Stranded in outer space, a crew of space colonizers seeks escape from an abandoned spaceship. In the darkest corners of the ship lie the famed xenomorphs, hunting for their prey. In the words of the original film’s iconic poster, “In space, no one can hear you scream.”
Alien: Romulus, released in theaters on Aug. 16, is the latest addition to a long-running franchise of sci-fi horror movies stemming from the 1979 film Alien. The film sees the return of the xenomorphs and facehuggers, the aliens that frightened audiences in the original films. “While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face-to-face with the most terrifying life form in the universe,” the Alien: Romulus official synopsis writes.
The film follows a plot structure that is familiar to fans of the series, with a group of extraterrestrial predators picking off space travelers one by one. However, new elements are introduced to the story to keep the narrative fresh, such as a highly dangerous gun and an android who has his personality module altered.
The award-winning Cailee Spaeny, who has starred in Priscilla and Civil War, plays the lead role in the film, Rain. Spaeny gives a strong performance by manifesting her character’s courage and empathy. “I think because I’m a Southern Midwest girl, I wanted to inject people who I knew from my hometown into this character, and I wanted them to really feel like she was a sort of meat and potatoes Midwest girl,” Spaeny said in an interview with NPR.
The real star of the show is lesser-known actor David Johnsson, who plays Rain’s android brother Andy. Johnsson shows a wide range in his acting capabilities through his character’s multiple personalities and demonstrates uncanny control of his facial expressions. “Andy’s unique in many ways, and I just wanted to embrace it,” Johnsson said in an interview with GQ.
A major contributor to the original film’s success was its stellar special effects, from the alien puppets to the human prosthetics used in the film’s kills. The new film brings back the practical effects with all-new puppets, suits and animatronics to add a sense of weight and realism to its alien encounters. “From an acting standpoint, it’s such a gift because you’re not having to act against a tennis ball, so it’s right there. There’s less work you have to do,” Spaeny said in an interview with AP News.
The film opens with a scene on a busy industrial planet, establishing a claustrophobic setting for the movie. Once the characters board the spaceship, the trend of cramped spaces continues with tight corridors with little room to run, adding to the fear and feeling of isolation that the film prides itself on.
The film’s sound design was handled with care, as the film opens with an extended sequence in the dead silence of space. This lack of sound gives a foreboding atmosphere to the film, prompting the audience to dread what might be waiting for them aboard the spaceship.
Alien: Romulus takes the best parts of the classic films and fits them into a more modern horror format. From its practical effects to its desolate setting, the film is set to frighten a new generation of Alien fans.
