Audiences flooded theaters in flocks this year to watch the newest installment in the Sci-Fi Horror franchise “Alien.” Alien: Romulus released on August 16, and the film continues to hit milestones in the box office. I was one of the many moviegoers who entered the theater ready to embark on an unsettling adventure in space, and I did not leave disappointed.

Alien: Romulus opens by introducing you to its main two characters; Rain and Andy. I found myself liking and sympathizing with the two characters from the get go. The dynamics of the characters’ relationship with each other, the company they work for and later the crew they are with, makes them characters I kind of fell in love with. Throughout all the tense moments of the movie I really cared about what would happen to Rain and Andy.

Relating to the two main characters, they and the side characters had wonderful actors. The performances in this movie felt organic and real. Moments where I felt the acting was most exemplary include when actress Isabela Merced let out a blood curdling scream, and when David Jonsson switched between android characters with ease.

I also enjoyed the effects of the movie a ton. The aliens in the movie feel like a true threat with great visuals and practical effects producing a frightening creature called the xenomorph. I loved the cinematography and lighting in the movie as well. Scenes were never too dark or too bright, and colors always seemed effective. One other important aspect of the effects in the movie that created an environment I enjoyed was the sound design. Music and the sound effects were utilized perfectly, with sound cutting out in the scenes based in space.

The movie also provides a compelling plot, one about struggling workers on a mining planet that want to escape to a planet of perceived paradise. I understood the struggle and hope of the characters, and thought the desperation they exhibited in trying to get to paradise through the experiences they faced on the Renaissance spacecraft was believable and almost disturbing.

Before watching Alien: Romulus I had never seen an Alien movie, and tend to not enjoy thrillers and horror. This movie captivated me throughout the entirety of its runtime of 119 minutes and made me appreciate this franchise and genre of film. I loved Alien: Romulus, would recommend it, and rate it a solid 8.5/10.