Like most critics, I’ll be watching Fede Alvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” on Monday, and the review embargo is set to lift on Wednesday, August 14 at 3pm ET.
Nothing’s changed, don’t take any of the early social media reactions as gospel. With that said, “Alien: Romulus” did have its first official audience screening on Thursday. The reactions are all great. I’m not surprised.
This replicates what I had heard about a ‘Romulus’ test screening which occurred back in March. The test audience burst into loud applause when the credits started rolling. I was told that it’s the strongest ‘Alien’ movie since James Cameron’s “Aliens,” released way back in 1986.
The ‘Alien’ saga, which began with 1979’s “Alien,” directed by Ridley Scott, has had many sequels over the years. With the exception of “Prometheus” — and I know I’m in the minority in my admiration for that one — I don’t believe there’s been a strong ‘Alien’ movie since Cameron’s take, released more than 38 years ago.
“Alien: Romulus” is said to feature a strong female lead and essentially finds the franchise's new Ripley in the form of Cailee Spaeny's Rain. Spaeny plays the “badass” female protagonist who isn't afraid to pick up a gun and blast xenomorphs.
The film also acts as a bridge between Ridley Scott’s “Alien” and James Cameron's “Aliens” — “combining elements of both, marrying the suspenseful horror and high-octane action of the two respectively into one thrilling spectacle”.
Álvarez, best known for the excellent “Don't Breathe” and the “Evil Dead” remake, will try to follow in the footsteps of fellow filmmakers Scott, Cameron, David Fincher and Jean-Pierre Jeunet. This is the seventh film of franchise, and it stars a young batch of actors — Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn. ..
“Alien: Romulus” arrives in theaters on August 16, 2024. This is a co-production between 20th Century Studios and Scott Free Productions.
