Alien: Romulus first critics reactions are in as they praise director Fede Alvarez's film that takes the franchise in 'a crazy new direction'
With just three days before Alien: Romulus hits theaters, the first critic reactions from the highly-anticipated sci-fi thriller are in.
Director Fede Alvarez's thriller is set between the original 1979 classic Alien and the 1986 sequel Aliens, telling a brand new story within the franchise.
While the full reviews aren't in quite yet, social media reactions from several critics across the country have started flooding in on X (formerly Twitter).
Many of them praise writer-director Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead remake) for film, insisting that it isn't full of 'fan service' like many new franchise films are.
One critic - The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit - even claimed that the film takes the 40-year franchise, 'in a crazy new direction.'
![With just three days before Alien : Romulus hits theaters, the first critic reactions from the highly-anticipated sci-fi thriller are in](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500583-13740935-With_just_three_days_before_Alien_Romulus_hits_theaters_the_firs-a-1_1723596078311.jpg)
With just three days before Alien : Romulus hits theaters, the first critic reactions from the highly-anticipated sci-fi thriller are in
![Director Fede Alvarez's thriller is set between the original 1979 classic Alien and the 1986 sequel Aliens , telling a brand new story within the franchise.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500523-13740935-Director_Fede_Alvarez_s_thriller_is_set_between_the_original_197-a-4_1723596078987.jpg)
Director Fede Alvarez's thriller is set between the original 1979 classic Alien and the 1986 sequel Aliens , telling a brand new story within the franchise.
![One critic - The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit - even claimed that the film takes the 40-year franchise, 'in a crazy new direction'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500367-13740935-One_critic_The_Hollywood_Reporter_s_Borys_Kit_even_claimed_that_-a-5_1723596079069.jpg)
One critic - The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit - even claimed that the film takes the 40-year franchise, 'in a crazy new direction'
![Many of them praise writer-director Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead remake) for film, insisting that it isn't full of 'fan service' like many new franchise films are](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500571-13740935-Many_of_them_praise_writer_director_Fede_Alvarez_Evil_Dead_remak-a-6_1723596079268.jpg)
Many of them praise writer-director Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead remake) for film, insisting that it isn't full of 'fan service' like many new franchise films are
'Alien: Romulus: Has all the great hallmarks of what you would expect in an Alien flick but never feels like it’s pandering to nostalgia or fan service…and even goes into a crazy new direction. Fede Alvarez & the cast just gave birth to summer’s best movie,' Kit tweeted after attending the film's premiere.
Variety's Jazz Tangcay added, '#AlienRomulus The b***h is back. Was skeptical going in, but this is easily one of the better films in the franchise.'
Fede Álvarez doesn't disappoint. Awesome sound design and world-building. The practical effects are so good that the film gave me nightmares,' she added.
MovieWeb's Richard Fink tweeted, 'I really dug #AlienRomulus! It’s a gory monster movie with some truly inventive set pieces. Act 3 had me gasping in horror.'
He added, 'It does play like a best of the Alien franchise for better and worse (one element I did not like) but it feels like the sequels finally found their footing.'
Gizmodo's Germain Lussier added, '#AlienRomulus is a bonkers roller coaster ride through the previous six Alien movies, using bits of all them, to tell a focused, mostly standalone story filled with glorious gore & scares. It gets better as it goes along, ending with a phenomenal big swing of a third act.'
The early reactions weren't all positive, though, with Next Best Movies' Brendan Hodges calling it, 'mostly a gratuitous nostalgia play.'
He added the film remixes elements from the past films, 'with some occasionally strong thrills, but in a franchise famous for its psychosexual weirdness, it's the safest, blandest and most vapid the series has ever been. I did not love it.'
![Variety's Jazz Tangcay added, '#AlienRomulus The b***h is back. Was skeptical going in, but this is easily one of the better films in the franchise.'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500359-13740935-Variety_s_Jazz_Tangcay_added_AlienRomulus_The_b_h_is_back_Was_sk-a-7_1723596079269.jpg)
Variety's Jazz Tangcay added, '#AlienRomulus The b***h is back. Was skeptical going in, but this is easily one of the better films in the franchise.'
![MovieWeb's Richard Fink tweeted, 'I really dug #AlienRomulus! It¿s a gory monster movie with some truly inventive set pieces. Act 3 had me gasping in horror'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500379-13740935-MovieWeb_s_Richard_Fink_tweeted_I_really_dug_AlienRomulus_It_s_a-a-2_1723596078546.jpg)
MovieWeb's Richard Fink tweeted, 'I really dug #AlienRomulus! It’s a gory monster movie with some truly inventive set pieces. Act 3 had me gasping in horror'
![Gizmodo's Germain Lussier added, '#AlienRomulus is a bonkers roller coaster ride through the previous six Alien movies, using bits of all them, to tell a focused, mostly standalone story filled with glorious gore & scares. It gets better as it goes along, ending with a phenomenal big swing of a third act'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500361-13740935-Gizmodo_s_Germain_Lussier_added_AlienRomulus_is_a_bonkers_roller-a-10_1723596079408.jpg)
Gizmodo's Germain Lussier added, '#AlienRomulus is a bonkers roller coaster ride through the previous six Alien movies, using bits of all them, to tell a focused, mostly standalone story filled with glorious gore & scares. It gets better as it goes along, ending with a phenomenal big swing of a third act'
![The early reactions weren't all positive, though, with Next Best Movies' Brendan Hodges calling it, 'mostly a gratuitous nostalgia play.'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500371-13740935-The_early_reactions_weren_t_all_positive_though_with_Next_Best_M-a-3_1723596078719.jpg)
The early reactions weren't all positive, though, with Next Best Movies' Brendan Hodges calling it, 'mostly a gratuitous nostalgia play.'
![Good Day Chicago's Jake Hamilton wasn't completely on board either, tweeting, 'There¿s a lot about Alien: Romulus. I like ¿ some truly creative moments in the first two acts that I REALLY dug. However, the finale takes a BIG swing that just didn¿t work for me and left me feeling underwhelmed. A creative but flawed Alien film, however: Prometheus > Romulus'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500363-13740935-Good_Day_Chicago_s_Jake_Hamilton_wasn_t_completely_on_board_eith-a-8_1723596079269.jpg)
Good Day Chicago's Jake Hamilton wasn't completely on board either, tweeting, 'There’s a lot about Alien: Romulus. I like — some truly creative moments in the first two acts that I REALLY dug. However, the finale takes a BIG swing that just didn’t work for me and left me feeling underwhelmed. A creative but flawed Alien film, however: Prometheus > Romulus'
![Neon Splatter's Rob Dean added, '#AlienRomulus is a pretty good movie¿before it all falls apart. Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are *Excellent*. Dope sets and costuming. A few thrilling sequences! But too much nostalgia, too little logic, and a hugely disappointing (yet overly familiar) ending ruin it all'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500375-13740935-Neon_Splatter_s_Rob_Dean_added_AlienRomulus_is_a_pretty_good_mov-a-9_1723596079331.jpg)
Neon Splatter's Rob Dean added, '#AlienRomulus is a pretty good movie—before it all falls apart. Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are *Excellent*. Dope sets and costuming. A few thrilling sequences! But too much nostalgia, too little logic, and a hugely disappointing (yet overly familiar) ending ruin it all'
![Freelance critic Courtney Howard added, 'Fede Alvarez¿s #AlienRomulus is gnarly, gripping & gorgeously bleak (everything from the story to Olivares¿ cinematography to Wallfisch¿s score). Innovatively delivering smart, savvy stuff, subtly playing the greatest hits. Cailee Spaeny & David Jonsson dominate. This rules!'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500373-13740935-Freelance_critic_Courtney_Howard_added_Fede_Alvarez_s_AlienRomul-a-12_1723596079429.jpg)
Freelance critic Courtney Howard added, 'Fede Alvarez’s #AlienRomulus is gnarly, gripping & gorgeously bleak (everything from the story to Olivares’ cinematography to Wallfisch’s score). Innovatively delivering smart, savvy stuff, subtly playing the greatest hits. Cailee Spaeny & David Jonsson dominate. This rules!'
![Alien: Romulus is shockingly good. This movie is so inventive with horror, thrills, and visuals while never crossing into gratuitous blood or gore. It emulates the original Alien movies so well. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor in the third act. That was insane. Wow.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/08/14/01/88500377-13740935-Alien_Romulus_is_shockingly_good_This_movie_is_so_inventive_with-a-11_1723596079429.jpg)
Alien: Romulus is shockingly good. This movie is so inventive with horror, thrills, and visuals while never crossing into gratuitous blood or gore. It emulates the original Alien movies so well. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor in the third act. That was insane. Wow.
Good Day Chicago's Jake Hamilton wasn't completely on board either, tweeting, 'There’s a lot about Alien: Romulus. I like — some truly creative moments in the first two acts that I REALLY dug. However, the finale takes a BIG swing that just didn’t work for me and left me feeling underwhelmed. A creative but flawed Alien film, however: Prometheus > Romulus.'
Neon Splatter's Rob Dean added, '#AlienRomulus is a pretty good movie—before it all falls apart. Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are *Excellent*. Dope sets and costuming. A few thrilling sequences! But too much nostalgia, too little logic, and a hugely disappointing (yet overly familiar) ending ruin it all.'
Freelance critic Courtney Howard added, 'Fede Alvarez’s #AlienRomulus is gnarly, gripping & gorgeously bleak (everything from the story to Olivares’ cinematography to Wallfisch’s score). Innovatively delivering smart, savvy stuff, subtly playing the greatest hits. Cailee Spaeny & David Jonsson dominate. This rules!'
ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis added, 'Alien: Romulus is shockingly good. This movie is so inventive with horror, thrills, and visuals while never crossing into gratuitous blood or gore. It emulates the original Alien movies so well. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor in the third act. That was insane. Wow.'