The first reactions to Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus are in, and the consensus seems to be: “blechh!”
Whether that’s a good thing or not is entirely up to your position on slime and gore, but the sea of social reactions to the film emerging today include some interesting insights. Everyone seems to adore Romulus‘ practical effects, and praise for actors Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson appears largely unanimous. But some criticisms suggest the film is too referential to previous entries in the franchise, and you’re either going to love or hate its final act. Let’s dive in, starting with io9’s own Germain Lussier:
#AlienRomulus is a bonkers roller coaster ride through the previous six Alien movies, using bits of all them, to tell a focused, mostly standalone story filled with glorious gore & scares. It gets better as it goes along, ending with a phenomenal big swing of a third act. pic.twitter.com/mY8Hkbe0gD
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) August 13, 2024
#AlienRomulus is the first time I have been terrified during one of the Alien movies. Cailee Spaeny’s Rain is a perfect character to follow on this journey and through Fede Álvarez’s twists and turns, you never really know where Romulus is headed. The 3rd act is truly WILD. I dig… pic.twitter.com/vEaiz5966B
— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) August 13, 2024
HOLY MOTHER OF XENOMORPHS #AlienRomulus ABSOLUTELY FUCKS!! yall do NOTTT understand!!@fedalvar thank you so much sir for the love and attention that went into this film as it is a masterclass in continuing an iconic franchise!!
THAT ENDING!!
RIDLEY WILL BE BEYOND PLEASED!!! pic.twitter.com/8IB9ffhLzc
— PCP (@rotator_) August 12, 2024
#AlienRomulus is Don’t Breathe in space. A nasty amalgamation of Scott’s prequels & the first two. Fights like hell to find an identity of its own. Sometimes it does (& it’s sick & twisted), others it doesn’t, but Fede’s tactile sets gives us the grittiest, filthiest entry yet! pic.twitter.com/1NddrwWVtA
— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) August 13, 2024
Aliens is scary again! #AlienRomulus plays all the greatest hits, homaging the entire series before embarking on one of the most gobsmacking final acts I’ve seen in a while. The anti-corporate fangs have never been sharper & David Jonsson is the (milk) beating heart of the film. pic.twitter.com/t2X7ASVHEk
— Rachel Shatto (@RachiePants) August 13, 2024
#AlienRomulus is a solid action-packed franchise installment. Fede Álvarez nails the atmosphere. Some poor jump scares, unearned series callbacks, & an iffy final act, but there’s a lot to enjoy here otherwise with its thrilling set pieces. David Jonsson is an absolute standout. pic.twitter.com/s6RR0lxb96
— Jeff Nelson (@SirJeffNelson) August 13, 2024
So happy to report @fedalvar’s #AlienRomulus is fantastic. The two hour runtime flies by and both Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are so good. Loved the use of practical effects. You don’t have to have seen any of the other Alien movies to watch this. But it would help. pic.twitter.com/eo2EZxTNnj
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) August 13, 2024
#AlienRomulus is disgusting. It starts slow and rockets into confusing. I didn’t find the characters memorable, but it makes up for that with the most grotesque scenes and creature design. It ups the ante each act and, when you think it’s over, think again. I get why its rated R. pic.twitter.com/8lwLW2fpF3
— Kristen Maldonado (@kaymaldo) August 13, 2024
ALIEN: ROMULUS isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. Rather, Fede Álvarez puts his fucked up spin on a classic horror story with some truly marvelous visual storytelling. It’s too nostalgic at times, but Fede has proved his worth for a trilogy.
Review coming to @DiscussingFilm pic.twitter.com/R1dGTgvhmy
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) August 13, 2024
ALIEN: ROMULUS is mostly a gratuitous nostalgia play, remixing what came before with some occasionally strong thrills, but in a franchise famous for its psychosexual weirdness, it’s the safest, blandest and most vapid the series has ever been. I did not love it pic.twitter.com/n3RtpYvXgJ
— an especially dangerous dug called Brendan (@metaplexmovies) August 13, 2024
Alien Romulus is a curious one. Effective scares, but every set piece feels like a video game level, theme park ride intro, or horror nights maze. Character work didn’t hit me at all either, and I’m an easy mark.
It’s not for me. pic.twitter.com/kRayfGuoR4
— Amelia Emberwing 🔪💋 (@ThatWitchMia) August 13, 2024
We can all decide for ourselves when Alien: Romulus hits theaters this Friday, August 16.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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