含羞草研究社淚n space, no one can hear you scream,含羞草研究社� went the tagline for the original 含羞草研究社淎lien含羞草研究社� in 1979, a terrifying thought on multiple levels.
There may indeed be a scientific rationale for a space scream to be inaudible, but isn含羞草研究社檛 it scarier to simply realize nobody含羞草研究社檚 around to hear you? That was the case for Sigourney Weaver含羞草研究社檚 Ripley, once she became the last one standing against the fearsome Xenomorph. Nobody could hear her scream 含羞草研究社� nobody human, that is 含羞草研究社� because, duh, everyone was dead.
In any case, hearing won含羞草研究社檛 be a problem here on Earth at any multiplex showing the much-anticipated new installment to the 含羞草研究社淎lien含羞草研究社� franchise (not a sequel, but we含羞草研究社檒l 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含羞草研究社檒l be audible. Which is precisely what 含羞草研究社淎lien含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檚 original than James Cameron含羞草研究社檚 more action-focused 1986 含羞草研究社淎liens.含羞草研究社� But now we have Rain Carradine, played by rising star Cailee Spaeny (含羞草研究社淧riscilla含羞草研究社�), 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含羞草研究社檛 call it a sequel. In fact it含羞草研究社檚 an 含羞草研究社渋nterquel,含羞草研究社� which wouldn含羞草研究社檛 be a bad horror film title in itself. The dictionary explains that it含羞草研究社檚 neither sequel nor prequel, but rather a 含羞草研究社渕iddlequel含羞草研究社� between installments, known as 含羞草研究社渜uels.含羞草研究社�
Just kidding! It含羞草研究社檚 not in the dictionary. But it含羞草研究社檚 worth noting that 脕lvarez, 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含羞草研究社檒l be able to hear your thoughts, should this occur to you.
The premise is new, sort of. 脕lvarez, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rodo Sayagues, has said he got the idea from a deleted scene from Cameron含羞草研究社檚 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含羞草研究社檚 Star, owned by the worker-exploiting Weyland-Yutani firm.
Rain含羞草研究社檚 miner parents have died of lung ailments. They含羞草研究社檝e left her a caring brother, Andy, who is actually a 含羞草研究社渟ynthetic,含羞草研究社� or humanoid robot. The 含羞草研究社渉uman含羞草研究社� 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 含羞草研究社� the rest of the cast is given virtually nothing to work with.
In any case, the two are not long for Jackson含羞草研究社檚 Star. After Rain is turned down for a travel permit to finally escape dark colony life, she and Andy join a risky venture.
There含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社� Rain含羞草研究社檚 ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux), his sister Kay (Isabela Merced), Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and Navarro (Aileen Wu) 含羞草研究社� on a bumpy flight to the Renaissance station.
Surely we含羞草研究社檙e not spoiling much to say that it含羞草研究社檚 best not to get attached to anybody.
Because, we all know what含羞草研究社檚 waiting up there, don含羞草研究社檛 we? It含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社淎lien含羞草研究社� movie and it含羞草研究社檚 all about the Xenomorph, that terrifying creature who is diabolically 含羞草研究社減erfect,含羞草研究社� able to survive in any atmosphere and to multiply, obviously, in the most disgusting of ways.
It含羞草研究社檚 not really a party 含羞草研究社� or a movie 含羞草研究社� until the creatures show up. And that, they do. Much has been made of this film含羞草研究社檚 rather than a CGI-created universe. The actors have said this 含羞草研究社� as well as shooting in a linear fashion 含羞草研究社� 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含羞草研究社檙e joining in. Fans of the original will appreciate the many respectful echoes of that film (and perhaps the fact that, thank the lord, there含羞草研究社檚 no longer a gratuitous skimpy panty scene.) Fans of Cameron含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社� not to spoil it 含羞草研究社� others may even laugh rather than scream.
It含羞草研究社檚 all good, though. In space, probably no one can hear you laugh, either.
含羞草研究社淎lien: Romulus,含羞草研究社� a 20th-Century Studios release, has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association 含羞草研究社渇or bloody violent content and language. 含羞草研究社� Running time: 119 minutes. Two stars out of four.
