Alien: Romulus Is the Closest Any Modern Sci-Fi Horror Has Come to the 1979 Masterpiece

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Since the original Alien movie wowed viewers in 1979, there have been many Alien films. For a time, especially in the late 1980s, the series felt special and limited to just two incredibly well-made movies. However, over the years, the Alien universe grew much larger. Unfortunately, the sequels to Aliens weren’t very popular, and the movies that combined Alien with the Predator series weren’t particularly well-received either.

Ridley Scott’s later Alien films weren’t as well-received as the original, and even fans of those sequels acknowledge that. However, the franchise recently saw a resurgence with two new projects, one of which is being hailed as the best Alien movie since the 1980s. Alien: Romulus successfully recaptures the spirit of the first film while also introducing fresh ideas, making it the closest any sequel has come to matching the quality of Ridley Scott’s original masterpiece.

Alien: Romulus Is the Best Alien Movie Since Aliens (1986)

Fans definitely have their favorite Alien movies, and many consider the 1986 film Aliens to be a standout. However, judging the entire series objectively isn’t too hard considering its 40-plus-year history. Most fans agree that the original Alien and its immediate sequel are the strongest entries. Since 1986, several other films have been released. While some viewers enjoy movies like Alien 3, Alien vs. Predator, or Prometheus, they simply don’t resonate with audiences in the same way as those first two classics.

While some Alien movies have always had a dedicated fanbase, it had been a long time since a truly excellent one was released that appealed to wider audiences. That changed with Fede Alvarez’s 2024 film, Alien: Romulus. With strong performances, a deeper exploration of the Alien universe, and impressive practical effects, the movie resonated with many fans and delivered a genuinely scary and exciting sci-fi horror experience. A lot of this success is thanks to Fede Alvarez himself, who is a highly respected and popular director.

Fede Alvarez is a skilled director known for successfully tackling large franchises, especially remakes and sequels, and for creating the perfect mood and feel in his films. He deserves recognition not only for his directing, but also for his strong writing contributions, particularly in crafting a compelling new story within the Alien universe. Alien: Romulus delves deeper into the world of mining colonies, giving the film a stronger central theme and making the main character, Rain (Cailee Spaeny), someone audiences will easily connect with and support.

Rain and Andy, who consider each other siblings despite Andy being synthetic, manage to escape the mining planet where they’re held captive. Their newfound hope for freedom takes a dangerous turn when they discover the stolen ship isn’t what it seems – and that it’s carrying xenomorphs. The story’s success hinges on the touching relationship between Rain and Andy, combined with the familiar, suspenseful atmosphere fans expect from an Alien movie. Not only is it the most financially successful Alien film since Aliens, but it’s also considered the most impactful.

Alien: Romulus Channels Ridley Scott’s 1979 Original

One of the main reasons Fede Alvarez is a great choice to direct a new Alien film is his talent for horror. He’s primarily made horror movies, often sequels or reboots of well-known franchises. While not every one of his films has been a hit, the successful ones have really resonated with audiences. His 2013 Evil Dead is a prime example – he proved he could successfully contribute a new vision to an established series. Alien: Romulus aims to do the same, capturing the spirit of the original 1979 film.

Although xenomorphs are always scary, Alien: Romulus feels more like the original Alien from 1979 than any recent installment. Director Alvarez has truly captured the terrifying atmosphere that made the first film so effective, even adding some fresh and inventive scenes. A key strength of Alien: Romulus is its masterful use of suspense, especially in the facehugger sequence, where characters must carefully sneak past the creatures without alerting them. While the movie does build on existing lore, the facehugger scenes were particularly enjoyable.

Alvarez aimed to recreate the filmmaking techniques that made Ridley Scott’s original film so memorable. A key part of this was using practical effects – things like physical props, costumes, and models – rather than relying solely on computer-generated imagery. He even brought in some of the same effects artists who worked with James Cameron in 1986. These practical effects were crucial to the film’s visual style, enhancing even the scenes that included digital effects. This approach was particularly effective with the facehuggers, and the sequence where Rain, Andy, and Tyler carefully navigate a swarm of them is considered one of the most suspenseful in the entire franchise.

That scene was incredible – the suspense, the frightening creatures, and the shocking outcome all combined to make it a standout moment in the movie. Even though the creatures become more terrifying as they mature, director Alvarez consistently builds tension, creating several truly gripping horror sequences. He clearly understands what makes the Alien films so effective, and he’s delivered a movie that feels like a classic horror film set in space, much like the original 1979 Alien. With exciting action and a compelling story, Alien: Romulus is the Alien movie many fans have been hoping for, but it’s not just the horror that makes it work.

Alien: Romulus Is a Nice Blend Of All Alien Movies

When reimagining the 1979 film Alien for his 2024 version, Alvarez drew inspiration not only from the original but from other sources as well. A particularly effective choice was setting the story between the first and second Alien movies, which allowed for some unique storytelling opportunities. The film follows a Weyland-Yutani expedition aiming to retrieve the creature Ripley sent into space, enabling them to continue the company founder’s research. This pursuit ultimately leads to the reappearance of the original alien and the various lifeforms spawned by the xenomorph.

Okay, let me tell you about Alien: Romulus. It throws you right into the thick of it with Rain and Andy facing off against those terrifying xenomorphs – seriously, the action feels ripped straight out of Aliens! And the fallout from Kay’s… situation? That brings a whole other level of dread. Honestly, the tension throughout reminded me a lot of playing Alien: Isolation – it’s genuinely unsettling. My biggest issue? The movie just doesn’t know when to stop. It definitely loses steam in the last half hour and feels a bit drawn out. But overall, as a long-time Alien fan, I think this is a fantastic blend of everything we love about the franchise. While it sometimes relies too heavily on familiar ground, it mostly works, and I’d say it’s the best Alien film we’ve gotten since 1986. Definitely worth checking out!

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2025-11-08 17:09