Alien: Covenant - Movie Review
Let's break down with latest installment in the ever convoluted timeline of the Alien franchise! This is Ridley Scott's Alien: Covenant.
Synopsis & Background Check
Alien: Covenant is directed by Ridley Scott, returning once again to the helm of one of the most recognizable science-fiction franchises in film known simply as Alien.
As the prequel/ sequel to Prometheus and taking place in the year 2104, a crew of archaeologists traveling abroad the "Covenant" ship land on a remote planet still in search of mankind's creator. Upon exploring the unknown region, the crew soon makes a frightening discovery and their lives are put on the line.
While I wasn't the biggest fan of Prometheus, I'm still an advocate for this iconic franchise. Alien & Aliens are both achievements in the science fiction and action genres, those two films still hold up incredibly well to this day.
Naturally, I'm going to look forward to this. And what I got in return was everything I would expect in an Alien movie and a little bit more. Alien: Covenant isn't breaking new ground, but it is still a very exciting and a beautifully gory work of film.
The whole cast does a great job, there is no "weak link" in terms of character and acting choices. Two actors in particular I want to make note of are Michael Fassbender and surprisingly Danny McBride. McBride is awesome in this film. He's not the Danny McBride we've come to know in a lot of raunchy comedies, he actually has some solid acting chops and Covenant gave him the platform to stretch those acting muscles.
Michael Fassbender deserves a lot of praise for this dual role as androids David and Walter. A lot of this film's story relies on Fassbender's characters and he does not disappoint in any scene he is in.
Per usual, Ridley Scott always puts his creative touch on his films and Covenant is no exception. This is another beautifully gorgeous sci-fi film. Scott is very meticulous in the way he directs and shoots a scene. Every shot has a reasoning behind it, whether it's to build magnitude or to build tension. It's evident when our travelers scope out this deserted planet to the gruesome, bloody horror scenes that we've come to know.
As for negatives, Covenant does follow the same formula in regards to storytelling. A lot of the story does feel like the first Alien movie, but sprinkled in with a few different ideas. While I do appreciate the new tweaks on the Alien mythology, it does feel somewhat rehashed.
Final Take
All in all, Alien: Covenant comes off as a strong mixture of the first Alien film and Prometheus which does pay off well. Hardcore Alien fans will get the awesome, horrifying sequences they've come to know and hardcore Prometheus fans will get SOME answers to the long-lasting Alien lore. I still had a great time with Covenant, it is a strong return to form for the entire Alien franchise and embodies everything an Alien movie should be.
I'm going to give Alien: Covenant a solid "B" on the movie grading scale. Small disclaimer: for as many answers that are given to you in this film, you're going to walk out with the same amount of new questions. A typical Alien flick!
As always, thanks so much for reading and make sure to stay posted to Frank’s Takes for more reviews. Until next time, keep it 100.
