The people behind Alien Romulus know how to make horror films, but that adds little eye-opening flair to the ninth entry in the franchise. In the realm of impressive credits: The original Alien director Ridley Scott attaches his name as one of many producers. So does the FX team from the original’s first sequel, Aliens, bringing back traditions like actual sets and monster models to avoid a complete CGI domination and getting a richer look for the project. Credit for that decision goes to the team from Don’t Breathe
, co-writers Rodo Sayagues and Fede Álvarez. As director, Álvarez moves easily amidst gore, slime, and jump-out-of-your seat shots, and he guides his cast well with Cailee Spaney in the lead. Having fought monsters in Pacific Rim Uprising she knows how to look tough and terrified at the same time with Alien Romulus stranding her aboard a space craft full of creatures bent on consuming everyone on board. Good work also comes from David Jonsson, whose role gives him the chance to play two different characters. The most unusual casting comes with the late Ian Holm, rebooted through CGI and continuing the ominous presence he provided in the first Alien. Holm serves as just one of many nods to other franchise entries, making for a slick, well-made project geared at pleasing fans. But for the most part, fans have already seen the basics eight other times, often worse but definitely better when it comes to the first two movies.
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