‘Alien: Romulus’ First Reactions Highlight the Film’s ‘Glorious Gore’ and ‘Incredible Creature Design’: ‘Pays Perfect Homage to the Original’

Zack Sharf
·7-min read

One of the deadliest creatures in movie history is back, and people are loving it. Fede Alvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” has finally screened for members of the film press, and the first reactions for the R-rated tentpole are praising its horrifying scares, practical effects and killer cast. Many film writers agree Alvarez has delivered one of the better entries in the 45-year franchise that started with Ridley Scott’s “Alien” in 1979.

“[‘Alien: Romulus’] is a bonkers roller coaster ride through the previous six ‘Alien’ movies, using bits of all them, to tell a focus, mostly standalone story filled with glorious gore & scares,” Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier wrote on X/Twitter. “It gets better as it goes along, ending with a phenomenal big swing of a third act.”

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“This is easily one of the better films in the franchise. Fede Álvarez doesn’t disappoint,” Variety’s own Jazz Tangcay wrote on X. “Awesome sound design and world-building. The practical effects are so good that the film gave me nightmares.”

Film critic Courtney Howard described “Alien: Romulus” as “gnarly, gripping & gorgeously bleak.”

Innovatively delivering smart, savvy stuff, subtly playing the greatest hits,” Howard wrote on X. “Cailee Spaeny & David Jonsson dominate. This rules!”

Many critics praised David Jonsson and Cailee Spaeny’s performances in the latest “Alien” installment, as well as highlighted the third act of the film in their reactions.

“Alien: Romulus,” which Scott produced, is a standalone sequel set between the events of “Alien” (1979) and James Cameron’s “Aliens” (1986). The film centers on a group of young space colonists, led by Spaeny’s Rain, who accept a mission to scavenge a derelict space station as a ticket off their impoverished planet. Little do they know the space station is home to the eponymous creature. The cast also includes Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu.

Scott gave up directing duties on this seventh installment after helming the prequel movies “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant.” He worked closely with Alvarez on developing the story for “Alien: Romulus” and has continually praised the “Don’t Breathe” filmmaker for injecting the “Alien” franchise with new life.

“The danger of all franchises is they do die unless somebody suddenly decides to pick up the mat and run down the field with a ball,” Scott recently told the Los Angeles Times. “Fede is a surge of energy, and I had to step back and let him do it … Fede had a blueprint firm in his mind, and his script was pretty clear. It was also long, but the screenplay is always long. And so we got into that a little bit.”

“I hope Fede’s got another one up his sleeve because I think this is going to do really well,” Scott added about the film. “He’s got a streak of brilliance.”

“Alien: Romulus” opens in theaters nationwide April 16. Check out more first reactions below.

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