A 2024 Sci-Fi Horror Movie With A Superman Star Is A Must-Watch On Prime Video
by Debopriyaa Dutta · /FilmThis post contains spoilers for "Alien: Romulus."
The longevity of the "Alien" franchise speaks for itself. Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi space horror opened up a new world of possibilities, leading to a string of franchise entries, two crossover films, and a more recent television series (FX's "Alien: Earth"). The series' primary draw is the Xenomorph, but it is possible to create a survival horror scenario without these creatures terrorizing everyone onboard. While "Prometheus" and "Alien: Covenant" lean more towards human hubris and our contentious relationship with artificial intelligence, Fede Álvarez's "Alien: Romulus" reiterates the dehumanization inherent in corporate greed. "Romulus" doesn't really highlight anything that hasn't been said before, but it cycles through the high points of the "Alien" franchise to create a frenetic horror experience.
"Alien: Romulus," which is now available to stream on Prime Video, changes things up a bit with Rain (Cailee Spaeny), who has hit the quota at her blue-collar job and asks for a prompt transfer. After being denied, Rain is forced to extend her work contract, essentially trapping her inside the bleak Weyland-Yutani colony that never experiences sunlight. Her synthetic brother, Andy (David Jonsson), comes along after Rain decides to break free from her stifling existence, and she gathers a crew of like-minded folks to help make this risky escape. While they succeed, things take a dark turn soon after. Andy undergoes a sudden personality change once they reach the space station, Tyler (Archie Renaux) unwittingly releases a dozen vicious facehuggers, and Kay (Isabela Merced, who plays Hawkgirl in "Superman") — who is pregnant — experiences excruciating agony.
Álvarez toys with our foreknowledge about the franchise to build up fear, and the crew is plunged into an impossible situation with no way out.
Alien: Romulus redeems its borrowed premise with a horrifying new monster
Álvarez's back-to-the-basics approach doesn't necessarily feel trite, as it underlines the cyclical nature of exploitation in "Alien". Blue-collar workers like Rain will always be expendable to a conglomerate like Weyland-Yutani, which will go to any lengths in the name of wealth accumulation and corporate monopoly. We see the bigger picture in "Alien: Earth," where five global conglomerates battle for dominion, even willing to exploit dead children to create beings that can go head-to-head with "perfect organisms." Rain and her friends don't battle such insane odds to achieve something heroic — they're just a group of young people fighting for a shot at a decent life.
"Romulus" takes the themes of corporate dehumanization a step further by introducing an experimental fluid named Z-01, which leads to the creation of a horrifying hybrid offspring that appears towards the end of the film. This creature is arguably scarier than the Xenomorph, as it moves unlike any alien lifeform and harbors intentions that go beyond instinctual preservation. This hybrid is a physical manifestation of violated autonomy and robbed personhood, and it stalks Rain like a homunculus that isn't supposed to exist. Álvarez makes the most of this twisted metaphor, driving the core ethos of the "Alien" franchise home.
There's also a lot to love here in terms of action setpieces and deliberate homage, even though "Romulus" might feel a bit stale to those intimately acquainted with the franchise. That said, it is the perfect "Alien" film to put on when you're in the mood for something fresh, yet familiar, with a Xenomorph (or two!) thrown in for good measure.
"Alien: Romulus" is currently streaming on Prime Video.