Xenomorph's Greatest Hits! ("Alien: Romulus" Review)

 I went to see the new Alien film "Alien: Romulus" at the movie theaters on opening day and was pretty surprised to have received a film that returns the franchise to its horror glory. It's thrilling, gory, suspenseful, beautifully shot, directed, and acted. 

I actually enjoyed the philosophical leanings of  "Prometheus" and "Covenant" but the fans seemed to have rejected that film (though it does have its admirers).  And the sequels following the practically perfect first film "Alien" and "Aliens," one of the greatest sequels of all time, weren't up to the standard of those sci-fi classics. Thus...here we are.

It was looking as if the Alien Franchise would end up going the way of the Terminator Franchise. Two undeniable classics followed by films that seemed more like cash grabs rather than adding to the worlds created. 

I'm not naive. This is how Hollywood works. If something is a hit and successful the powers that be will be quick to capitalize on it. Whether it's to the benefit of the work created or not. Money, money, money.

So going into this film was somewhat of a gamble. But it's a name franchise that will get casual moviegoers to the theaters and this new film is now headed by the superb director Fede Alvarez. So...maybe a safe gamble.

But as the movie unfolded, I could see that wonderful attention to detail that Alvarez gives to his films. It really does feel like you're transported to this world and the beautiful part is that a good chunk of it looks practical. Most moviegoing fans love the blending of practical and digital effects and you get a great blend here.

The story takes place after the events of the first film and with that you also get nice blasts of nostalgia and fan service. And it doesn't feel (entirely) cheap. But you get nods from good portions of just about all the films. It does feel like a greatest hits collection, much like "Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens" felt to A Galaxy Far, Far Away. Or even, to a lesser extent, "Terminator Genisys." You get all the goodies you can imagine with a film bringing back those timelines and characters. 

Over time, this film will be a bright spot in the Alien Franchise. I just can't see where in the rankings it will be. But I'm almost positive that it won't rank over the first two. Those films are historic blockbusters. But if it ranks a distant three, that's still pretty good.

Xenomorph!