Rating: ★★★★

Plot: Space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.

Film: Alien: Romulus 

Director: Fede Álvarez 

Writer: Fede Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues and Dan O'Bannon

Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu

The Alien franchise has been a fan favourite for sci-fi and horror fans alike for decades, but as of late, the films haven't been achieving the atmosphere and tension the 1979 classic achieved. However, with this take on the franchise, Fede Álvarez takes us back to basics and offers one of the best Alien films for a while. Alien: Romulus is undoubtedly a love letter to the fans and the research Álvarez has done into the previous films and its lore is evident. And while there's many nods to all of the previous films, it doesn't detract anything from anyone that may not have seen previous instalments; it simply heightens the experience for those that have.

Alien: Romulus follows the story of Rain and her synthetic brother Andy. Having been forced to work in the mines for years, they're desperate to escape and four of their fellow miners think they know the best way. After spotting an abandoned aircraft in space, they decide to venture to it to grab the cryopods and embark on their escape. It's here that they meet creatures us Alien lovers are already more than familiar with...

As a massive horror fan, it was great to see the horror we were promised in this instalment. There were elements throughout that reminded me of the Evil Dead remake, which should come as no surprise since both films have the same director. The remake just so happens to be one of my all-time favourite films, so it's no surprise that I regard this film so highly.

The tone feels very similar to that of the original Alien movies and as a millennial, the atmosphere was much like Alien: Trilogy on PlayStation One. I was certifiably terrified of the game and this brought back a wave of nostalgia for me. The fear of what's around every corner and the tension in almost every scene was almost palpable. Visually, it's absolutely stunning; particularly the scenes in space.

David Jonsson (Andy) and Archie Renaux (Tyler) gave the standout performances for me, and were the only characters I found myself rooting for. The other characters felt somewhat underdeveloped and hard to connect to on any level. With horror films, having characters you care about is one of the most important aspects and this is where the film felt a little flat.

Without spoiling too much, the twist at the end with the final villain reveal felt almost laughable and because of this step too far, it's stopped me rating this instalment any higher. It's a shame because it had almost reached its peak, and instead of climaxing, it came hurtling down in the final twenty minutes. 

An absolutely brilliant addition to the Alien franchise, and one of the strongest for a long time. Filled with gore, tension, gloominess and bold choices throughout, it's a film I'll be happy to rewatch again and again. 

Company: 20th Century Studios