Alien: Romulus feels like a tribute to the original 1979 film, and while I appreciated the philosophical aspects explored in Prometheus, I found this more streamlined, return-to-basics approach immediately engaging. It had been quite some time since an Alien movie truly captured that feeling of suffocating dread, and Romulus succeeds admirably. The film is visually stunning; there’s no denying it. The lighting, camera work, and Benjamin Wallfisch's score all combine to create a constant sense of unease that pulls you in. There's one particular sequence where Rain, Andy, and Tyler are pursued through the research station; their use of shadows and movement is remarkable, like a lesson in building suspense. It brought back memories of some of the most frightening moments from the first Alien film. It’s clear Álvarez was determined to recreate that gritty, realistic feel of the original, and it really pays off. The acting is strong across the board. Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are excellent as Rain and Andy. I admit I had concerns that Andy might be a forgettable supporting character, but he actually has a compelling story arc. Of course, most of the crew serve the purpose of being eliminated by the Xenomorph, but Andy stood out as a memorable supporting role; he almost seemed to play two different characters at times. It's refreshing that the film avoids getting bogged down with unnecessary characters. This movie manages to strike an effective balance between horror and action, something that made the first two films so iconic. Alien 3 was overly dark, and Resurrection leaned too heavily into over-the-top action – this one feels like a proper combination of both. Fede Álvarez incorporates all the classic Alien elements: the group of unlikely individuals, disturbing body horror, tense cat-and-mouse scenarios, and some exciting action sequences. And it genuinely works well. What impressed me most was the inventiveness of the set pieces and how they built tension. For example, using gravity to avoid the acid or attempting to evade the facehuggers by masking their body temperature were clever ideas that felt surprisingly unique for a franchise nearing its 50th anniversary. And let’s talk about the body horror—there's one particularly disturbing scene involving a vaginal birth that I won't soon forget. Álvarez clearly understands what makes this series so compelling. I’m rating Alien: Romulus a solid 7/10. It lost points because of the use of CGI Ian Holm; it was quite distracting and seemed to be relied upon too heavily. Also, some lines were included for nostalgic purposes that felt out of place. But honestly, those are minor complaints in what is otherwise an incredibly entertaining film. The entire final act, with the station crashing into the asteroid field and the epic confrontation between the Human/Xeno hybrid, is simply chaotic in the best possible way. Alien: Romulus is a worthy addition to the Alien legacy. It's visually impressive, a thrilling experience, and a great reminder of why we enjoy this franchise so much.

Source on TMDB