ALIEN: ROMULUS Brings Back The Horror

ALIEN: ROMULUS (Digital)

2024 / 119 min

FROM 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Alien: Romulus is now available on Digital and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD December 3.

Maybe the shot-in-the-arm this franchise needed was for director Ridley Scott to step away once again (though he remains one of the producers). With all due respect to his legacy, both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant were interesting - especially the former - but strayed too far from what made the original 1979 classic a lean, mean masterpiece. I could be in the minority on this, but I never needed a xenomorph origin story. They were scarier when we knew less about them. 

Alien: Romulus, the seventh film in the series (sorry, I’ll never include those AvP poo-poo platters), is directed and co-written by Fede Alvarez, the same guy behind Don’t Breathe and the remake of Evil Dead (which was better than it ever had a right to be). Even his most maligned film, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, was a wild, stylish thrill ride. Alvarez is definitely the right choice to breathe new life into the franchise. More than any entry since Alien, this one feels like a horror movie.

Whether one considers Alien: Romulus a sequel, prequel or spin-off, it fits nicely within the franchise timeline, taking place between the first and second films. Five young people seek to escape the slave-like conditions of a mining colony run by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. For the nine-year journey to another planet, they need the cryo-tubes onboard an abandoned space station orbiting above. However, they discover the hard way the station wasn’t actually abandoned, and restoring the systems unleashes a whole lot of facehuggers. As if that weren’t bad enough, it turns there is also a new batch of xenomorphs on-board, the result of the company experiments that didn’t end well. Does it ever?

When you sneeze in zero gravity.

But it wouldn’t be an Alien film without the usual Weyland-Yutani shenanigans, would it? Speaking of which, Romulus is chock full of references to previous movies, sometimes as exposition, other times mere fan service, the latter of which is occasionally an unnecessary distraction. Sure, some fans might get a kick out of a new character uttering the immortal line, “Get away from her, you bitch,” but there’s absolutely no reason to use the late Ian Holm’s likeness (and a voice actor who sounds just like him) for another evil android. That's a worse decision than bringing Peter Cushing back from the dead for Rogue One.

Besides, Romulus introduces a pretty neat droid of its own. Andy (David Jonsson) is a discarded Weyland-Yutani product reprogrammed to be a companion/protector of main protagonist Rain (Cailee Spaeny). Their relationship makes them the movie’s most engaging characters, while the rest are comparatively bland (though Spike Fearn as android-hating Bjorn is fun to despise). 

Elsewhere, Romulus follows a similar narrative pattern to the first two films. taking time to establish the setting, scenario and characters before ramping up the tension. Not only are there xenomorphs & facehuggers to worry about, but the aforementioned nefarious android and another relentless countdown before the entire station is destroyed (voiced by MU/TH/UR!). And sure, there are the bloody alien kills and chest bursting scenes we’re all familiar with, but Alavarez manages to thrown-in a few nasty surprises of his own. It’s all deftly directed, with a couple of thrilling sequences as good as anything Ridley Scott or James Cameron came up with.

Did we need another Alien film? Probably not. This one doesn’t introduce new elements or concepts…just a fun, scary spin-off that, despite numerous shout-outs to the rest of the franchise, still tells a good stand-alone story. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

RETURN TO HORROR: CRAFTING ALIEN: ROMULUS - This is a pretty good four-part making-of documentary totalling 25 minutes.

FEATURETTES - Inside the Xenomorph Showdown features director/co-writer Fede Alvarez and others discussing zero-gravity elevator sequence; Alien: A Conversation features Alvarez and talking with original Alien director Ridley Scott (Alvarez’ idol worship is endearing).

4 ALTERNATE/EXTENDED SCENES

THE POOP SCOOP: Retro Edition

👽ALIEN: ROMULUS Gets Limited-Edition VHS Release on 12/3 in Addition to 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from 20th Century Studios.

Director Fede Alvarez announced at a special Beyond Fest partnered screening at the Aero Theater in Los Angeles that 20th Century Studios will release the terrifying sci-fi horror thriller, Alien: Romulus, on limited edition VHS December 3. An ultimate movie collector’s dream, the fully functioning VHS tape was created in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the legendary Alien franchise, the box features artwork by renowned artist Matt Ferguson. The legendary Alien franchise gives birth to an all-new terrifying sci-fi horror thriller when 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus arrives to digital retailers (Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home) on October 15 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on December 3. Alien: Romulus is the start of a new chapter with a brand-new story unlike any other Alien movie that came before it, featuring all-new creatures and characters that are “tense enough to grab you by the throat” (Owen Gleiberman, Variety). Fans can delve deeper into the Alien franchise with all-new exclusive bonus features, including featurettes with filmmakers Fede Alvarez and Ridley Scott, behind the scenes content, and alternate and extended scenes. The 4K UHD will be available in a collectible limited edition SteelBook with custom artwork and packaging.

🤖TRANSFORMERS ONE Arrives On Digital 10/22 & On 4K Ultra HD And Blu-ray 12/17 from Paramount.

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🤡JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX on Digital 10/29 and 4K, Blu-ray & DVD 12/17 from Warner Bros Discovery.

From acclaimed writer/director/producer Todd Phillips comes Joker: Folie À Deux, the follow-up to 2019’s Academy Award-winning Joker, which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office. The new film stars Joaquin Phoenix once again in his Oscar-winning dual role as Arthur Fleck/Joker, opposite Oscar winner Lady Gaga (“A Star Is Born”). Joker: Folie À Deux debuts for purchase and rental digitally at home on October 29. Joker: Folie À Deux finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him. The film also stars Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) and Catherine Keener (Get Out, Capote), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from Joker. Phillips, who received Oscar nominations for directing, writing and producing Joker, directed Joker: Folie À Deux from a screenplay co-written with fellow Oscar nominee Scott Silver, based on characters from DC. The film was produced by Phillips, Oscar nominee Emma Tillinger Koskoff and Joseph Garner. Lady Gaga served as music consultant. The film’s executive producers are Michael E. Uslan, Georgia Kacandes, Silver, Mark Friedberg and Jason Ruder.

😺ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION on 4K and Digital 11/26 from Universal.

From one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema comes the all-new ALFRED HITCHCOCK: THE ICONIC FILM COLLECTION, releasing on 4K Ultra HD disc and Digital on November 26, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. This must-own collection consists of some of the most unforgettable and groundbreaking films of all time including Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds. In partnership with Warner Bros. and Paramount Home Entertainment, the collection features the newly released 4K Ultra HD remasters of North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief. It’s the very first time you can own all six films together on 4K Ultra HD disc and includes digital codes. The premium book style-packaging consists of rare photos, bios, trivia, and original cover art by renowned artist Tristan Eaton. It features over 15 hours of revealing bonus features including Psycho Uncut (the extended version of the movie originally seen in theaters), audio interviews with Alfred Hitchcock, behind-the-scenes featurettes, rare production photographs, creative storyboards, insightful feature commentaries, and so much more!