Alien: Romulus - Review
As a devoted fan of the Alien franchise, I'll admit that no sequel has ever quite matched the brilliance of the original Alien (1979) in my eyes. Even Ridley Scott’s 2012 return to the series with Prometheus didn’t capture the same magic for me. The first film remains a timeless masterpiece—its tactile set design, H.R. Giger’s iconic biomechanical Alien design, and Sigourney Weaver’s unforgettable performance (and perm) create an authenticity that still feels fresh, even in 2024.
Enter Alien: Romulus.
The title itself references Romulus, one of the mythic founders of Rome, who famously killed his twin brother Remus. This theme of sibling conflict is mirrored in the film’s story, which centers on two siblings—one human, Rain (played by Cailee Spaeny), and one synthetic, Andy (played by David Jonsson). From the outset, this film acknowledges the immense legacy it must live up to, and it’s clear the audience is aware of it too.
*Editor’s note:* During my research, I discovered an interesting connection between the Alien and Blade Runner universes, as Ridley Scott’s films are linked through the rival corporations Weyland-Yutani and Tyrell. Andy’s name nods to the Blade Runner term for androids, “Andys,” adding another layer of intertextuality to the film.
Rain and Andy live on the desolate colony of Jackson's Star, where they’re drawn into a dangerous adventure when a group of teenagers convinces them to hijack a derelict spacecraft in search of a better future on another planet. But this isn’t a story of a safe, smooth journey. The spacecraft is derelict for a reason—the entire crew was slaughtered by Xenomorphs intended for scientific study. Unbeknownst to the group, they are now trapped on a ship teeming with face-huggers and full-grown Xenomorphs.
It’s a story that fans of the franchise know all too well.
Romulus carries the weight of the entire Alien legacy on its shoulders, with nine previous films each taking the series in different directions. Aliens (1986) shifted the tone to blockbuster action, sacrificing the original’s suspense and horror for explosions and spectacle. Alien 3 faced its own production challenges, resulting in a divisive film, though I personally prefer it over Aliens. Director Fede Alvarez, however, has managed to weave together the narrative threads of the previous films into a cohesive story that feels true to the franchise. As a fan himself, Alvarez seems to have approached the project with a sense of fun, paying homage to the earlier films while delivering the tense scares that have become his trademark, as seen in Evil Dead (2013) and Don’t Breathe (2016). Romulus captures the spirit of the 1979 Alien with its archaic technology, gritty aesthetics, and underlying critique of the capitalist forces that drive the characters into danger. In short, the vibes are spot on.
However, I found myself less impressed with the film’s casting choices. While David Jonsson excels as Andy, portraying a range of nuanced emotions as an outdated android who undergoes a personality-altering update, the casting of a dark-skinned Black man as what is essentially an indentured servant introduces a problematic racial dynamic. Andy’s role as a subservient character to the white protagonist, Rain, who is clearly positioned as the next Ripley, adds an uncomfortable layer of racial tension that I doubt Alvarez fully considered. This dynamic is especially troubling given Andy’s portrayal, which unintentionally echoes autistic stereotypes, contrasting sharply with his more worldly, lighter-skinned counterparts. It’s a dynamic that distracted me throughout the film, and I question whether the filmmakers fully grasped the implications of their casting choices.
I couldn’t help but imagine how different the film might have been if Rain had been portrayed by a dark-skinned Black woman, such as Coco Jones or Keke Palmer. This casting would have added a rich, layered dynamic to the relationship between Rain and Andy, turning it into a powerful story about two Black siblings navigating a harsh, unforgiving world together. The racial context would have given the story a depth that the original films, and Romulus, lack. But, unfortunately, that’s not the film we got.
In the end, Alien: Romulus is a solid entry in the franchise, but it’s not without its flaws. Alvarez’s love for the series shines through, and the film’s homage to the original Alien is clear, but the missed opportunities in casting and the resulting racial dynamics left me yearning for a version of this story that could have been. That said, it’s a film that will undoubtedly spark discussion among fans and critics alike.
3.8/5 stars
