WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Alien: Romulus
WhileAlien: Romuluswas a solid addition to theAlienfranchise, the reboot did trip over the same inexplicable stumble as numerous predecessors.All the movies in theAlienfranchisehave their highlights and low points, and 2024’s long-awaited rebootAlien: Romulusis no different.Alien: Romulus’ endingfeatures an ingenious set piece where the heroine utilizes zero gravity to wipe out an entire hive of Xenomorphs, but the reboot also includes a cringeworthy nod to one of the most famous quotes fromAliensmere minutes later. Overall,Alien: Romulusis a fun, satisfying franchise outing.
However,Alien: Romulusfalls victim to some recurring faults seenthroughout theAlienseries. The history of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which was needlessly convoluted before the reboot, becomes even more byzantine inAlien: Romulus. The reboot never clarified whether the franchise’s android characters are capable of human emotion, meaning viewers are no closer to understanding characters like David and Bishop from earlier movies. Most inexplicably,Alien: Romulus’ ending brings back a problem that almost every new franchise outing has struggled with over the last few decades. Namely, director Fede Alvarez’s movie insists on improving on the so-called “Perfect organism.”
Every Upcoming Alien Movie & TV Show After Romulus
There will be further installments in the popular long-running science fiction horror franchise after the 2024 theatrical hit Alien: Romulus.
Alien: Romulus’ Xenomorph/Human Hybrid Is Yet Another Attempt To Reinvent The Xenomorph
Five Earlier Alien Movies Offered New Spins On The Xenomorph’s Design
InAlien: Romulus’ ending,the series once again tries to reinvent the original Xenomorph with Kay’s bizarre Xenomorph/human hybrid baby. This isn’t the first time the franchise has complicated the original Xenomorph’s sleek, simple design, nor even the fourth. The first and most successful was the introduction of the Alien Queen inAliens. Since this sequel armed the heroes with more firepower, the protagonists needed a bigger monster to level the playing field. However, every attempt since director James Cameron’s first sequel has been met with mixed reception.Alien: Romulus’ Kay deathonly adds to the list.
Alien: Romulus’ Xenomorph/human hybrid is among the more unsettling Xenomorph variants in terms of creature design,
Alien: Resurrection’s Newborn,Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem’s Predalien,Prometheus’ Neomorphs, and David’s experiments inAlien: Covenantwere all attempts to reinvent the Xenomorph and make the monster even scarier. Some of these were laughably silly, with the Newborn being arguably the most unintentionally funny sight in the entire franchise. Others were too unwieldy, like the Predalien, and others were simply unnecessary, such as the Neomorphs.Alien: Romulus’ Xenomorph/human hybrid is among the more unsettling Xenomorph variants in terms of creature design, but it’s not an innovation the franchise needed. Ultimately, the Xenomorph/human hybrid adds little toAlien: Romulus.
Alien: Romulus Revisited A Familiar Alien Franchise Problem
The Xenomorph’s Original Design Has Rarely Been Matched
The Alien Queen is as scary as the original Xenomorph but later creature designs, includingAlien: Romulus’ Xenomorph/human, aren’t as inspired. There is no denying thatKay’sAlien: Romulusdeath scene is terrifyingand the brutal sequence needed to end with the birth of a monster. However, the Xenomorph/human hybrid doesn’t add anything to the audience’s understanding of the Xenomorph life cycle. The Alien Queen ofAliensgave the sequel a thrilling finale but also explained how the Xenomorph functions, whileAlien: Romulus’ Xenomorph/human hybrid is merely another monster added to theAlienfranchise’s ever-growing lineup.
