'Alien: Romulus' review: A spine-chilling combination of sci-fi and body horror

The last time we saw Cailee Spaeny she played the wife of one of the most famous musicians on the planet as the title character in "Priscilla."

In her new film, "Alien: Romulus," a standalone "interquel" set between the events of "Alien" and "Aliens," she trades her ex-husband Elvis's Graceland for another weird, otherworldly place - outer space.

In the seventh instalment in the "Alien" franchise, Spaeny plays Rain Carradine, a new style Ellen Ripley, and one of a group of space scavengers fleeing their home planet, a dystopian hellhole run by a company whose ironic slogan reads, "Building a Better World."

"The company is not going to give us anything," says Bjorn (Spike Fearn), "we have to take it."

Cailee Spaeny as Rain Carradine in 20th Century Studios' "Alien: Romulus." (Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

To avoid working in the company's mines, a small group, including Rain, her model ND-255 synthetic "brother" Andy ("Industry's" David Jonsson), her ex-boyfriend Tyler (Archie Renaux), mine workers Bjorn and Kay (Isabela Merced), along with pilot Navarro (Aileen Wu), set off to rummage parts from a decommissioned space station.

But instead of space pods and spare parts, they discover the universe's most horrifying life form, the Xenomorph.

A horror film set in space, "Alien: Romulus" is a back-to-basics movie that owes a debt to the first two films in the franchise. The first part is all atmospherics and world building, reminiscent of the creeping dread that defined the original film. From the 45-minute mark - the first Facehugger sighting - director Fede Álvarez amps up the action and the stakes, dispensing the fast-paced intensity of James Cameron's "Aliens."

The result is a movie that finds a way to use our nostalgia for the original films as a springboard for some new ideas. Álvarez, along with co-writer Rodo Sayagues, steers the story to a wild final act that stays true to the franchise, but combines sci-fi and body horror in an unforgettable, spine-chilling fashion.

Isabela Merced as Kay in 20th Century Studios' "Alien: Romulus." (Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

Seven movies in - plus two "Alien vs. Predator" crossover flicks - nothing will ever beat the original chest-bursting scene for sheer shock and awe, but "Alien: Romulus's" aggressive Facehuggers and Xenomorph are still potent horror images.

They're iconic in their hideousness, drip acidic blood and, if that wasn't enough, force their proboscis down throats to impregnate their victims. Álvarez uses them to unnerving effect, mixing the creatures with a zombie synthetic character, some House of Horrors visuals and enough graphic, gory and grim practical effects to provide a pedal to the metal thrill ride.

"Alien: Romulus" doesn't have the thematic depth of some of the other films in the series, but it delivers a crowd-pleasing and exciting link between the first and second movies on the "Alien" franchise timeline.

4 out of 5 stars