Alien Romulus is a thrilling sequel in which the characters face a terrifying, lurking threat and have to fight for their freedom. The film expands the Alien franchise and is a great entry point for newcomers looking for the lore.
- Alien Romulus brought in $108 million at the box office opening weekend.
- Critics and fans alike are divided on the film’s performance.
- David Jonsson’s performance was nothing less than stellar.
Synopsis
Alien Romulus follows the main protagonist, Rain (Cailee Spaeny), and her reprogrammed synthetic (android), Andy (David Jonsson), who are living in a star system with no sun and trying to escape. After receiving a call from her ex-boyfriend, Tyler (Archie Renaux), Rain and Andy follow Tyler’s crew to the abandoned Romulus ship, hoping to find something to help them escape the desolate planet and make way for a safe haven. Unbeknownst to them, the ship had a terrifying, nasty, acidic surprise waiting for them to make one wrong step. How will this crew fare against the looming threat?
The Thrill of it All
Alien Romulus is the Alien franchise’s seventh film canon to the installment. It occurs between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), acting as a direct sequel to the franchise. Like its predecessors, Alien Romulus starts slow then quickly ramps up the action and thrill factor in true Alien fashion.
Director Fede Alverez of Evil Dead (2013) spearheaded Alien Romulus and birthed (pun intended) this phenomenal film. The film’s budget was $80 million and raked in a whopping $108.2 million during the box office opening weekend with talks of a potential sequel. The set designs, the xenomorphs’ design, the cast, and the dad jokes are what make this film worthwhile to watch. Fede found the perfect balance of telling a new story while adding elements from the prequels and sequels to bring a nostalgic feel to longtime fans of the franchise.
Controversy Amongst Diehard Fans and Critics Alike
Despite Alien Romulus being an almost perfect film, diehard fans and critics alike are divided about its quality. The individuals who are fans of Alien Covenant and Alien Resurrection seem to love this film. However, individuals of the original Alien and Aliens seem to disdain the film. But you will enjoy the movie if you’re someone looking from the inside out or a new fan like me. The divide comes in with some individuals thinking it’s great for expanding the Alien franchise lore, while others see it as a nostalgic garbage pile of the movie. Nonetheless, everyone agrees that David Jonsson’s character, Andy, is the heart and soul of the film.
David Jonsson’s Stellar Performance
David Jonsson’s character Andy was nothing short of sublime. His performance that really sold the film to everyone was David’s eerie and empathetic interpretation of the synthetic human, Andy. Throughout the film, David emotes in a way where you can sense he’s learning the concept of empathy while not being afraid to show the dramatic switch between his mission to do what’s best for Rain and completing his overriding objective given to him by the handicapped synthetic Rook. His character, Andy, acts as the guide that tasks himself with attempting to get everyone away from the threat of the xenomorph, protecting Rain, and fulfilling the objective that Rook could not for the sake of the company. Had it not been for Andy, Rain would be another flat protagonist moving throughout the film. His character was THE backbone of the film. You could count on David’s performance if you could not count on anything else.
His character, Andy, also works perfectly in tying in real-life issues some people face today. As a Black synthetic, fighting to override his protocols and freeing himself from the duty of the company can be compared to a Black person or other minorities fighting for their freedom. This complex, unique character brings more to the franchise, having a synthetic that’s Black and not wanted in most star systems because of who he is. Seeing Andy breaking free from the chains of the Weyland-Yutani corporation and discovering himself was fantastic.
Tbh…
The best way I would describe Alien Romulus is that it’s perfect for newcomers and those who want to discover more lore about the Alien franchise. The film is nothing short of eerie (congratulatory), unsettling, and full of mystery. If you’re not a fan of nostalgia or overanalyzes for the sake of hating, then I don’t think this film is a good fit for you. Overall, I give Alien Romulus a solid 9 out of 10 rating. It’s crazy to think this film would be an original Hulu film. After watching it, I’m glad they took it to theaters. With talks of a potential sequel and the original show, Alien Earth, releasing next year, I am SEATED and cannot wait to see what they bring!
Alien Romulus is now available in theaters. If you’re not a fan of theaters, watch out for Hulu. The film may drop within the next couple of months.
Be sure to follow GeekedT on Twitter and Instagram for more updates.
Gay and geeky,
Michael