Movies…with a little bit of obscure culture and sports mixed in
We are fresh out of the movie theater, and oh, what an outstanding movie theater experience it was. Alien: Romulus (2024) delivers on its fantastic potential and marketing campaign. Director Fede Alvarez takes a step back from Ridley Scott’s latest religious ventures and reloads the franchise with thrilling scares and dark, visceral visuals.
“While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.”
Director: Fede Alvarez
Writers: Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues, Dan O’Bannon, Donald Shusett
Cast: Cailee Spaeny, David Johnson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, Aileen Wu, Rosie Ede, Robert Bobroczkyi, Trevor Newlin, Annemarie Griggs, Ian Holm, Daniel Betts
Release Date: August 16, 2024
IMDB
We are fresh out of the movie theater, and oh, what an outstanding movie theater experience it was. Alien: Romulus (2024) delivers on its fantastic potential and marketing campaign. Director Fede Alvarez takes a step back from Ridley Scott’s latest religious ventures and reloads the franchise with thrilling scares and dark, visceral visuals.
There are going to be no spoilers here, just for the record.
Alien: Romulus brings the Alien franchise back to its roots with an original story that manages to pay homage to every film of the Sigourney Weaver quadrilogy. That’s right, even Alien: Resurrection (1997) gets some love. The artful weaving of original ideas with subtle (and some not-so-subtle) references is beautiful to witness for those educated in the filmography of the Xenomorph. You’ll find yourself nodding your head, pointing at the screen, and sometimes audibly exhilarated with the way Alvarez incorporates his style of filmmaking with the previous story-telling models.
Cailee Spaeny plays Rain, the lead role, and she more than holds her own as the hero. Unlike Alien (1979), the movie doesn’t shy away from highlighting her as the main character, but the decision pays off because Spaeny can carry the weight. At the end of Romulus, it’s easy to see the audience rooting for her as if she were Ripley.
And what a year it has been for Spaeny. She burst onto the scene with Priscilla (2023) with an award buzzy performance. Spaeny stepped up to blockbuster status with Civil War (2024) and is now branching out into further success for Romulus. Her career trajectory from November 2023 till now is only pointing upward.
If there is a breakout performance in Romulus, it’s that of David Jonsson. Playing the part of Andy, Jonsson embodies multiple different types of the same character, infusing his on-screen presence with distinctive body language and voice dialects. Andy is my favorite character in the film, and it’d be fantastic if Jonsson would get some award consideration, though it’ll unfortunately never happen.
Perhaps my fears before Romulus are your own, and may this answer them. Alvarez does not rely on an unnecessary amount of body horror to convey a sense of dread. That being said, it is an Alien film, for there are some gnarly scenes. However, all importantly, the moments of extreme bodily disfigurement are earned and worthy. It’s not a spoiler to say there is a chest-burster scene (it was heavily foreshowed in the previews), and Alien fans will be happy to know some new Alvarez adds will have you saying,” I haven’t seen that before.”
And one final bit of praise. Thank the lord for practical effects. Alvarez doesn’t shy away from getting close and personal with the Xenomorph. These extreme close-up shots are remarkably well done, oozing with drip and acid. The one-on-one face-offs between the characters and monsters are real, and the performances of those being hunted show the terror of what they are looking at right in the face.
This is a short rave review for Alien: Romulus because I will not go into spoilers this soon after release. If you have seen the movie and know me in the wild, talk to me about it because I’ve got things to say.
Alien: Romulus is currently in theaters and deserves to have as many tickets bought as possible.
STANKO RATING: A-
Stanko Excel Lists | Movies, Books, Podcasts. TV Shows
Stanko Letterdbox Account
There is a lot happening in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning. One could argue that there is too much going on.
Much maligned as the worst of the Mission: Impossible franchise, Mission: Impossible II doesn’t do itself any favors upon rewatch.
MaXXXine (2024) “In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx finally gets her big break. But as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Hollywood, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.” Director: Ti WestWriter: Ti WestCast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Halsey, Lily Collins, Kevin Bacon, Bob Cannavale, Michelle…
Stanko's Stance 