Alien: Romulus
Overview
Alien: Romulus is a 2024 science fiction horror film directed by Fede Álvarez, set between the events of the 1979 film Alien and its 1986 sequel Aliens. The film stars Cailee Spaeny as Rain, a young woman living in a decaying, sunless mining colony. The colony is run by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which treats its workers as disposable. Rain dreams of escaping to a better planet, Yvaga, which is a 10-year journey away. She and her android brother, Andy (David Jonsson), are given a chance to escape when a group of colonists discover a derelict spacecraft, the Romulus, orbiting the colony. The Romulus is a research vessel that was studying Xenomorphs, the deadly aliens. The colonists board the Romulus, hoping to steal cryo-pods and escape. They accidentally release the Xenomorphs, and they are hunted one by one. The film is a return to the claustrophobic, terrifying atmosphere of the original Alien. The corridors are dark and narrow, the alien is fast and deadly, and the characters are ordinary people, not soldiers. The film also introduces new creatures, including "facehuggers" that are faster and more aggressive, and a new "offspring" alien that is part-human. The film ends with Rain and Andy escaping, but Andy is damaged and his programming has changed. He tells Rain that he cannot go to Yvaga, because the colony there does not allow androids. Rain is forced to leave him behind. Alien: Romulus was a critical and commercial success, earning over $350 million worldwide. It was praised for its practical effects, its tense atmosphere, and its respect for the source material. The film is a worthy addition to the Alien franchise.
