In an era when the movie industry is growing more and more reliant on established IP, it’s great to see a franchise film really show its worth beyond just making money. Don’t get me wrong, “Alien: Romulus” is tracking towards a strong opening weekend at the box office. But what’s more exciting is seeing director and co-writer Fede Álvarez return to the franchise’s roots. Shades of his work in 2013’s “Evil Dead” and 2016’s “Don’t Breathe” are hard to miss. But it’s Álvarez’s clear esteem for the earlier Alien films that make this such a treat.

“Alien: Romulus” is the seventh installment in the long-running sci-fi horror franchise. Its story (co-written by Álvarez and his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues) is set between the events of Ridley Scott’s seminal 1979 classic “Alien” and James Cameron’s equally brilliant 1986 sequel “Aliens”. While it’s not directly connected to either of those movies, “Romulus” fits nicely with both, in style, in tone, and in quality.

“Romulus” tells a contained story which (much like the original “Alien”) proves to be a big strength. A small handful of characters, a confined setting, a terrifying unknown threat – it’s a formula that has fit this franchise well and Álvarez utilizes it to perfection. We may not learn much new and “Romulus” may not catapult the franchise into uncharted directions. But it is an extraordinary Alien movie.

One of the first things you’ll notice is that “Romulus” looks and sounds amazing. It has become somewhat cliché to say, but this is a film that begs to be seen on the big screen (it’s hard to believe 20th Century Studios once considered releasing it exclusively on Hulu). The movie is a technical marvel as seen in its spectacular practical and digital effects, Galo Olivares’ jaw-dropping cinematography, and awards-worthy production design from Naaman Marshall.

Narratively, the story does everything we need it to do. It patiently introduces the characters, defines their mission and motivations, and then plunges them and us into a perilous and propulsive nightmare. Álvarez nails the tone and steadily ratchets up suffocating tension on his way to a bonkers ending that hits you with something you’ll never see coming.

As for the cast and characters, Álvarez puts together a solid ensemble to play a group of young space colonists living on an oppressive corporate mining planet. The group of friends consists of Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny), her adopted android brother, Andy (David Jonsson), Rain’s boyfriend, Tyler (Archie Renaux), Tyler’s sister, Kay (Isabela Merced), the mouthy Bjorn (Spike Fearn), and Bjorn’s girlfriend Navarro (Aileen Wu).

The mining operation is ran by Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a name Alien fans are very familiar with. The company runs the colony through forced labor contracts which keeps the people obligated to work. Even worse, they withhold travel permits under everchanging contract quotas which further restricts their workers from leaving. Tired of their harsh conditions, the friends resolve not to end up like their parents who all died working in the mines.

After getting word that a derelict Weyland space station has drifted into the planet’s orbit, they hatch a plan – sneak aboard the vacant station and steal cryo-pods so they can make the long journey to a far away paradise planet. Once onboard they’ll have three hours until the station crashes into the planet’s rings and is obliterated. That would be more than enough time if not for the horrifying discoveries they make. You guessed it – xenomorphs.

Spaeny’s star is steadily rising and she continues the franchise’s trend of strong female protagonists. We don’t get much in terms of her backstory with most of it coming through Andy. We learn Andy was given to Rain by her late father who programmed him with a collection of bad dad jokes and a prime directive to take care of her at all costs. But over the course of the film, it’s Andy’s dramatic evolution that makes him the film’s most compelling character.

“Alien: Romulus” is sprinkled with cool nods to the franchise’s mythology including some ingenious connections to the original “Alien”. Much comes through the effort poured into the details, from the costumes to computer terminals to the space station design. And of course the alien effects are superb, once again proving the xenomorphs to be one of cinema’s most terrifying creations. Overall Álvarez may not bring many groundbreaking new ideas, but he understands the nuts-and-bolts mechanics and has the necessary passion. And that’s what makes this an exhilarating triumph that delivers everything Alien fans could want. “Alien: Romulus” opens in theaters today.

VERDICT – 4.5 STARS