Fede Álvarez understands that there is a fine line between an homage, a sequel and a rip-off.

His first film, a remake of Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead," leaned more into the grueling horror of the low-budget 1981 original than its more comedic 1986 predecessor, and helped revitalize the franchise. After launching his own series with "Don't Breathe," he wrote and directed "The Girl in the Spider's Web," a sequel to David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," which was less successful than his (or Fincher's) previous work but further established him as a versatile stylist capable of infusing a film with personality while working within studio boundaries.

Álvarez puts those skills to further use in “Alien: Romulus,” the seventh film in the “Alien” franchise (without pitting xenomorphs against Predators, mind you). In a franchise better defined by prequels, digressions and canonical sidequests than a clear, straightforward timeline, he’s crafted an entry that’s set roughly 20 years after the events of Ridley Scott’s original film, putting it a few decades before James Cameron’s propulsive sequel.

Drawing on a seemingly endless — certainly well-documented — well of world-building, Álvarez splits the difference between Scott and Cameron for his aesthetic, while delivering a story and crowd-pleasing thrills that feel thoroughly modern. The credits font and the technology employed by the characters are there to please longtime “Alien” fans; the youthful cast and thoughtful pacing will entice newcomers. It’s a balance his previous work has taught him to strike.