Alien Covenant

Hello everyone! It’s been a few month’s since I have written any movie reviews. For some good and bad reasons. Mostly because I have been really busy and most of what I have watched didn’t warrant writing anything about.

Not that the following movie I review here is really worth writing about, but I figured I have strong enough feelings about this picture that it made a good piece to return to What I Watch I Review with.

So read on to see what I think of

Directed By Ridley Scott

Written By Jon Logan and Dante Harper

Starring Michael Fassbender
                Katherine Waterson
                Billy Crudup
                Danny McBride
                Demain Bichir
                Carmen Ejogo


Umm, can we please get an actual Alien film next time around? If there is a next time.

At least Prometheus left off ‘Alien’ letting you know it was not going to be in the same vein as the original four films. Alien Covenant should have followed in the same vein and just called itself ‘Covenant.’

Not that leaving Alien off would have made the film any better.

Let me get this out of the way first. This is a well-made film in terms of production values – even if a few scenes of the ‘Aliens’ hatching look terrible. It is directed competently but not in a stellar fashion by Ridley Scott, and has a passable script.

By now, you have probably figured out this is not going to be a glowing review. You’re right. True. I’ve already written the most positive things I can about the film.

I have seen and read positive reviews – heard this called Ridley’s return to form. I’ve seen positive fan reaction.

To all this I ask: What the Hell film did you see?

Alien Covenant is a long, boring, stale film. The sad fact is it actually does go somewhere and does answer many questions. Problem is where it goes is in the wrong direction and the answers are utterly disappointing.

I want to praise Michael Fassbender’s dual performance, but I can’t. The reason being is that his characters, and his characters’ ties to the Xenomorph Origin presented in the film are what disappointed and enraged me about this film.

I don’t understand why we need an origin for the Xenomorph, especially the one we are being presented. One that threatens to show that the Alien, isn’t alien.

After two long, boring hours and reveals that threaten not just to deconstruct the Alien Universe, but destroy it, Covenant ends with a punch-to-the-gut cliff hanger. A true “Oh No,” moment that everyone had to see coming.

If this had been a better film, the cliff hanger would have worked. It should have been an “Oh NO” NOT THAT moment, getting people excited for the next film.

Instead all this really inspired was: “Oh No!” not another film!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Long, boring, disappointing. If we are to get an origin, this shouldn’t be it. Alien Covenant is clichéd and covering ground many Alien knock-offs have covered for years. The direction this is going in does more to ruin the franchise and begs the question WHY?

If this was a wholly new creative endeavor with no one involved from the original films, maybe it wouldn’t be so disappointing. But it isn’t. This is Ridley Scott, director and one of Alien’s original creators.

RATING:
Disappointing. Alien fans avoid.