Film Review – Alien: Romulus

After directing 1979’s “Alien,” Ridley Scott returned to the series in 2012’s “Prometheus” with hopes to infuse it with a Big Idea. His vision was a little unsteady and noncommittal, with 2017’s “Alien: Covenant” putting the series back to bed. Now helmer Fede Alvarez (2013’s “Evil Dead” and “Don’t Breathe”) goes into “Force Awakens” mode to revive the franchise, with “Alien: Romulus” looking to embrace the entire “Alien” universe while submitting a new battle between xenomorphs and the space travelers who hate them. There’s a lot of rehash going around in the sequel, but Alvarez also has some fresh ideas to share with the audience, expanding on corporate rule and ship exploration. It’s executed superbly at times, providing a fantastic thrill ride that plays with sequel iconography and plotting. “Romulus” achieves most of its creative goals, giving the faithful another showdown with the “perfect organism,” while also setting things up for a new generation of viewers. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com