Title: Alien: Romulus
MPA Rating: R
Director: Fede Alvarez
Starring: Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins

What It Is: A group of young scavengers from a mining colony decide to test their fate by attempting to strip a derelict space station: the USCSS Nostromo. If we know anything, it’s that they won’t be alone on that ship. Sooner or later, they’ll find out what happened to the crew of the Nostromo. Rain (Spaeny) and her replicant brother Andy (Jonsson) will do whatever they can to survive the unknown threat that’s onboard and chasing after them.

What We Think: This ranks among the highest marks for this long-running franchise. I dare say it is only rivaled by the series’ original entry. It’s horrifying, tense, and filled to the brim with sci-fi goodness. Cailee Spaeny is on an absolute roll. Following a career-defining turn in Priscilla last year and A24’s incredible Civil War, she delivers yet another noteworthy performance. David Jonsson embodies his role, pulling off an outstanding performance here—one that will be remembered as a surprising contender for the most underrated and understated acting jobs of the year. Fede Álvarez is completely in his bag here, and letting him cut loose on this franchise might have just saved it. It deserves someone like Fede. Luckily for those of us who pray at Ridley Scott’s altar, we get something even he couldn’t have pulled off. He just couldn’t.

Our Grade: A+, This is one of my favorite films of the year. It has everything you want—tension, terror, and incredible acting. Every single second of this film is thrilling. Fede Álvarez went out there and made the film he wanted to make, and we’re all the better for it. We need more from him. Where this series goes next will be interesting—far more interesting than it has been at any point since Aliens.