Alien: Romulus captures the no-frills essence of Ridley Scott’s 1979 classic, Alien, through a chilling and atmospheric lens. Just like the first film, here again we have a heroine trying to survive against an unkillable villain. In this new instalment, the plot centres around Rain (Cailee Spaeny), a young contract worker in a desolate outer-space mining colony. Rain, along with her android companion Andy (David Jonsson), whom she sees as a brother, dreams of escaping their harsh existence. Their opportunity arises when they hear about a deserted space station that might serve as their ticket out. As she, Andy, and her group of friends board the station, the companions find themselves in a deadly struggle against a slew of facehuggers who seem to be everywhere.
Director Fede Alvarez channels the claustrophobic tension and atmospheric dread that defined Scott’s original film. Alien was famously a haunted house movie set in space, with the characters trapped in a single, menacing location. Instead of a ghost or a monster, they battled an extraterrestrial being. Alvarez’s Romulus follows this tried-and-true formula, creating a space station that feels lived-in and menacing, almost like a character in itself. While not quite matching the unrelenting claustrophobia of the original, Alvarez’s setting on the Romulus and its twin station Remus succeeds in evoking a similar sense of dread and confinement, reinforcing how well he grasps the core elements that made Alien a masterpiece.
The film’s horror elements are executed with an atmospheric intensity that pays homage to the franchise’s roots. The terror comes not just from the alien creatures but from the pervasive sense of isolation and vulnerability. Alvarez’s direction ensures that the environment of the space station itself contributes to the horror, immersing viewers in a nightmarish landscape where every corner could harbour a threat. The end of the film pays homage to both Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017), through a plot device we had earlier seen in Alien Resurrection (1997), where a cloned Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) was seen giving birth to a human-alien hybrid. Late Ian Holm, who portrayed android Ash in the original film, is given a homage in the form of the android Rook, who looks a lot like him. Daniel Betts voices this version.
The performances of the two leads further elevate the film. David Jonsson delivers a standout performance as Andy, a synthetic character whose dual nature—both sympathetic and unsettling—echoes the complexity of Michael Fassbender’s twin roles in Alien: Covenant. Jonsson’s portrayal keeps audiences guessing about his true intentions, adding a layer of intrigue and tension. Cailee Spaeny, as Rain, carries the mantle of the franchise’s heroic legacy. Her performance balances vulnerability with a gritty determination, establishing her as a worthy successor to Sigourney Weaver’s iconic role in Alien. Cailee’s portrayal brings a fresh, compelling edge to the character, adding depth to the film’s emotional core.
Overall, Alien: Romulus effectively honours the spirit of Ridley Scott’s original classic, combining atmospheric horror with good performances to create a gripping entry into the franchise.