The first reactions to Alien: Romulus are finally coming out, and they are overwhelmingly positive. The Fede Álvarez directorial is the seventh cinematic entry in the main Alien franchise. It is also the first one since 1997’s Alien Resurrection not to be directed by Ridley Scott, who helmed the first, fifth, and sixth films.
Here’s a look at the early reactions to Alien: Romulus and all the buzz surrounding the movie.
Critics hail Alien: Romulus’ creature design ahead of theatrical debut
Alien: Romulus debuts in US theaters on Friday, August 16, 2024. After an early screening for the media, the movie has garnered extremely promising first reactions.
Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter hailed Alien: Romulus as the summer’s best film. “ALIEN: ROMULUS: Has all the great hallmarks of what you would expect in an Alien flick but never feels like it’s pandering to nostalgia or fan service…and even goes into a crazy new direction,” Kit posted on X (formerly known as Twitter). “Fede Alvarez [the director] & the cast just gave birth to summer’s best movie.”
Meanwhile, Leo Rydel praised the horror elements, imagery, and xenomorph design in the film. “There’s a lot to love, with splendid horror elements, visceral imagery and incredible creature design! David Jonsson is a scene stealer,” he shared on X. “However, it rallies the best elements of the franchise together instead of standing on its own and characters are forgettable.”
Next Best Picture’s Matt Neglia also lauded the fact that the film relies on its horror origins. But he observed that it lacked cinematic depth and had way too many moments of fanservice. However, Neglia went on to praise the performances of the two leads, underscoring how they keep the audience interested. “ALIEN: ROMULUS leans heavily into its horror origins to craft a relentless, visceral thrill ride that starts off slowly and increases in intensity until you’re left gasping for breath by the end,” he wrote.
Neglia further added, “Devoid of any thematic depth, it incorporates so many winks, nods, and moments of fan service it often feels more like a greatest hits entry than trying to provide anything new or profound. Still, the grounded performances from Cailee Spaeny & David Jonsson provide just enough emotional weight to keep audiences invested during the slaughter. Definitely the most straightforward of the franchise.”
In addition, Sean Tajipour of Nerdtropolis dubbed Alien: Romulus as “the sci-fi horror masterpiece we’ve been waiting for.” He added, “@fedalvar [Alvarez] has taken the franchise back to its roots in the most terrifying way possible. Every moment is edge-of-your-seat tension and is everything you’d want from an Alien movie and more. Best Alien film in decades! A must watch in IMAX!”
While these early reactions mark a great start for Alien: Romulus, the movie will face the real test upon its theatrical release this Friday.
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