Alien: Covenant

[Brian in Mesa]

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[Brian in Mesa]

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[Brian in Mesa]

Alien: Covenant

Release date: May 19, 2017
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Ridley Scott
MPAA Rating: R (for sci-fi violence, bloody images, language and some sexuality/nudity)
Screenwriter: John Logan
Genre: Science fiction film/Thriller
Website: FoxMovies.com| Facebook| Twitter

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demian Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollet, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby, Noomi Rapace, James Franco

Plot Summary: Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with "Alien: Covenant," a new chapter in his groundbreaking "Alien" franchise. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.

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[puckhead]

This looks great!

 

[MadCardDisease]

"Aliens" has always been my favorite Sci-Fi movie. Sadly all of the movies that have followed it have never lived up to that second installment or even the original for that matter. Still I will go and see every new sequel and follow on movie with the hope that someone will be able to recapture the greatness of "Aliens".

"Alien Covenant" was no where near as good as "Aliens" or "Alien". However I feel of all the sequels and spin offs that followed those first two, Covenant was the first that I have truly enjoyed.

In fact Covenant reminded me a lot of the original "Alien" movie. I guess that makes sense as Ridley Scott directed both. This movie is clearly the sequel to Prometheus which he also directed and for me was a flop.

I felt Covenant started off with an excellent beginning to the film. The visuals were great and it felt real and engaging. Then it eventually returns to the same planet and a few years later where Prometheus ended. After that it followed the typical Alien formula. Still that solid beginning had me hooked.

I really was not happy with "Prometheus" and was very skeptical about this sequel. However I feel that Scott somewhat redeemed himself with Covenant. The plot and story line seemed much more believable this time around. The visuals were just as good if not better than "Prometheus" which was top of the line. Even though you knew what was coming next for most of the movie, I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

Was it perfect. Far from it. However I did really enjoy this one.

 

[AzStevenCal]

In fact Covenant reminded me a lot of the original "Alien" movie. I guess that makes sense as Ridley Scott directed both. This movie is clearly the sequel to Prometheus which he also directed and for me was a flop.

I enjoyed your review and it was really drawing me in but upon re-reading it, I was left with one huge concern. I loved Aliens and while none of the other movies in the direct or even Predator connected line held up to that one, I still enjoyed most of them (minus A3 and Requiem).

But as much as I loved the original the first 5 or 6 times I watched it, I eventually grew to dislike both the pacing and the atmosphere. I think I've outgrown pure horror movies and while I can still get behind a good action horror movie such as Aliens, I'm thinking I might be too old (of heart and mind) to sit through a true Alien clone, so to speak. So, I guess my question is, in what way does it remind you mostly of the original?

 

[MadCardDisease]

I enjoyed your review and it was really drawing me in but upon re-reading it, I was left with one huge concern. I loved Aliens and while none of the other movies in the direct or even Predator connected line held up to that one, I still enjoyed most of them (minus A3 and Requiem).

But as much as I loved the original the first 5 or 6 times I watched it, I eventually grew to dislike both the pacing and the atmosphere. I think I've outgrown pure horror movies and while I can still get behind a good action horror movie such as Aliens, I'm thinking I might be too old (of heart and mind) to sit through a true Alien clone, so to speak. So, I guess my question is, in what way does it remind you mostly of the original?

Yeah I totally get what you are saying. I recently re-watched Aliens with my kids and it wasn't as great as I remembered it being. Still I enjoyed it but it had lost some luster as I got older.

So for me Covenant had that edge of your seat suspense factor that I haven't had since I first saw Alien or Aliens. For me Aliens was more of a war movie with thousand of aliens attacking a band of humans. Where as the original Alien was a Crew trying to survive against one bad ass alien. So Covenant was more like Alien in that it wasn't a huge war like Aliens was. If that makes sense.

 

[Stout]

This was truly awful. They should name all these recent Aliens movies "Aliens: smart people doing stupid things in incredibly predictable ways."

 

[Cheesebeef]

This was truly awful. They should name all these recent Aliens movies "Aliens: smart people doing stupid things in incredibly predictable ways."

I wouldn't go so far as to call it awful, but it was VERY far from good.

It just brought very little new to the Alien table... well, except the explanation for how the xenomorphs came into existence.

 

[mojorizen7]

It was pretty good until the final 30 minutes or so and then it inevitably fell into all the trappings of the big blockbuster.

Better than Prometheus, which was very average.

 

[MadCardDisease]

It was pretty good until the final 30 minutes or so and then it inevitably fell into all the trappings of the big blockbuster.

Better than Prometheus, which was very average.

Yeah I totally agree. Was solid up until the end where the wheels kind of fell off.

 

[mojorizen7]

Props to Danny McBride for a solid performance in a dramatic, non-comedic role too. It's interesting, and i've heard it said by many directors that quite often, comedians and comic actors transition very well to more dramatic roles in film.

 

[cardncubfan]

Props to Danny McBride for a solid performance in a dramatic, non-comedic role too. It's interesting, and i've heard it said by many directors that quite often, comedians and comic actors transition very well to more dramatic roles in film.

There are whispers of academy award for Adam Sandler in his latest movie.

 

[Bert]

"Aliens" has always been my favorite Sci-Fi movie. Sadly all of the movies that have followed it have never lived up to that second installment or even the original for that matter. Still I will go and see every new sequel and follow on movie with the hope that someone will be able to recapture the greatness of "Aliens".

"Alien Covenant" was no where near as good as "Aliens" or "Alien". However I feel of all the sequels and spin offs that followed those first two, Covenant was the first that I have truly enjoyed.

In fact Covenant reminded me a lot of the original "Alien" movie. I guess that makes sense as Ridley Scott directed both. This movie is clearly the sequel to Prometheus which he also directed and for me was a flop.

I felt Covenant started off with an excellent beginning to the film. The visuals were great and it felt real and engaging. Then it eventually returns to the same planet and a few years later where Prometheus ended. After that it followed the typical Alien formula. Still that solid beginning had me hooked.

I really was not happy with "Prometheus" and was very skeptical about this sequel. However I feel that Scott somewhat redeemed himself with Covenant. The plot and story line seemed much more believable this time around. The visuals were just as good if not better than "Prometheus" which was top of the line. Even though you knew what was coming next for most of the movie, I was on the edge of my seat throughout.

Was it perfect. Far from it. However I did really enjoy this one.

Thanks for the review. I will go see it now, because the problem with positive reviews is that most of them would say; This was great just like Prometheus!

The problem with that was I HATED promethus seriously I thought that movie was hot garbage. However I do like the Alien franchise so for someone to say they didn't like promethus but they did like this, well that piques my interest! I'll check it out.

 

[Bodha]

There are whispers of academy award for Adam Sandler in his latest movie.

He shouldnt win anything as punishment for the garbage he's put out for the last 15 years. Money grab after money grab. Hes essentially the film industry version of the Kardashians, just destroying the fabric of society with trash.

So long as he starts making quality films, Ill respect him again.

 

[Western Font]

Bump, I guess. Finally saw this.

I enjoyed it, but agree with the positive reviews that say it's basically a good reboot. Strong female lead, untrustworthy android, xenonorph aboard final escape craft. Etc.

The thing that bugs me is that it kind of abandons the Prometheus storyline, which already bugged me. The origin of the xenonorph was an intriguing story, but why did it also have to be the origin of humanity? (I'm sure I posted same in the Prometheus thread - that it got 'Lindeloffed'.)

But if Prometheus ended with the lone human survivor plotting a course with David to the Engineer homeworld to get answers, it's doubly disappointing to not get answers, to have all the Engineers dead, Dr. Shaw dead, and for it all to be told in flashback.

The most compelling plot line is David's betrayal and his engineering of the xenonorph (and then his creators - the Weiland-Yutani Corp. -
attempting to control the xenonorph for its own purposes in the original Alien). But we didn't actually need the Engineers and their 'breeding' of humanity to get there.