㽶ƵֱIn space, no one can hear you scream,㽶Ƶֱ went the tagline for the original 㽶ƵֱAlien㽶Ƶֱ in 1979, a terrifying thought on multiple levels.
There may indeed be a scientific rationale for a space scream to be inaudible, but isn㽶Ƶֱt it scarier to simply realize nobody㽶Ƶֱs around to hear you? That was the case for Sigourney Weaver㽶Ƶֱs Ripley, once she became the last one standing against the fearsome Xenomorph. Nobody could hear her scream 㽶Ƶֱ nobody human, that is 㽶Ƶֱ because, duh, everyone was dead.
In any case, hearing won㽶Ƶֱt be a problem here on Earth at any multiplex showing the much-anticipated new installment to the 㽶ƵֱAlien㽶Ƶֱ franchise (not a sequel, but we㽶Ƶֱll get to that in a minute.) This is a very big, very (very!) loud, very jumpy horror flick, and the screams will come, and they㽶Ƶֱll be audible. Which is precisely what 㽶ƵֱAlien㽶Ƶֱ fans are surely waiting for.
And speaking of Ripley, no, neither she (nor Weaver) are present in this new version by closer in feel to the horror roots of Ridley Scott㽶Ƶֱs original than James Cameron㽶Ƶֱs more action-focused 1986 㽶ƵֱAliens.㽶Ƶֱ But now we have Rain Carradine, played by rising star Cailee Spaeny (㽶ƵֱPriscilla㽶Ƶֱ), a new-generation Ripley in everything but name. Spaeny takes up the mantle of badass space fighter with aplomb, and is easily the best part of a movie that, like the 1979 original, is short on character development.
There are many other parallels (and winking nods) to the original (Scott is a co-producer here). But like we said, don㽶Ƶֱt call it a sequel. In fact it㽶Ƶֱs an 㽶Ƶֱinterquel,㽶Ƶֱ which wouldn㽶Ƶֱt be a bad horror film title in itself. The dictionary explains that it㽶Ƶֱs neither sequel nor prequel, but rather a 㽶Ƶֱmiddlequel㽶Ƶֱ between installments, known as 㽶Ƶֱquels.㽶Ƶֱ
Just kidding! It㽶Ƶֱs not in the dictionary. But it㽶Ƶֱs worth noting that Álvarez, in placing his movie between existing versions to form a new trilogy, yet aiming also for standalone entertainment, risks some tonal confusion. Not that you㽶Ƶֱll be able to hear your thoughts, should this occur to you.
The premise is new, sort of. Álvarez, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rodo Sayagues, has said he got the idea from a deleted scene from Cameron㽶Ƶֱs film, in which young kids were seen amongst workers in a mining colony, and wondering what their lives would be like when they reached their 20s.
At the beginning, we find out: life is bleak indeed in the colony on Jackson㽶Ƶֱs Star, owned by the worker-exploiting Weyland-Yutani firm.
Rain㽶Ƶֱs miner parents have died of lung ailments. They㽶Ƶֱve left her a caring brother, Andy, who is actually a 㽶Ƶֱsynthetic,㽶Ƶֱ or humanoid robot. The 㽶Ƶֱhuman㽶Ƶֱ element is crucial because it allows an empathetic David Jonsson, in the role, to connect to the audience in a way that otherwise only Spaeny does 㽶Ƶֱ the rest of the cast is given virtually nothing to work with.
In any case, the two are not long for Jackson㽶Ƶֱs Star. After Rain is turned down for a travel permit to finally escape dark colony life, she and Andy join a risky venture.
There㽶Ƶֱs an (apparently) decommissioned space station hovering above, and if they can raid it of hardware and other loot, they can bypass the brutal wait for permits and finally make it to a new home. And so, reluctantly, the two agree to join the others 㽶Ƶֱ Rain㽶Ƶֱs ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux), his sister Kay (Isabela Merced), Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and Navarro (Aileen Wu) 㽶Ƶֱ on a bumpy flight to the Renaissance station.
Surely we㽶Ƶֱre not spoiling much to say that it㽶Ƶֱs best not to get attached to anybody.
Because, we all know what㽶Ƶֱs waiting up there, don㽶Ƶֱt we? It㽶Ƶֱs already been teased in the opening, with the rickety old station looking much like USCSS Nostromo, that ill-fated space tug in the original.
We hardly needed the hint, though. This is an 㽶ƵֱAlien㽶Ƶֱ movie and it㽶Ƶֱs all about the Xenomorph, that terrifying creature who is diabolically 㽶Ƶֱperfect,㽶Ƶֱ able to survive in any atmosphere and to multiply, obviously, in the most disgusting of ways.
It㽶Ƶֱs not really a party 㽶Ƶֱ or a movie 㽶Ƶֱ until the creatures show up. And that, they do. Much has been made of this film㽶Ƶֱs rather than a CGI-created universe. The actors have said this 㽶Ƶֱ as well as shooting in a linear fashion 㽶Ƶֱ helped them feel the genuine horror needed for their portrayals.
Does all this elevate the film beyond any of its predecessors? Like so many franchises that depend on intense fandom, that truly depends from what vantage point you㽶Ƶֱre joining in. Fans of the original will appreciate the many respectful echoes of that film (and perhaps the fact that, thank the lord, there㽶Ƶֱs no longer a gratuitous skimpy panty scene.) Fans of Cameron㽶Ƶֱs take will appreciate the action that comes later in the film.
And while some will applaud the wild, outlandish, creative and possibly ridiculous swerve of those final minutes 㽶Ƶֱ not to spoil it 㽶Ƶֱ others may even laugh rather than scream.
It㽶Ƶֱs all good, though. In space, probably no one can hear you laugh, either.
㽶ƵֱAlien: Romulus,㽶Ƶֱ a 20th-Century Studios release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association 㽶Ƶֱfor bloody violent content and language. 㽶Ƶֱ Running time: 119 minutes. Two stars out of four.