.
sorry to body shame .but the main heroine just doesn't have the face for a lead. that should have been given to any of the other cast members.
started off promising. soon got boring, no scares, ugly as fuck cgi/deepfake of Ian Holme.
really wish I hadn't spent so much for xplus screening
9/10 - excellent movie and adds the right blend of new ideas and nostalgia.
Only reason it loses a point is the last plot arc - far too much alien t:asterisk_symbol:tty milk for my liking:eyes:
I definitely didn't expect anything more from “Alien: Romulus” than a return to the roots of the franchise without really adding anything new to the whole thing. And that's exactly what Fede Álvarez's film is; it's a best-of, especially of the first two films. This is not meant as a criticism, because the originals are almost perfect films. But you shouldn't expect any big surprises.
In any case, it didn't take a minute for me to be captivated by the movie. The production design is excellent, and the entire world fits in perfectly with the previous installments. For the first time, you also get a greater insight into what life outside of Earth is like. That's why it didn't bother me at all that Álvarez takes his time until the aliens appear on screen.
But when it does start, it's quite impressive. The gore isn't necessarily extreme, but it doesn't have to hide either. The kills are also varied, even if you can certainly criticize the fact that, apart from Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, none of the actors really get much to do. There is virtually no character development among the supporting characters.
That said, you will be rewarded if you have seen all the other films in the franchise, as there are clear references to almost all of them. These are sometimes more and sometimes less successful, with the appearance of a familiar character in CGI form in particular rightly provoking loud criticism. However, this decision didn't ruin the movie for me. Álvarez is far too competent a director for that, and he always manages to create a dense atmosphere.
All of this makes “Alien: Romulus” a thoroughly entertaining movie and an altogether worthy installment in the legendary horror series. It is the “greatest hits” version of "Alien," so to speak. And who knows, if “Romulus” gets a sequel, perhaps something new will be tried again.
Let's be clear, I am a pretty big fan of the Alien (and Predator) series. The best two Aliens have always been Alien and Aliens. That confined, near perfect horror that is Alien and that awesome space action that is Aliens have always left me wanting another to that level. This is that. This is everything my head could have hoped for as a modern Alien movie that was like the original but not 45 years old at this point. Fede Alvarez nailed the "Evil Dead" (2013) remake by putting a bunch of fan service and respect to an existing franchise, and he did exactly that here. If you are going in and wanting more of Prometheus/Covenant, you might not be happy with this. I unapologetically love this and its my favorite movie I have seen since Top Gun: Maverick and Everything Everywhere All at Once in 2022.
Rating: 5/5 (:star:) - 10/10 - Must See
I liked it, one of the best alien movies I've seen lately, much better than Truñoteus (Pometheus) and Alien Covenant.
Amazing, tense and thrilling, a movie that manages to recapture elements and settings from the first films, but brings a lot of new things, all very relevant and surprising, as well as an excellent story. The practical effects are outstanding, the sets are incredible with that futuristic and vintage aspect at the same time. The performances are great, extremely captivating and bring a new enthusiasm to the franchise. A truly fantastic movie that lives up to the classics.
It took too long to get going but once it did, I liked it a quite a bit.
I really liked the little connections to Prometheus and it was fun seeing Ian Holm again, although I feel like the CGI should have been better for that.
I read that the third act was a love it or hate it sort of thing and I guess I hate it. It was some of the scariest stuff in the Alien franchise and it was fun to not know what was happening. However I want to see Xenomorphs, not a disgusting human with some Xenomorphs features.
Still giving it a 7/10 because overall I enjoyed it, but with the beginning and ending not really satisfying me, it's hard to recommend it.
Plus for references to other parts, for silence in space and for showing a little more of the darker side of corporate colonialism.
This movie was sooo good, I liked that it had the same vibes as the original Alien movies but didn't feel like a carbon copy. It was very scary and yucky, I'm really impressed by what the crew imagined up. The suspense was also insane, during the last 15 minutes I swear my heart was pounding out of my chest, I had to take a breather to calm myself down before going home lol. Highly highly recommend watching in theaters.
While I did know who would survive from the start. Alien: Romulus is one of the better sequels. That is nostalgic for fans of the first Alien.
Though I did expect a better plot than idiots robbing a ship versus the xenomorph. Andy the android was cool even though his “stay away from her you bitch” is cringe.
I was also hoping to get a cameo from David to see what he was is up to. Though Prometheus got a small shout out.
I wanted to love the movie but by the end I liked it about as much as Alien: Covenant. Which isn’t hating it. Since I actually liked Covenant, despite the predictable ending.
I really enjoyed it! First we had a good Predator movie and now Alien. What year is it?
To people, like myself, who swear by Alien as one of, if not THE, best sci-fi/horror movie ever made, please see below.
At the end of the day, I truly found this to be a fun and creative story, it fit well, and my only real gripe was with the comment I wrote about in the spoiler, so read at your own risk.
Bringing Rook back was questionable, especially with Ian Holm passing away; that said, I would truly be surprised if this wasn't cleared with his estate/family, someone before they did this.
Set aside that first point, for Rook's story, this was perfection, and honestly something I took as a tribute to him. I had FULLY expected David, but secretly hoping for Bishop, but for it to be Rook, and for him to be continuing the perfect being, though it was very obvious the next step once we saw the "life" substance, I just wish it didn't look SO much like an engineer, unless they are also made of that same substance and so it rewrote the babies DNA...
It ticked all the checkboxes, from facehuggers, xenomorphs and acid blood while space colonists fight to survive on a space station.
But the storyline felt repeated, the thrills stale and the plot predictable.
It's a poor reboot of Aliens targeted at Gen Z audiences.
Average at best, Alien definitely hasn't progressed nearly as well as the Predator series.
Please please stop remaking real humans with ai. Normally it's weird, but in this, it is absolutely horrible. Who could ever approve this?
Almost anything new, ONLY to keep the merch selling. After 40 years they still cant run straight, always falling.
It had potential, but failed impress. Characters were really horrible. I failed to relate to anyone of the characters. Thus the most of the deaths failed to leave a mark and some even felt deserved. Even the robot was more relatable than the central character. Xenomorph felt nerfed for some reason.
It was ok, I wasn't blown away by it, nothing about it felt new.
Everything was just ok
It was just oka for a bit some dumb moments
Really a roller coaster of greatest hit moments from the franchise, revisited via homage after homage; Fede Alvarez directly attacks my distaste for referential media that is currently all the rage in modern cinema. I'm sad to report that when it's a franchise I like, it too works on me tenfold. Dirty space vessels, high top Reeboks, pulse rifles, facehuggers and all the lines you remember; they're all played a fitting tribute here while being woven into a classic, over-the-top horror romp that Fede is becoming known to deliver. Relying solely on these winks and nods and narratively spinning its wheels as to do nothing of too much consequence is the only thing that holds Romulus back from transcending and becoming the best in the franchise since the original.
I swear face de-aging CGI gets worse with time and increasing budgets. It's fascinating how bad it's gotten and that they keep using it.
Alien: Romulus attempts to bridge the gap between nostalgic fans of the original films and a new generation of viewers. While the movie leans heavily on familiar plotlines and iconic quotes, it offers impressive practical and CGI effects, particularly in scenes with facehuggers and the exploration of the Alien lore. The cast, especially Kaylee Spaney as Rain and David Johnson as Andy, deliver strong performances, bringing a fresh energy to the film. However, the movie falters towards the end, attempting to incorporate elements from the Prometheus series and rehashing scenes from earlier films, which may disappoint some fans. Overall, 'Alien: Romulus' is an entertaining watch, especially for newcomers to the franchise, but may leave long-time fans wanting more.
DROPPED ONE HOUR IN. BORING CLICHE MOVIE MOMENTS.
If you're a fan of Jurassic universum, this was Pepsisaurus Rex. People get bored, they want them bigger, scarier, more teeth (or how was the quote). That's how this felt. It was really trying to be as good as the original movie and I can see the crew really put a lot of love into it. But I wasn't scared for a second while I was hardly able to breathe through the original Alien. And the humaoid monster at the end was unnecessary. But I get they want more sequels and this is the way to do it. I don't know, I might give this another try sometimes, but I'm not convinced now that it's worth it. Forgettable.
Kinda good, kinda bad. I'm not sure but I did enjoy it
"I can't lie about your chances. But you have my sympathies."
Yeah, I am thinking we're back. If you like Alien, Aliens, Alien Isolation.. then this is for you. David Jonsson is a standout in this and there are some messed up things that happen that might make your skin curl a bit, and that is a good thing.
I reviewed this film for the Ignyte-winning, Hugo-winning blog Nerds of a Feather:
www.nerds-feather.com/2024/08/alien-romulus-is-ok-and-thats-not-ok.html
Edge of your seat stuff! Brilliantly done with a great up & coming young cast. Cailee Spaney is superb, a great addition to a phenomenal franchise, the original is arguably one of my favourite horror films of all time, and this did it justice!
While the cringeworthy homages detract from the experience, the overall mood is surprisingly impressive. The return of retrofuturistic aesthetics with a brooding, desolated atmosphere creates a vibe that sits somewhere between the first movie and the "Dead Space" video games. Admittedly, it’s more form than substance, but that's usually enough for a disposable flick like this. I bet it would be even more enjoyable for someone who’s never seen an Alien movie before.
lol I did not feel bad for anyone (except Andy) it was very hard to feel bad for them. Overall very fun, I did think the xenomorph baby thingy was gonna be similar to the white alien/engineer from Prometheus, kinda like a evolution to the regular xenomorph x humanoid
This movie gave me the feeling of watching an adaptation of some Dark Horse Alien comic, just like Prey gave me the feeling of watching a Predator comic.
Now all that's missing is a good adaptation of Alien vs Predator
What I love about this movie:
Superb cinematography. It catches the vibe of the first entry and expands the vision on this world with cgi scenarios, impossible before. Cgi itself is perfectly blended with real footage.
Aesthetics: it revisits the retro futuristic version of the 70s sci-fi culture with some nostalgic tribute to the original Alien and gets also inspired by the fantastic Alien Isolation game. Lots of details and elements of environmental design taken from the game.
Good rhythm: the main part takes place over a precise timeframe with some sort of countdown that makes the pacing really enjoyable.
Multiple fully animated xenomorphs: their behaviour, biology, life cycle and hunting patterns are absolutely credible BUT why do their jaws look like they're made out of steel?!!
Good soundtrack.
What I likes least
Actors: they're a bunch of kids! C'mon that's no Stranger things. They're not credible as seasoned astronauts, BUT..a special mention goes to the actor who plays as the android, he's the best. The main female character is like Little red riding hood compared to Sigourney Weaver.
Plot and story: it adds almost nothing to the Alien universe storyline, that's bad. The plot is quite scripted with a strong déjà vu effect from the other movies: infection, the crew realizes too late, the creature evolves, the evil corporation androids prioritize their interests over the expendable crew, motherhood topos, the creature is apparently defeated, but it returns! The heroin confronts the last enhanced creature during the final countdown, new hope. End. Nothing new here.
Final score 7-/10
3 Thoughts After Watching ‘Alien: Romulus’:
This was aight. It was certainly non-stop excitement and fast-paced. But something was amiss. Something difficult to pinpoint. Everything an Alien film needed was there. The recipe was met. But it felt a bit overstuffed, maybe even a little too non-stop. It was super BUSY. I dunno.
I missed the egg pod thingies.
The “stay away from her, you bitch” felt a liiiiiiittle forced and fell a liiiiiiittle flat.
Love the movie.
But, i can't keep thinking how much the protagonist reminds me of Jennifer Lawrence.
if they actively tried to make a script more American than this they would've probably failed
It's an Alien movie that feels like an Alien movie, unlike the last two. It has some good ideas, but I think the quality is being overstated. Surprisingly, I think the horror and tension have been toned down a lot.
Spoiler-Free Thoughts:
Not too bad! The main female lead is down to earth and likeable, with a story that fits into the Alien universe pretty well. A little gross visually, as the Alien movies tend to be, but all in all a great movie that kept me on the edge of my seat. I believe you could enjoy this film even if you haven't seen any of the other Alien movies. I particulary enjoyed David Jonsson's performance as Andy!
Would I personally watch this again?
Probably not; the story is easy to digest in one watch and there was no scene that compels me to repeat the experience. And that's fine! A perfectly serviceable horror movie.
Would I recommend this to others?
Sure! If you're a horror movie fan looking for a tense, action packed film, I think this movie is worth your time! There's no great mystery to be solved and it doesn't require too much attention, so this is a film you can watch-but-not-focus-on, if that's your thing.
SPOILER-ZONE THOUGHTS
I was instantly endeared to Andy! I believe he made the movie from 'meh' to 'enjoyable!' for me. I think the "updated" Andy was present for just enough time, and I'm happy we were able to get spend more time with his original coding towards the end of the movie. The whole Alien-human-baby thing was pretty gnarly and gross, and I really could have gone without it due to personal preference with "pregnancy horror" (absolutely hate it.), but I do appreciate the visual switch of villian. It certainly made the end more interesting, and I think the design was great! The opening of the movie was fantastic visually as well, with fun details for observant or knowledge viewers.
All in all, a good horror film :)
The set-up was maybe a bit rushed/superficial with some overly familiar evil corporation antics, but once things get going it's a fun ride. The Rain/Andy relationship and Andy's arc (as well as David Jonsson's performance) were well done and offer an appreciated new take on the androids of the franchise. The gravity related set pieces, though manufactured by some hand-wave-y sci-fi mumbo jumbo ("gravity purges"? really?), were visually creative and exciting. The pacing keeps up through the finale, but I did have two issues with the ending: (1) it was a little too inspired by the original Alien (putting on a suit and spacing the big bad); and (2) the very last sequence was visually muddy/unclear at times (specifically the moment when Rain somehow disconnects the container and it somehow falls away without her smashing against the sides of it). Luckily, this was the exception and the rest of the visuals and production design were excellent, especially considering the relatively modest budget. One final minor note, I was definitely surprised by the durability of this group's little shuttle, as I was not expecting it to survive bouncing off the station and conveniently crashing into a hanger, lol. But maybe I'm underestimating hull integrity of fictional space ships. In any case, it wasn't enough to break my suspension of disbelief.
As a long time Alien fan : yes this is what I want to see. And Rooks is nicely done
Sooo good. Rain is soooo pretty in the movie. I wish Andy could help more. The mixed creature at the end of the moive is actually played by a guy instead of CGI can you believe that lol.
Good movie. The actors are a bit young for my taste but they played well. I liked the special effects. very realistic.
I enjoyed the viewing and would definitely watch again despite some aspects that I didn’t love plot wise. I’d have to do some rewatching of the series to accurately gauge where this on fits in quality of Alien films but I know it’s not at the top or bottom of that list.
Not a fan of the final "humanoid hybrid" doing the same already seen in Alien: Resurrection, but still a very enjoyable movie. That final shot of the container being destroyer in the planetary ring with the station on fire behind is epic!
Rated a Connor 10, normal 9.2
Sorry Alien, I wasn't aware of your spiritually related to Blade Runner, lewd ahh alien game. I might have to watch all of the Alien series now...since I've only seen the first one (and a handful of Alien timeline explained videos).
Can't say much was bad, except so many early deaths and genre appropriate silly human logic.
And...I guess I finally understand everyone's obsession with Cailee Spaeny.
This movie was as a blast to watch in DOLBY!!
Is Hollywood out of fresh creative plots and twists? It's a well directed and executed movie, I won't deny it. But... I don't know, I didn't exit the theatre with a "wow, that was incredible" thought.
I did appreciate the warmth of the sun though, after spending 2 whole hours shivering from the freaking cryogenic air-conditioning inside the theatre
It was good...
But I think there was more to it, the story didn't convince me at all...
The power of the script made an appearance and it shows at times...
It's good to pass the time...
As a viewer with very little connection and knowledge of the Alien franchise this was an enjoyable watch. Fede brings it back to its roots while still adding his own flavor.
A good installment in the franchise, mixing canon from the original 4 movies and bits from the prequels, it manages to hold the distance when it comes to the story and screenplay. On the other hand, the editing and scripting is very often I consistant with characters moving for no reason between two consecutive shots or swarms of xenomorphs appearing for no reason whatsoever. The overall feeling is one of a director's cut or at least an extended cut to be released soon in order to do more than fan service and make it a real Alien movie and not an attempt to fork the original time line with a new hero to follow trough a decade of horror in space.
Was a pretty good movie overall. I liked how they picked up the story between the 2nd and 3rd movie. The movie wasn't scary though. There were maybe 3-4 jump scares in the entire film.
Shout by WebxorcistVIP 4BlockedParent2024-08-14T20:14:45Z
Pffff, that was another level of fucked up. After 40 years this still has me tightening my buttocks.