Like many franchises that started in the late 70s to late 80s – your Terminators, Predators, Ghostbusters – it has been decades since the Alien series has reached any kind of consistent creative heights.
The first two films are very different yet corresponding masterpieces – the next two, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection are much more in line with what Alien became, the skid into mediocrity in which interesting ideas go to die. This couldn’t describe Prometheus and Alien Covenant better: two movies that director Ridley Scott believed would be his magnum opii on the subject of sci-fi Gnosticism, or nihilism, or, well, something or other. They are confusing, philosophically inert movies in which the Alien blood and gore seems like a bit of a distraction. Which is why this trailer for Romulus gives me hope.
Just like he did with Evil Dead, director Fede Alvarez looks like he’s trying to mainline the more thrilling parts of the franchise into a beautiful nightmare. There’s no ponderous Engineer here – and it’s all the better for it. Since Aliens, the franchise has faced an uphill battle in trying to make the Xenomorph scary again. Alien 3 tried a dog version, Resurrection had the white-skinned version that looks like my cat when he’s about to bite me, and then wasted them to the point that Michael Fassbender in a blonde wig was more terrifying.
This new trailer focuses on the action, to the point where it’s clear that the dialogue is the last thing this trailer considers. Like it’s modern Predator counterpart, the excellent Prey (which every franchise producer should be looking at as a template), Alvarez understands that we know this monster, so he uses every tool he can think of to scare us through that familiarity: the face-huggers flying through the air, the portable X-ray, keeping the final seconds of the trailer silent – because, of course, no-one can hear you scream. This is some damn good marketing.
I’m excited by Alien Romulus. Like the best Alien films, it looks mean as hell and it’s helmed by a director that brings his own attributes to the table.
If you enjoyed this article and want to see more stuff like it, please consider supporting us on Ko-Fi.
By Kevin Boyle
(header image via Screen Rant
No But Listen 