The return of action effects in Alien: Romulus promises fans of the return to origin saga

Alien: Romulus is back with practical effects, news that will please fans of the franchise tired of CGI-laden episodes. This film promises to focus on the human characters and return to the horror origins of the original Alien films.

Functional effects and timelines

As the premiere of Romulus approaches, director Fede Alvarez has detailed the practical effects and death toll we’ll see in the film. This “Midkill” features a cast led by Cailee Spaeny, and also includes David Johnson, Arch Reneaux, Isabella Merced, Spike Fern and Eileen Wu. Unlike the previous releases in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, Alien: Romulus follows a group of thieves who board the abandoned space station of the same name to steal valuable technology.

During Screen Rant’s Alien: Romulus panel at San Diego Comic-Con, actor Arch Reneaux and director Fede Alvarez shared their experiences with practical effects. Rennox mentions that he spoke with Alvarez and was relieved to learn that many of the sets and effects will be implemented, adding that the world is handled well. Alvarez talked about the practical effects of the film and how much fun he had making the film, teasing that the film was shot in chronological order and that “there’s a lot of death” in the film.

From the words of the main actors

Renaux: Everything was very, very practical, and that was good. When I first spoke to Federation about this project, they told me that everything will be built and the world will be very, very real, and that’s what you want as an actor. I’ve never done the tennis ball thing, but if someone wants to give me a job with a tennis ball, I’ll do it. But for me, I think that when the Fed said that everything would be practical and everything would be very constructive, I said, “Yes.” I think the world is very, very well managed.

Alvarez: It’s very challenging when you go in to make another film in that world. But usually the pressure goes away when you subtly realize you’re in it, it might not make sense to a lot of people to me, but when you suddenly realize, you look around, and I’m in a Weyland-Yutani vibe. And the colony baking and all the rotating vehicles are real, and I can look around and there’s a neon sign, an Aliens bar sign, and lots of stuff. [increíbles]So be able to be in this real spaceship.

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A return to practical effects is a positive sign for the saga

After Prometheus and Covenant, Romulus might be the best film in the saga. The design of the titular monster, the work of the late HR Giger, should be free of CGI weirdness, and Romulus seems to be restoring the franchise to its functional glory. The decision to go back to practical effects suggests a creative team committed to the raw horror of previous Alien films, especially the first one.

Prometheus was considered a solid film by critics, but it took a direction that many fans of the franchise didn’t like, much like Covenant. However, with the new film, it looks like the franchise is going back to its roots, and that decision has been very well received by fans so far, although the Romulus trailers seem to have given a lot away. As far as the story is concerned, the film focuses on a group of people who stumble upon fear without the addition of artificial intelligence, who receive more attention and advancement than their human counterparts.

A worthy successor to the original

Prometheus and Covenant focused on the final scene, focusing on the development of David (played by Michael Fassbender) rather than the people. While it’s interesting at times, and Fassbender’s performance is well-received, it overshadows the horrors of the human characters. Romulus doesn’t seem to follow this same mistake, focusing more on the backstory of its human characters to develop them and make it more narrative, which makes possible deaths more impactful.

Romulus is well on its way to becoming a worthy successor in the franchise, and its focus on practical effects and human horror promises to appeal to longtime fans and new viewers alike.