The first reactions to “Alien: Romulus” are in and critics are calling the sequel …
The first reactions to the new horror film Alien: Romulus are officially here and it sounds like the sequel to Alien has great potential to become a franchise favorite.
While not everyone is completely convinced, many early comments mention the creepy nature of the film and point to its horror overtones, as well as talk of a “wild” third act full of unexpected twists. See some reactions below.
Emily Murray of GamesRadar+ wrote: “I admittedly found #AlienRomulus a bit mixed at times, but the crazy third act ultimately really won me over. Fede Álvarez gives it his all and it’s wild! I wish it was scarier and had more character development, but it’s a solid entry in the franchise that I quite enjoyed.”
Courtney Howard of Variety tweeted: “Fede Alvarez’s #AlienRomulus is stark, gripping and deliciously dark (everything from the story to Olivares’ cinematography to Wallfisch’s music). He delivers innovative, clever stuff and subtly plays the greatest hits. Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson dominate. It’s great!”
Borys Kit of the Hollywood Reporter tweeted: “ALIEN: ROMULUS: Has all the great features you’d expect from an Alien flick, but it never feels like it’s aiming for nostalgia or fan service… and even goes in a crazy new direction. Fede Alvarez and the cast just made the best movie of the summer.”
Andrew J. Salazar of Discussing Film added, “ALIEN: ROMULUS doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Rather, Fede Álvarez puts his wacky spin on a classic horror story with some truly wonderful visual storytelling. It’s too nostalgic at times, but Fede has proven his worth for a trilogy.”
Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue wrote, “#AlienRomulus is the first time I’ve been scared during an Alien movie. Cailee Spaeny’s Rain is the perfect character to accompany her on this journey, and with Fede Álvarez’s twists and turns, you never really know where Romulus is going. Act 3 is truly WILD. I’m loving it.”
Check out some more early reactions below, which are a bit more mixed.
ALIEN ROMULUS is without a doubt the scariest film I’ve seen this year. Fede Alverez, you’ve done it again.13 August 2024
ALIEN: ROMULUS leans heavily on its horror origins, creating a relentless, emotional rollercoaster ride that starts slow and builds in intensity until you’re gasping for air by the end. Without any thematic depth, it contains so many references, allusions, and moments of… pic.twitter.com/QSKZdj6cwm13 August 2024
There’s a lot I like about ALIEN: ROMULUS – some really creative moments in the first two acts that I REALLY enjoyed. However, the finale takes a HUGE turn that just didn’t sit right with me and left me disappointed. A creative but flawed ALIEN movie, however: PROMETHEUS > ROMULUS pic.twitter.com/tFx8cAe88E13 August 2024
Alien Romulus is a strange thing. Effective scares, but every scene feels like a video game level, an intro to a ride attraction, or a Horror Nights maze. The character work also didn’t convince me at all, and I’m an easy target. It’s not for me. pic.twitter.com/kRayfGuoR413 August 2024
Alien: Romulus is set between Ridley Scott’s original 1979 Alien and James Cameron’s ’80s sequel Aliens. The new film follows a group of young space colonizers who face the universe’s most fearsome creatures “while scavenging the depths of an abandoned space station,” according to the official synopsis from 20th Century Studios.
Directed by Fede Álvarez of “Evil Dead” and produced by Scott, “Alien: Romulus” stars Cailee Spaeny of “Civil War,” David Jonsson and Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced of “The Last of Us” and Spike Fearn of “Aftersun.”
Alien: Romulus hits theaters on August 16. For more, check out our guide to watching the Alien movies in order or to find out about new movies coming your way this year.
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