Alien: Romulus is the last word piece of fan artwork impressed by the Alien franchise. In case you consider every Alien movie as a shade of paint, and director Fede Alvarez because the artist, Romulus is all of them blended collectively to create a completely new image. Every of the sequels and prequels is in there in some way. Typically they’re recognizable. Different occasions they’re only a splatter on the aspect. However when seen as a complete, the result’s a singular, standout—and standalone—work that’s oddly acquainted however nonetheless thrilling and contemporary. Followers will like it, however you don’t must be a fan to take pleasure in it.

Set between the occasions of Ridley Scott’s 1979 unique and James Cameron’s 1986 sequel (with some direct hyperlinks to the previous), Alien: Romulus facilities on a younger lady named Rain (Cailee Spaeny). Rain is an orphan engaged on a sunless planet whose solely remaining household is her brother Andy (David Jonsson). Andy, nevertheless, isn’t her organic brother. In actual fact he’s not organic in any respect. He’s an artificial and programmed by her mother and father to maintain her protected.

When Rain realizes there’s an opportunity she could by no means get off this dead-end planet, she, Andy, and a bunch of mates (performed by Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu) plan one thing massive. They’ve discovered a seemingly undiscovered ship proper above the planet which, they assume, holds the keys to their escape. Sadly for them, what it truly holds is a bunch of killer aliens and every little thing that comes with it, however they don’t know that but.

This setup offers Alien: Romulus some attention-grabbing and ripe blocks to construct from. The buddies discuss altering their fates. Doing higher than their mother and father who lived and died on their planet. Seizing an opportunity to do one thing higher with their lives. From this, you anticipate Romulus to proceed to discover the characters spreading their wings. As a substitute, the one factor they unfold is their brains over numerous elements of the thriller ship. Which, after all, is strictly what you need from an Alien movie. You need the motion, the gore, and the scares. However Alien: Romulus so wholly pivots from its early concepts that it’s a bit disappointing. The change additionally contributes to the movie dragging a bit in its first half because the characters go from folks with hopes and goals to folks with no heartbeat.

That’s the one factor that’s disappointing although. As soon as Alien: Romulus will get cooking, it’s constructed for pure Alien enjoyment. Alvarez is clearly a fan of this world and manifests that by taking every little thing you understand concerning the franchise and pushing it a bit of additional. You get new wrinkles with the Face Huggers. The Chest Burster scene has a twist, and the alien’s acid blood turns into an particularly necessary and terrifying a part of the movie. It takes every little thing you like and makes it higher. If something, the precise aliens themselves could be the least scary part.

As that is all occurring, these sprinkles of the opposite Alien movies are all the time current. Perhaps it’s a bit of set ornament. Perhaps it’s a flip of phrase. But it surely’s all there in a method that’s not often overwhelming or apparent. It’s solely apparent should you’re the sort of one that is aware of what the doorways appeared like on the Nostromo or all about sentry weapons on LV-426. In any other case, every little thing goes by unnoticed as you get wrapped up watching the characters battle, and principally fail, for his or her lives.

There’s, nevertheless, another egregious nod to the franchise which form of works and form of doesn’t. It really works in that it’s utterly logical for this specific story, and doesn’t as a result of it’s totally depending on visible results. Nonetheless, the movie is so full of surprises and pleasure that even one thing so blatant and misplaced is forgivable. Particularly if it elevates the story which, on this case, it does.

Pacing in Alien: Romulus can be noteworthy as a result of the entire thing frequently snowballs. After the exposition-heavy set-up, a principally slower second act results in a ultimate half-hour or so which might be like a rocketship with fireworks on high. After one or two of the perfect scenes in the whole Alien franchise (no hyperbole), Alvarez offers the movie one final wonderful reveal. It’s an enormous swing that feels greater than a bit of impressed by a particular sequel the place it didn’t work—however right here, it suits higher, giving the movie a contemporary end that’s rousing and memorable.

Ultimately, Alien: Romulus has its hiccups. It’s lacking just a few dashes of cohesion, doesn’t have the thematic resonance it teases originally, and it’s a bit of backloaded. But it surely’s an extremely enjoyable sci-fi motion horror film that units a brand new normal for what a legacy sequel could be. In area, nobody can hear you scream, however in a movie show, they will. And they’re going to once you watch Alien: Romulus. It’s in theaters on Friday.

Need extra io9 information? Try when to anticipate the newest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s subsequent for the DC Universe on movie and TV, and every little thing you might want to find out about the way forward for Physician Who.