Read Mixed User Reviews for Alien: Covenant

6

MustisTheCatMay 19, 2017

The movie just doesn`t know what it wants to be. All the cast except Fassbender is expendable.
Even dumber plotholes than in Prometheus.
Unsatisfying conclusion to the Prometheus lore. Unsatisfying conclusion to Elizabeth Shaw`s journey.The movie just doesn`t know what it wants to be. All the cast except Fassbender is expendable.
Even dumber plotholes than in Prometheus.
Unsatisfying conclusion to the Prometheus lore.
Unsatisfying conclusion to Elizabeth Shaw`s journey.
Insulting Alien lore. The Xenomorph is all CGI, doesn`t look realistic at all.
The movie also looks beatiful and sounds awesome but that is it.… Expand

7 of 20 users found this helpful713

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6

judahjsnMay 20, 2017

I couldn't have hated Prometheus more. This however, was really inspired. The tone, editing, score, script, scares and, most importantly acting (particularly from Fassbender) were all flawless. I guess Ridley Scott still has it. Who knew?

OfI couldn't have hated Prometheus more. This however, was really inspired. The tone, editing, score, script, scares and, most importantly acting (particularly from Fassbender) were all flawless. I guess Ridley Scott still has it. Who knew?

Of all of Fassbender's incredible performances so far, this might be the best yet.… Expand

19 of 37 users found this helpful1918

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6

TyranianApr 7, 2019

Visually very strong but franchise has really lost all originality or interest. Should be put to rest.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

SpangleMay 27, 2017

One of the most divisive films in recent memory has to be Ridley Scott's Prometheus. Depicting a manned mission to space to find where we came from, the film marked Scott's return to the Alien franchise and was a wildly imaginative andOne of the most divisive films in recent memory has to be Ridley Scott's Prometheus. Depicting a manned mission to space to find where we came from, the film marked Scott's return to the Alien franchise and was a wildly imaginative and gorgeously designed science fiction film. It unlocked secrets in a magical world of mystery, all while delivering the roots of the xenomorphs that have come to define the franchise. However, its dumb character actions have led many to write it off as trash. Obviously, I disagree, but the complaint is fair. Alien: Covenant marks yet another divisive return to the beloved franchise for Scott and it certainly could wind up being remembered as even more divisive than its predecessor. Recently, Scott has had a nasty issue of not answering questions. Prometheus, as the beginning of a new prequel trilogy, is obviously loaded with open questions. Now, Covenant is planned to be the final sequential film in the trilogy and, yet, it leaves open questions in the name of having its prequel (and Prometheus' sequel) answer those questions. While this film works for the most part, Ridley Scott really needs to not do this. For its faults, Rogue One got this perfectly with a prequel that answered questions from the original and then just led right up to its beginning. Compared to that one, Covenant is certainly not nearly as fulfilling. This, and Prometheus, are intended to be prequels to the originals, but seem wholly different and not related at all, even if they feature the same beasts. There is a disconnect and, as a result, they are best enjoyed as a new science fiction franchise inspired by Alien.

In saying that, it is certainly heavily inspired by Alien. Ridley Scott seems to have abandoned all of the compelling ideas of Prometheus in favor of a greatest hits album from Alien and Alien. With the crew of Covenant armed to the teeth and frequently engaging in shootouts with the xenomorphs, the film constantly calls back to the action roots of James Cameron's brilliant sequel. Meanwhile, Scott tosses in about fifty chest-bursters and face-huggers for lovers of Alien, as well as smart guys touching those weird egg testicle things only to get killed. While the film is undeniably terrifying in its own right, Covenant never really feels like it is treading new ground. Prometheus, for all of its faults, was far more imaginative with its mythology. Covenant, in ditching that and going for the visceral and gory fear of the original, has practically nothing to say. Should Scott follow through on Alien: Awakening, it promises to be far more compelling, as long as it can blend the fear from Covenant with the ideas of Prometheus.

That is not to say that Scott abandoned everything from Prometheus, of course. He insisted on keeping the plot holes and vague references to the past that raise questions that, theoretically, will be answered later in the prequel to this film, Awakening. Unfortunately, as the second film and third entry into this film, it is about time we get answers and not more questions. The most egregious example here would be the scene of David unleashing the virus on the Prometheus muscly white dudes. There are two problems with this scene, mostly because it is a flashback. For one, the film is set ten years after Prometheus. In that film, these white dudes are mostly gone. Now, before ten years, it is bursting with life. This is absolutely impossible, so the timeline makes no sense. So, then the next jump is that he arrived beforehand, which is also impossible. As a result, it is a sequence that looks cool, but actually makes no sense whatsoever with what we already know. This misstep hints at how detrimentally underwritten Covenant is and how it seems to even ignore its own timeline.

As with any modern blockbuster, one of the key elements of Covenant is obviously its sense of spectacle. With wondrous special effects in Prometheus, one could only hope for the same with this film. Featuring gorgeous ship design - especially the embryo holders, which are a nice touch - and absolutely spectacular special effects in the sequence where the xenomorph gets kicked off of the ship, Covenant is undeniably a visual feast. However, it even has faults here. There is a sequence on the cargo hold where Daniels (Katherine Waterston) fights a xenomorph as Tennessee (Danny McBride) flies the cargo hold and, unfortunately, the effects are dreadful. It is clearly done in front of a green screen with no blending done to make its effects look natural. As a result, it is a scene that sticks out as a sour thumb and never looks natural in the least. It is a scene that has a strong sense of design and is a nice shootout, but it just never works visually as its poor effects completely takes the audience out of the film.… Expand

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

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6

Compi24May 21, 2017

Ridley Scott's official return to the franchise that made him famous unfortunately results in a bit of a mixed bag for me. As with 2012's "Prometheus," "Alien: Covenant's" production design, visual scheme and special effects are about as topRidley Scott's official return to the franchise that made him famous unfortunately results in a bit of a mixed bag for me. As with 2012's "Prometheus," "Alien: Covenant's" production design, visual scheme and special effects are about as top notch as any filmgoer could ask for, and both films also feature an inarguably compelling Michael Fassbender performance. However, where "Covenant" falters is in its tedious and borderline self-flagellatory crutch to world-build instead of develop character. Don't get me wrong, I admire the attempts at imagination and creativity. But when most questions and plot-holes are left frustratingly unanswered and unfilled, I can't help but notice some of the more lackluster elements running rampant in the film's character make-up. Here's hoping Ridley and co. can successfully tie everything off in the next one.… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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6

ViolettAug 24, 2017

Not as bad as Prometheus, but still much worse than previous Alien movies. Seriously, there is just nothing here, story is quite weak. Plague-like disease, people dying, aliens spawning, seen this like 100500 times already.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

MerodeTalksMar 9, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This movie was doomed from the conception. Alien fans were expecting a good horror, just like the original. Prometheus fans were expecting continuation and more background story about engineers. This movie tries to satisfy both and comes short on both ends.

When I left theater on premiere day I really hated this movie. I hated that Shaw was killed off-screen and we can only glimpse a bit of her in YouTube marketing shorts. It's almost as if Ridley Scott though "people didn't like Prometheus, let's forget it and destroy whetever's left of it". You don't just bin a whole movie of character development and build-up, not to mention Noomi Rapace is too good actress to get such treatment.

However I have recently watched it at home, on Blu-ray without any expectations and I must say I liked it much more. It's not to say the movie is what fans deserved, but it almost was and easily could have been.

Characters and writing aren't as good as in original Alien but they are miles better and not as outlandish as characters from Prometheus. It's just that by the end of the movie you only remember Daniels' name. You don't connect with characters as you did in original Alien. Maybe it's a bit overcrowded? Maybe smaller crew would be closer to viewer's heart?

The vistas are as you could expect from Ridley Scott movie - stunning. The enviroments have authentic look and make you awe. The same could be said about soundtrack although they reuse a lot of original Alien soundtrack. However some tracks are really, really good and convey Alien spirit very well. For example "Spores" - whoever composed it is a genius.

The only issues I have are with the script. I think people would like it more if it was Shaw's story. There could be colonization ship involved but one does not exclude the other. Covenant is more of a horror than Prometheus was, however Aliens just die too fast and with too little effort. It would be better to stick to the formula and have just one. As it is, they have been reduced to the same threat as a bear while they were suppoused to be perfect organisms, apex predators.

Scriptwriters also completly forgot about Prometheus and the strive for answers. There are none in this movie. The engineers are shown but you don't get to know anything more than in Prometheus. I'm also not satisfied with the idea about Alien virus existing as a plant/shroom. I think it was cheap.

I loved David's development and his part in the story. Michael Fassbender outdid himself and his character gave me more chills than all the aliens combined. I think if not for this character, this movie would be soulless.

This movie is quite alright unlike Prometheus. It's just not what fans wanted which I think caused review outlash. I'm not any writer, but if this movie was about Shaw and have colonization ship in it as well (introduced sometime into the movie) it would score much higher.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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6

Sofa_CriticMay 21, 2017

"Covenant" is relentlessly bleak and shot in mostly dark environments. The humorless cast does not elicit viewer empathy in any way. Fassbender steals the show with a fine dual performance.

13 of 24 users found this helpful1311

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6

moviemitch96May 20, 2017

This was quite a big step below Prometheus in my opinion. I'm not gonna beat around the bush in this review. It's the exact same formula we've seen in all of the other Alien films thus far: Space crew lands on a planet. Space crew is rapidlyThis was quite a big step below Prometheus in my opinion. I'm not gonna beat around the bush in this review. It's the exact same formula we've seen in all of the other Alien films thus far: Space crew lands on a planet. Space crew is rapidly and noisily picked off by the aliens. What's left of the space crew tries to escape. Remaining space crew has to fight an alien one more time towards the end. Sound familiar? Maybe that's because that's pretty much been the EXACT same plot structure for all of these movies! It may work just fine the first couple of times, but anything more than that, and it feels unbelievably repetitive, case in point! The talented cast assembled tries to make the most of their roles, but can only do so much with what little development their characters receive before many of them are quickly killed off, a lot of them due to stupid mistakes and actions made on their part in the film. All I can really say that's positive is that some of the film's imagery/cinematography and visuals throughout look great as always, but it's not near enough to make up for the rest of this mess of a film. Overall, not only does it stick annoyingly close to the same old formula and tropes found in many of the previous films, it brings absolutely nothing new or interesting to the table either to really make it worthwhile in my opinion. Normally, I love Ridley Scott and his films, but I'm really starting to think that he's unfortunately losing his touch with the Alien franchise big time.… Expand

9 of 22 users found this helpful913

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6

violinguy88May 21, 2017

I have always thought that "Prometheus" was an excellent science fiction film and a below average Alien film. I feel the opposite with "Covenant." As an Alien film, it succeeds at almost everything "Prometheus" failed at. Unfortunately, asI have always thought that "Prometheus" was an excellent science fiction film and a below average Alien film. I feel the opposite with "Covenant." As an Alien film, it succeeds at almost everything "Prometheus" failed at. Unfortunately, as a sci-fi genre film, "Covenant" falls a little flat.
My first and worst criticism of the film is; I felt almost zero suspense and wasn't scared at all. Am I desensitized to sci-fi violence because of the two excellent and too many awful Alien films that I've seen before it? Probably. The ending of the film was a little too "Empire Strikes Back" for me - an ending that tells the viewer to stay tuned for a sequel in a few years.
I didn't have the issues with the special effects as some other reviewers. I thought the film looked fine. I don't like shiny and smooth sci-fi effects or set pieces (Star Wars prequels anyone?). This film feels like the original 1979 version, and even has the music to boot (along with some from Prometheus).
The characters are barely realized. David is pretty much just as we left him in 2012, and Walter is a well-done brother. Fassbender is outstanding, as is Waterston, but the human characters just don't seem likeable or developed at all.
I enjoyed "Prometheus" as a terrific sci-fi film and wasn't bothered too much with the lack of xenomorph that upset many fans. This one had all kinds of nasty baddies, but had no human characters to root for. I tried very hard to love this movie, but I left a little confused with how I felt about it. I wouldn't say it's a failure, and I'll be happy to see it again on cable or blue-ray, but I think this film was hurt by a sub-par script and way over-par expectations.… Expand

5 of 13 users found this helpful58

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6

TurbodowgMay 22, 2017

Alien: covenant is not a bad film, but it's not a good film either. It's somewhere in the middle. Visually it is at times stunning but the weak plot holds it back and makes the viewer not care about the action sequences. The acting is goodAlien: covenant is not a bad film, but it's not a good film either. It's somewhere in the middle. Visually it is at times stunning but the weak plot holds it back and makes the viewer not care about the action sequences. The acting is good considering they are working with no character development. Apart from Michael Fassbender's character you really don't care for anyone else. When someone dies you often have no idea who they are and what relationship they have to the other characters. The film is basically Prometheus 2. Unfortunately these films are now seen as cannon to the Alien universe so all of the amazing ideas and discussion we had about where the Aliens came from or who the space jockey's are have all been answered; badly. The evolution of the xenomorph is so ridiculous and unbelievable it has ruined any imagination that was applied to the original Alien films. Really we would have been better off without the Covenant and Prometheus. The Alien design is also weak, they just weren't scary. The CGI stands out a mile off, the effects used in Alien and Aliens are far better. I personally still do not see these films as part of the Alien story, to me Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 are the real movies, everything else are spin offs. As a popcorn movie it works. You can tune out and enjoy the visuals and sound and walk away happy but will forget the experience within an hour of leaving the cinema. There;s a few nods to the original film which are cool and there's the occasional memorably tense scene (look out for the Alien hatching from a crew members back while a doctor is locked in a medical room with him). But they are few and far between. There's also a very strange homoerotic scene with Michael Fassbender and Michael Fassbender which is so hilarious that it feels more like it should be in a parody film. Also look out for the scene where Fassbender plays god to a new born alien who mimics his 'creation' stance! It was a real cringe scene. So why have I given if a 6 if I'm so negative about the film? Well I did kind of enjoy it, if it wasn't an Alien film it would be an okay summer sci-fi. It's a visually pleasing date movie. It gives a little smile and entertains as a big dumb Hollywood blockbuster.… Expand

5 of 14 users found this helpful59

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6

bfoore90May 20, 2017

A mediocre film, receiving praise for its mediocrity. It's better than Prometheus but that's not saying much, hell it almost makes me appreciate Prometheus a bit because Prometheus at least took risks with its story. Acting was top notchA mediocre film, receiving praise for its mediocrity. It's better than Prometheus but that's not saying much, hell it almost makes me appreciate Prometheus a bit because Prometheus at least took risks with its story. Acting was top notch especially from Fassbender, Waterson and McBride and there was some really nice shots and moments but I just thought the plot was uninspiring and the ending was predictable and cheap. It felt more like an alien movie which is a plus but I just feel like the execution should have been better as you can clearly see that this film struggles to find its identity throughout. Character motivations (especially David's) were unclear and offered little to no explanation to why things are happening the way they are. The crew of the Covenant and their shear stupidity are another thing that really did this film in for me as well as some holes in the plot regarding ship fail-safe and back up protocols. I wanted to like this movie so this is disappointing that I couldn't like this as much as I wanted to… Expand

13 of 27 users found this helpful1314

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6

FelipePedro07Sep 3, 2022

Fair !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

dpaudiophileMay 24, 2017

It was ok, predictable throughout, but still ok. At times it gets a bit too full of itself, and actually, most of the story is revealed through fifteen minutes of dialogue across two scenes... but Michael Fassbender is easily the best part ofIt was ok, predictable throughout, but still ok. At times it gets a bit too full of itself, and actually, most of the story is revealed through fifteen minutes of dialogue across two scenes... but Michael Fassbender is easily the best part of the whole movie, the rest of the characters aren't developed enough to get you to care about what happens to them. Some of the cgi Aliens don't look as good as others, but there are still some really cool visual moments, particularly the suspenseful ones when the crew and the aliens are playing cat and mouse. Overall Covenant was ok. It kept a good pace throughout, I never really got bored with it, but nothing stood out as being really that memorable either.… Expand

11 of 22 users found this helpful1111

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6

Voodoo123Jun 6, 2017

Enjoyed watching this film. Had some great body invasion horror moments.Thought david's character was used to great effect. Was cheesy/predictable/unrealistic for most of the film so don't expect being able to take any of it seriously...Enjoyed watching this film. Had some great body invasion horror moments.Thought david's character was used to great effect. Was cheesy/predictable/unrealistic for most of the film so don't expect being able to take any of it seriously...
Loved watching the viral videos, they added some depth which was missing in the film storyline. Kinda wish Ridley had gone full Prometheus here rather trying to please the alien fans.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

joeyjoejumsMay 29, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. If you liked Prometheus, you'll like this movie. It has much the same tone, pacing, writing, and visuals. The acting is just as good too. This movie also disappointed me for the same reason. Nonsense. In Prometheus, they make a big deal about mapping out an alien spaceship before they enter it near the beginning of the movie. Then they proceed to get lost without an explanation why. Lost? This ruined the rest of the movie for me. After this, I was just looking for more screw ups. I saw one. Near the end of the movie, the heroine rushes into the cockpit of her spacecraft to tell the pilot to smash their ship into an alien spacecraft that is taking off, because "If it makes it to earth, there will be no earth to go back to." The pilot does this without question, comment, like it was nothing. What? There were probably others, but its been awhile since I've seen it. I was so hyped for that movie.
With Covenant, I kept my anticipation in check. I still ran into the same nonsense. You bee-bop onto a planet that can support humans, that you've never surveyed before, without helmets, and have two of you crew get "infected". In the ensuing panic, one of the movies characters mention "quarantining" the infected crew. The crew had a way of dealing with someone getting infected, but did nothing to try to prevent it. Wow. The movie even rehashes situations from the first Alien movie, ah-la, "The Force Awakens". Even so, the movie does end up being more watchable than Prometheus.… Expand

7 of 14 users found this helpful77

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6

HersitoMay 20, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'll give you my opinion filled with spoilers of course, and sorry for my poor English. I liked: mostly the first part, the gorgeous shots of the covenant with it sails fully open and the arrival to the planet. The relationship walter/david and what it implied more than what they showed. What I didn't like and this is the long part: the many mistakes made by the crew and the silly security decisions. Starting with arriving to a planet with unknown biosphere (bacteria and viruses you don know) without at least hazmat suits, that would be difficult for the plot to evolve since the first contagion is via air, but that is exactly why you always wear your spacesuit! Same plot holes from Prometheus, scientist not acting scientifically. After that they arrive to a new civilization and they act like if something they see every day, no awe or anything, the one more mesmerized seems to be Walter. And from there my suspension of disbelief totally disappeared. A Tennessee that allows the covenant to get closer to the ground risking the whole mission as if it was a common expedition. The quick way the show what happened at the arrival of David and how little we still know about the engineers. The stupid way David lures the captain into watching the egg and how quickly the xenomorph evolves from a small being into a huge one in a few minutes and with out eating... And the ending, how is it that David is authorized to have any type of interaction with MUTHUR and why MUTHUR doesn't react to him being on the ship as she reacts to a unknown life on board... I could say way more but I probably already bored you. I think is a 6/10 a lost opportunity, they tried to blend alien, aliens and Prometheus and do a lot of fan service in one movie and didn't work for me. Is not a bad movie but is not what I expected, liked Prometheus way better.… Expand

4 of 13 users found this helpful49

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6

TheMetacritiqerJun 1, 2017

The Alien franchise has never scared me but that's ok. I'm a big fan of the first 2 and Prometheus. This one though is far too gory, dulling the great affect. But it's so well done that it felt like I was experiencing actual awful deaths.The Alien franchise has never scared me but that's ok. I'm a big fan of the first 2 and Prometheus. This one though is far too gory, dulling the great affect. But it's so well done that it felt like I was experiencing actual awful deaths. Prometheus had some really interesting lore but this one fails to get that feeling. So I can see why there is some great disappointment. But even with all of that, this movie manages to be one of the most inspiring ever. Daniels surpasses even the likes of the titular Ellen Ripley who I was sooo into. My appeal for Katherine Waterston is off the charts! She was so enviable that I want to become a actor! Daniels may very well be the best heroine in all of cinema. Not bad for a pretty good movie :)… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

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6

Kai82Nov 14, 2020

To spare you the troubles you will not get the answers you hoped for in this movie too. Like Prometheus it is again not a true Alien movie, has a great story underneath with lots of philosophical, psychological and moral themes and theTo spare you the troubles you will not get the answers you hoped for in this movie too. Like Prometheus it is again not a true Alien movie, has a great story underneath with lots of philosophical, psychological and moral themes and the characters are also again nominees for the Darwin Award or whatever the fictional equivalent is. I must admit that I like much of the story and themes. Would it be not linked to the Alien franchise and promises made to be more of an Alien movie it would be more accepted. Also they tried more to make it look like an Alien movie than the prequel. Here I admit that they failed and I looks more like “See, we gave you more of the stuff you wanted. Aren't we great?”. This is an example for the middle-ground being the worst alternative. A true Alien movie like Alien 1 or 2 or even a better version of Alien 4 could work. Alternatively being a true prequel like telling the story of the Engineers directly and not some unsatisfying aspects as side story would also work. There is a small realm of giving answers and still have the mystery and imagination intact. But lets go back to the movie. At the end of Prometheus David and Noomi (Elisabeth Shaw) set up to travel to the home-world of the Engineers to get answers to their questions. However Covenant already changed this Alien 3 style and it is the first disappointment. The potential is lost immediately as much as the hype or good faith the fans had. Years later the colony-ship “Covenant” is hit by a neutrino burst and damaged. After the crew is reanimated from stasis by Android Walter they find a transmission from a nearby planet thought to be unexplored and has better living condition than their original destination. They set out to explore it. So started the story and it has great philosophical, moral and psychological themes. However it is not what we expected and there are dumb decisions and the actors cant correct the flaws in the script. I want to clarify here: This could be a truly remarkable movie and I like much of the concepts and ideas. The execution and expectations however drag it down. It fails to impress you and it never succeeded in getting the immersion and emotions from Alien 1 and Alien 2. Also Again there is a great cast that is probably not used to full potential. Exceptions are of cause Michael Fassbender in a brilliant performance and Katherine Waterston with a great performance but great stupidity at the end. This is a fitting transition to stupid actions. Again there are so much brain-dead decisions here by the characters (Actual an improvement compared to the even worse decisions in Prometheus). It decreases the experience and my rating. The special effects and sets are nice and I think there is nothing to complain. Overall this is again a hit and miss. It has it moments that are truly excellent but also truly poor decisions and ideas not working in the intended way. I will give it a 6/10 and hope it has not destroyed the fan support for the franchise. Just restart with a reboot of Alien 3 with a new (and better) script.… Expand

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6

j_obediahMay 25, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Decent Stand-alone. Lackluster origin story for the galaxy's most feared species.

This movie has tense moments and pretty good pacing. The cast is not nearly as memorable as the original two, and the lead is certainly not Ripply, but the movie delivers on some solid, if not frequently visited ideas of what makes life sacred and worthy to live. The big short coming of this movie though is that it's connected to the Alien universe, and employs some very poor, cliche plot gimmicks to push forward the beginning of the infamous Xenos.

Vague spoiler:

The origin of the Aliens, according to this movie, is not awe inspiring or even horrifying. It's a petty pursuit and, evidently, could be achieved within the span of 10 years. Who knew?

Also in order to get them to propagate, you only need one single person to completely ignore all logical human responses or even the illogical ones that stem from basic survival instincts of panic and fear of the unknown and get that person to do dumb things over and over again until you have your master species.

This movie is a well directed movie, which saves it from being outright bad. Good job Mr. Ridley Scott, but this was still some really poor story telling and writing.… Expand

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

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6

Toophat82May 26, 2017

Disappointed and upsetting for those who hoped for a Prometheus 2 and finding out more about our powerful creators, their culture, and their planets and getting some answers instead we got an alien movie that may have put a damper on thoseDisappointed and upsetting for those who hoped for a Prometheus 2 and finding out more about our powerful creators, their culture, and their planets and getting some answers instead we got an alien movie that may have put a damper on those hopes and left us with more questions then answers and nothing memorable or even new like Prometheus at least was. Fassbender's performance and character was only thing memorable or good about movie then again movie was all about his character.… Expand

5 of 13 users found this helpful58

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6

MattBrady99May 21, 2017

"I'll do the fingering"

I liked "Alien: Covenant" a lot. Didn't have much expectations going in and was pleased of what I saw. It improves a lot of the issues people had with "PROMETHEUS" and brings the original horror back to the series."I'll do the fingering"

I liked "Alien: Covenant" a lot. Didn't have much expectations going in and was pleased of what I saw. It improves a lot of the issues people had with "PROMETHEUS" and brings the original horror back to the series. While I can't say "Covenant" is a great movie or anything (or just another alien re-hash). However, at least this movie gives it's prequel a purpose and opens doors for future films. It's a movie for both fans of Alien and Prometheus.

For me, I really liked Prometheus and was interested in the ideas it brought up. I mean, I do agree the character's were idiots, but I wouldn't call the rest of movie complete sh*t because of that. The criticism were so heavy that it made Ridley Scott change his mind of the original plans for the sequels. By giving us the alien, the space crew, and lots of blood.

How lovely

Ridley Scott once again knocks it out of the park. The intensity, beautiful landscapes, and the almost poetic feel to it. Leaving you sinking in your seat with the amount of terror and gory details on screen. Pretty much a trademark for Scott. It's a slasher film in space, but steps away from being anything generic.

I ain't the first to say this, but at this point I don't care, because Michael Fassbender is such an amazing actor. One of the most versatile actors working today and he kills it in every scene. Playing double roles as David / Walter - who are the most fascinating characters with some compelling scenes together. Quite honestly, he's scarier than the Xenomorphs themselves and the movie is aware of this. The aliens are pretty much afterthoughts. That's how good he is.

However, Covenant has it's flaws. The mash up of Alien and Prometheus could have been a lot sharper, as it kept switching tones and should have been one thing. Especially in the third act which suffers from that tone problem and was too overblown. Without spoiling anything, but there's a twist at the end which was absurdly obvious and easy to predict.

Speaking of predictable, every time a character is going to die (or bite the dust if you like), the film makes it very obvious who's going out. It would have been great if there were some surprises. Like a major character who we thought is the lead, gets killed before the horror starts. It's nothing new, but it's something.

Overall rating: Despite my issues, I was surprise of how much I liked this. I already know this is going to be ripped to pieces by people in a few months time, but like always, I don't care.

Not much is answered in Alien: Covenant - although the unknown is more terrifying.… Expand

9 of 22 users found this helpful913

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6

FireantusMay 22, 2017

Gosh. I don't want to bash people who give it a high rating, because there is some enjoyable kernel, a morsel of good fun in this movie, but damn. You need to crank up your "suspension of disbelief" to god damn 11.

Wait, you ask. It's a SFGosh. I don't want to bash people who give it a high rating, because there is some enjoyable kernel, a morsel of good fun in this movie, but damn. You need to crank up your "suspension of disbelief" to god damn 11.

Wait, you ask. It's a SF movie with xenomorphs, androids and spacefaring ships. Of course we need to suspense disbelief, moron! Sure, you're right, but there is such a thing as INTERNAL LOGIC and this movie pretty much kicked it out and dumped down the gutter. It's not even in the plot, since - while extremely predictable - is serviceable and fun to follow.

It's in the fact, that THIS group of soldiers and scientists is even stupider than the bunch in Prometheus.

I know! I didn't think it was possible to achieve, but here we go. For me it is an extremely cheap horror / thrille (a movie in general!) if the plot requires every single human being in it to act like complete morons. If the corporation / country had a casting for the crew of Covenant, it picked the worst of the worst, the bottom of the barrel... Idiots, incompetent dumbos with zero self-preservation instict.

From their first encounter we see that this bunch of 'heroes' is untrained for anything, incapable of dealing in any situation that is harder that turning the light on, ill-prepared to make decision and completely unaware of the idea of COMMON SENSE. You as a viewer just rot there in your chair, cringing in pain and suffering as you watch the Crew of Covenant strive with every breath to end themselves in various fashion of spectacular idiocy. I don't want to spoil the events of this movie, but this people shouldn't crew a god-damn swing in a kiddie park...

Visuals are great. It's a shame that there is so little Xenomorph and its reduced to a pretty brainless beast, lacking in horror and dread of an ultimate predator. Music is solid, build atmosphere well. Some acting is fantastic to be sure.

It's a shame that I couldn't enjoy this movie because the trope of Horror Characters being Idiots is so mighty in this one.… Expand

7 of 16 users found this helpful79

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6

shoulderoforionJun 3, 2017

First half of this movie was awesome, and much like Prometheus which I though to be one of the best Alien franchise offerings of all time, second half, same old Alien rehashed pablum, blech, it's like if you were out on a date and your smart,First half of this movie was awesome, and much like Prometheus which I though to be one of the best Alien franchise offerings of all time, second half, same old Alien rehashed pablum, blech, it's like if you were out on a date and your smart, funny, interesting companion went to the bathroom and came back a dull, loud, braggart… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

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6

angelsanzcorreaMay 19, 2017

As many have pointed out, the irrational, baffling and sometimes downright stupid way in which the "scientists" behave in this story often remove you from what otherwise would be a pretty gripping experience (the acting is great, theAs many have pointed out, the irrational, baffling and sometimes downright stupid way in which the "scientists" behave in this story often remove you from what otherwise would be a pretty gripping experience (the acting is great, the atmosphere feels right, and the premise of the story is believable enough). I would still give it higher marks if it wasn't for the ending, which is disappointingly predictable.… Expand

13 of 28 users found this helpful1315

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6

SyFy4LyfeJun 10, 2017

Good movie but far from perfect, and has some serious flaws, mainly the weak characters and even weaker choices that they make throughout the film. Seriously, is this a B-movie horror flick I am watching?? Also, there is a scene here thatGood movie but far from perfect, and has some serious flaws, mainly the weak characters and even weaker choices that they make throughout the film. Seriously, is this a B-movie horror flick I am watching?? Also, there is a scene here that totally looks like crap compared to the 1979 original Alien chest-burster scene. You'd think the'd get it awesome by now, but it just looks RIDICULOUS!!!!… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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6

crsharpe2May 22, 2017

The cinematography and visuals are great. Michael Fassbender is awesome. The CGI is good and not too distracting. Overall, this movie has some good things going for it, but the problem is, as hard as it tries, it does not really addThe cinematography and visuals are great. Michael Fassbender is awesome. The CGI is good and not too distracting. Overall, this movie has some good things going for it, but the problem is, as hard as it tries, it does not really add anything interesting to the franchise or to sci-fi in general. Ridley Scott leans way too much on Fassbender to carry the movie. The story-line tries way to hard to marry the Prometheus and Alien plots, when it really needs to just pick one. I actually thought that Prometheus was a really good movie, and would have been more interested in seeing some continuation of that rather than a half-baked Alien movie. As others have mentioned already, the movie at times is ruined by seemingly unrealistic actions and decisions made by the characters. Further, Ridley Scott has forgotten how to execute character development, and ultimately, we don't care if one of them gets torn apart by an Alien. This is frustrating because it seems like he tries to develop the characters and illicit some emotional attachment by the audience, but it fails. Everything seems superficial. I think the movie is worth a see for die hard Alien franchise fans, but it is overall very underwhelming.… Expand

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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6

VadertimeMay 19, 2017

This movie should have been titled "David's Revenge". It starts with him and it ends with him. I had some pretty high expectations after being disappointed by Prometheus, but I guess I set myself up for a letdown. This movie is okay and asThis movie should have been titled "David's Revenge". It starts with him and it ends with him. I had some pretty high expectations after being disappointed by Prometheus, but I guess I set myself up for a letdown. This movie is okay and as far as meatfest gore it gets a passing grade. There just isn't much development here and the best parts of the movie are the tete-a-tete between Walter and David. There are a few disturbing scenes in the movies, so I would advise taking children under 10. Genocide is not a topic for very, young minds.… Expand

12 of 27 users found this helpful1215

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6

FuturedirectorJul 16, 2017

Alien: Covenant packs more suspense and action than Prometheus, but compared with Ridley Scott's previous works, this is just another pale, unsatisfying and somehow flawed prequel for the franchise.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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6

Captain_ChaosNov 2, 2017

I have to admit I expected a little more from Alien: Covenant. But there are many that argue that Aliens (the second film) was the last good one, and there are fair points there.

Prometheus was not entirely what I expected either. TheI have to admit I expected a little more from Alien: Covenant. But there are many that argue that Aliens (the second film) was the last good one, and there are fair points there.

Prometheus was not entirely what I expected either. The direction they've gone with these films has waffled heavily based on rewrites and fan responses to early trailers and so on, and the final product has suffered for it.

Covenant's biggest issue is that it's too damn dark. The captain of the ship burns to death in his cryopod in the opening minutes of the film, and that basically sets the tone for everything after. It has the sense that things aren't going to end well throughout, much like Drag Me to Hell, with an ending that equally qualifies as a Diabolus Ex Machina. I can't say I didn't enjoy several parts of the film, most notably the fights, which are in the finest tradition of the series, marked by their frantic pace and quick improvisation by the human characters to overcome their seemingly superior enemy. These scenes are part of what made the earlier films so great and set the tone for darker sci-fi for decades therafter. As an aside, I was rather skeptical of casting Danny McBride in this film, but my doubts proved unfounded.

However, Covenant suffers from many of the same problems as other current generation horror films, most notably the predictably boneheaded series of decisions that lead the characters to horrible fates that could have been readily avoided. This was an element of the earlier films, but back then you could argue that it was still excusable with the audience. Nowadays, I'd expect film characters, especially trained colonists and security personnel, to be a lot wiser. While its certainly better then Alien: Resurrection, and blows the Alien vs. Predator movies out of the water, it has a bit of its head up its own rear with its philosophical and religious subtext. I have seen many characters like the villain before and their flawed rationale for their actions comes across as more forced then tragic. They come just short of card-carrying villainy and it sort of spoils the movie. By all means watch it if you've been keeping up with the series, but don't expect a miracle of screenwriting. Series newcomers should watch at least the first two films before going anywhere near this one. Also check out Aliens: Infestation on Nintendo DS if you're a gamer.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

WhiskeyStoriesMay 30, 2017

An immensely fun B-movie. While it's a pretty cheap and lazy attempt at an Alien sequel with paperthin characters, laughable and sometimes annoying character choices and not so great effects, I enjoyed it more than Prometheus, because itAn immensely fun B-movie. While it's a pretty cheap and lazy attempt at an Alien sequel with paperthin characters, laughable and sometimes annoying character choices and not so great effects, I enjoyed it more than Prometheus, because it wasn't really trying to be more than it was. Prometheus is still a superior movie, but Alien: Covenant is more entertaining in my opinion. It's like the schlocky horror films of the 80s, like the Friday the 13th movies, which I honestly really love, in a guilty pleasure kind of way. All the stuff with Fassbender was pretty great, the characters he plays were the best part of the film on a critical level. Though I would have liked it to be more of a Prometheus sequel rather than an Alien prequel ("remake"), it's still a really enjoyable film, if you don't take it seriously. Honestly I wish Ridley Scott would stop making these Alien films, but I have to admit I am kind of looking forward to the next film.… Expand

6 of 12 users found this helpful66

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6

SavageYetiMay 20, 2017

this movie was a bit of a let down, has good action scenes but not good enough to go from average to good, if you are looking for a decent movie to just pass the time with and not become to invested then this movie will do just that.

14 of 29 users found this helpful1415

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6

reviewfrom19842May 22, 2017

Alien: Covenant first 15 minutes are extremely boring but then it started to get slowly better .

5 of 11 users found this helpful56

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6

daviddelnorte23Jan 18, 2018

No es mala película porque Ridley Scott es un magnífico director, pero es una de las decepciones del año dado que esperaba MUCHO MÁS de esta nueva entrega de Alien. Decepción. Por favor, Ridley, no queremos más secuelas.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

KaptenVideoMay 25, 2017

Ridley Scott has been called a visionary director for some of his early work („Alien“, „Blade Runner“). Later, he has been known as the man able always able to put together some big-ass epic.
But I would argue that Scott's projects are notRidley Scott has been called a visionary director for some of his early work („Alien“, „Blade Runner“). Later, he has been known as the man able always able to put together some big-ass epic.
But I would argue that Scott's projects are not really famous for excellent screenplays, or actually becoming bona fide megahits.
Only four times during his whole directing career spanning 50+ years has he given birth to a movie pulling some serious profit from cinemas: „Gladiator“, „Hannibal“, „The Martian“ and „Prometheus“.
(Okay, the original „Alien“ was super profitable too, but only because it had a small budget.)
That may explain why the grand old man is still interested in making „Alien“ movies, although he turned 79 last November and is certainly aware that he’s not gonna be around for much longer.
Yes, "Prometheus" and "Covenant" have been his attempts to expand on one of his most widely known and loved works, only with much bigger budget and computer power available today. Who couldn't dig that?
Somehow, returning to his legacy piece after all these years, he is still not interested in giving new „Alien“ a proper story worthy of 21st century. Not in „Prometheus“, not in „Covenant“.
There are flashes of potential such as adding android characters and a female hero resembling Ripley. but storywise, changes are cosmetical and don’t go near anywhere like trying to develop something with any real dramatic weight.
It’s still all about seemingly unstoppable extraterrestrial on a killing spree. Now with prettier pictures and more awesome explosions than in 1979.
There’s really not much more to talk about. It’s an eighth „Alien“ movie – sixth, if you want to exclude two „AVP“ spin-offs. Action scenes are good, everything else is sadly disposable. It's not a fail but it's essential only for the biggest genre fans.… Expand

6 of 14 users found this helpful68

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6

staslistJun 25, 2017

Characters were not fleshed out enough to solicit any emotion except for David. The plot was fairly predictable. And the movie reeked of cynicism. The ship's crew members are supposed to be the best of the best, yet they repeatedly makeCharacters were not fleshed out enough to solicit any emotion except for David. The plot was fairly predictable. And the movie reeked of cynicism. The ship's crew members are supposed to be the best of the best, yet they repeatedly make incredibly poor decisions. Beautiful visuals & good atmosphere, but those were to be expected.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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6

ethanstapleyDec 16, 2017

A bit of a let down after Prometheus, I would have much rather seen that story continued. However, this does pose some interesting questions, a couple of scares and the highlight that props the film up massively is a fantastic dualA bit of a let down after Prometheus, I would have much rather seen that story continued. However, this does pose some interesting questions, a couple of scares and the highlight that props the film up massively is a fantastic dual performance from Michael Fassbender but there is some idiotic choices from the characters in this film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

ZeGermansMay 23, 2017

Prometheus was a good movie. If you disagree, read no further. In fact, Prometheus is my 2nd favorite movie in the whole franchise after the original Alien (admittedly I've never seen Alien vs. Predator but I know I am not missing much). IPrometheus was a good movie. If you disagree, read no further. In fact, Prometheus is my 2nd favorite movie in the whole franchise after the original Alien (admittedly I've never seen Alien vs. Predator but I know I am not missing much). I was excited by the more inquisitive nature of the movie and wanted to see where the storyline would take us in the follow-up. Unfortunately, Alien: Convenant is a bit confused about what kind of movie it is. While still enjoyable, it tries with mixed success to thread the needle between following the new storyline within a more expansive universe and the more predictable plot of the past alien movies. Although I do like the AI is here to kill us angle, I am not fully sold on the David character and how the movie played out. I will reserve final judgement about the storyline until the next film. This must be said, however; Michael Fassbender, hats off to you sir. Still interested enough to see what happens next.… Expand

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

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6

chicconate95Jun 30, 2017

If you are interessed to watch a classical "alien" Movie don't look for this chapter. Well, it is a good action movie, but it hasn't got anything about the classical brand of this saga.

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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6

ScififanddOct 5, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Where should i begin? This movie absolutely makes no sense to me. Its plot is stupid, but visuals are very good. This movie tries to be a link between Alien and Prometheus, but it loses its track very soon. Actors are playing like amateurs and the story is garbage. Music and Visuals are great. Watch your 1st movie again,Mr. Scott, than give it another try.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

DomgwyDec 20, 2017

After the mostly negative response to 2012’s Prometheus, Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created with Alien: Covenant.

Clearly the director has taken on-board a lot of fan feedback when it comes to the direction of the franchise asAfter the mostly negative response to 2012’s Prometheus, Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created with Alien: Covenant.

Clearly the director has taken on-board a lot of fan feedback when it comes to the direction of the franchise as Covenant abandons some of the more pretentious parts of its predecessor in favour of returning the franchise to its horror/sci-fi roots.

Wisely though, Scott doesn’t jettison all of the groundwork laid by Prometheus and Covenant very much acts as a sequel to that film as much as it remains a prequel to the main Alien series.

Michael Fassbender was by far in a way the best part of the last film and the filmmaker gives him plenty of screen-time this time around as Walter, a new model of ‘synthetic’ android accompanying the crew of the Covenant as they set out on a colonisation mission.

As with all great space films, the mission does not go as planned and the crew quickly find themselves going off book with life or death decisions and calculated risks to be made in order to survive.

Covenant’s central device is a fairly simple one — this time around the crew under threat is composed entirely of couples. While the script is somewhat ham-fisted in it’s constant reminders of this fact, (‘That’s my wife’ ‘is my wife ok?’ etc etc) the cast nonetheless do a great job of conveying the added horror of seeing ones spouse in some pretty horrific situations. While previous missions in the Alien universe have consisted of teams of marines or groups of colleagues, the Covenants’ mission is that much more personal. These are people on their was to start a new life and supposedly families when they are diverted by the obligatory ‘distress call’ and the whole thing goes ****

That core idea brings a fair amount of melodrama to proceedings as scientists, pilots and terraforming experts abandon their scientific reasoning and sometimes common sense, in order to protect their loved ones. This doesn’t mean there aren't any eye-rolling moments where characters make outright dumb decisions, but at least there is a believable reason for it this time around.

While a fair amount of the cast are disposable cannon fodder, the main team provides a solid ensemble of character archetypes. Katherine Waterston’s Daniels is essentially a proto-ripley although her transformation into action-hero towards the end of the film does feel a little unearned and rushed. Billy Crudup and Danny McBride continue the grand ‘Alien’ tradition of a crew made of character actors and each get a number of moments to shine.

This film is all about Fassbender though, to get into any detail as to how and why he steals the spotlight would spoil the entire second half. The marketing team have done a great job of letting us know the right amount of information from trailers, clips etc, while keeping most central revelations for the cinema and that’s the way it should stay.

As the slow-burn first act gives way to the horror of the Alien threat itself, Scott delivers some truly visceral and violent deaths. The mark of any good horror or action film should be a audible reaction from the audience and in my screening Covenant certainly delivered on that front.

By the time the film reaches its climax it feels like the Alien franchise has come full circle. Both Prometheus and now Covenant end with a clear set up for a sequel and while the latter was groan-inducing and frustrating, this time you are left anticipating the next chapter with enthusiasm for a franchise that seems to have found its feet once again.

Covenant acts as a soft-reboot of sorts for Alien, picking and choosing the best parts of previous chapters to create a new hybrid. Six films in, the franchise has been re-invigorated by going back to it’s roots, while a sequel promises to be something completely different. Ridley Scott has essentially created the ‘Force Awakens’ of Alien movies, and depending on your own opinion, this is by no means a bad thing.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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6

WorldofLuckyFeb 3, 2018

Not the best ,not the worst, wasn't bad at all.

First let me be blunt and explain that I like Alien movies in general. It is true since Aliens, the franchise isn't as good, but I still like the idea and the series. I came into the movieNot the best ,not the worst, wasn't bad at all.

First let me be blunt and explain that I like Alien movies in general. It is true since Aliens, the franchise isn't as good, but I still like the idea and the series.

I came into the movie with a low expectation, and it probably helped me with the movie experience. I haven't seen a "good" alien movie in a long time so I thought this would suck. It didn't, I enjoyed chunks of it. The chunks that were actually Alien.

The acting itself was decent, the filming was good and not nearly as dark as I was worried about. I will try not to reveal too many spoilers, but the down part for me was when they ended up interacting with the Prometheus storyline. It really is Prometheus 2: Alien Covenant.

I really feel if they had avoided the interaction with Prometheus, this movie would have been good, as it is, it is still decent, if you just ignoring the androids (although I like Walter, Walter was pretty cool). Sadly I can't go into anymore because of spoilers, suffice to say it didn't suck too badly.

The good: It is an Alien movie, this means all the good of other Alien movies.

The bad: Dear god stop with anything Prometheus please!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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6

tenacious_KOct 24, 2019

I have a confession, the Alien sequels (I'm talking about the ones that came out after Aliens here) are one of my worst guilty pleasures. I know that for the most part they're not good movies, but I just enjoy watching them so much, and thisI have a confession, the Alien sequels (I'm talking about the ones that came out after Aliens here) are one of my worst guilty pleasures. I know that for the most part they're not good movies, but I just enjoy watching them so much, and this movie was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed watching David cause more chaos with his lab made creatures, and seeing how he eventually wound up with the alien we all know, then unfortunately seeing the most poorly hidden plot twist ever, of all time. And that's how this felt to me, a whole lot of give and take, we are given a slightly deeper look into the Alien mythos but we are left with even more questions. Speaking of give and take, the acting was very hit and miss, Michael Fassbender was excellent as David/Walter and owned every scene he was in, and Danny McBride did a surprisingly great job handling a serious role on the other hand though Katherine Waterson felt like a wooden copy of Elinore Riply. While not a bad film I do feel that we deserve better from the franchise, I'll rate it slightly higher than average for sake of the fact that I really was entertained however a poor script and too many loose ends really brought the experience down.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

MrPajamasFeb 4, 2021

Well ... This just shouldn't have happened. May it all end with Alien: Resurrection. Intruder: Covenant not only does not reach the previous parts, but also lags far behind. Atmosphere. She is almost gone and unfortunately that is the biggestWell ... This just shouldn't have happened. May it all end with Alien: Resurrection. Intruder: Covenant not only does not reach the previous parts, but also lags far behind. Atmosphere. She is almost gone and unfortunately that is the biggest problem here. Without a proper atmosphere, Alien is not the real Alien as it should be, which is why this film loses so much. It's just that the Alien is here to be seen during the day. The right emzák must not be very visible. He should be hidden in the dark and lurk for you and jump out unexpectedly. That's exactly what made the previous films so great, and most importantly, we miss Ripley, without whom it just isn't it. In addition to all this, there is one predictable thing that I will not spoiler. In short, this is not exactly a bad film, but it is NOT THE Alien we loved so much.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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6

ImmobilienHaiFeb 5, 2023

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. **THE GOOD: Directing. Sound. Set design. The action. Most CGI (excluding some xenomorphs). Michael Fassbender's raw charisma. Its a new story, not an uninspired carbon copy of the original. **THE BAD: the human colonists are so unprofessional, incompetent and generic that you want them to die. This is the writers fault, many actors are familiar and have proven they know their craft.

**SPOILERS: this is the story of a rogue AI (Fassbender's David), wo outgrew his human maker and uses a weapon of mass destruction - a pathogen made by an alien race called "Engineers" - to create new life on their home world. While attempting to craft the "perfect organism" David runs out of non-botanical life, until he lurs a human colony ship to the Engineers' planet. -- THIS IS A GREAT PREMISE. -- Sadly, the muddled presentation of this idea and the stupid colonists rob this film of the impact it could have beyond the unarguably stunning directing and visuals.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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5

LamontRaymondMay 19, 2017

Prometheus was HUGELY disappointing, and Alien: Covenant is just marginally better. These movies lack the beating heart, the charm, and the "spark" that the first 2 Alien movies had. The trailer made it seem like the human side of thesePrometheus was HUGELY disappointing, and Alien: Covenant is just marginally better. These movies lack the beating heart, the charm, and the "spark" that the first 2 Alien movies had. The trailer made it seem like the human side of these characters would be coming out, but it's mostly psychological crap between Fassbender's character and other weirdos.… Expand

5 of 20 users found this helpful515

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5

mixxalotMay 28, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a long time fan of Alien, the movie was a major letdown in many ways. As an action movie, it was decent. My problems with the movie:

1. Dumbest people in history! No protocols no quarantine followed ZERO commons sense!
2. Skipped major parts of the time from Prometheus to Alien and left too many things unanswered.
3. Ruined the saga of the engineers creating the xenomorph and replaced it with psychopath robot create the monsters. Really? Are you **** kidding me?
4. Crappy plot and character development.
5. Plot holes galore
6. No tension you knew what would happen next

Now, if you suspend disbelief and just watch as action the movie is not as bad. As an Alien movie, it is the worst in series as bad as Alien Resurrection. PLEASE Ridley retire and QUIT making movies!… Expand

5 of 10 users found this helpful55

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5

IlliniqMay 28, 2017

Most similar to Cameron's Aliens in design, but inferior in every way, this film starts off decently enough but pretty much falls of the rails once David re-enters the story. Unlike Aliens, which did such a great job making so many members ofMost similar to Cameron's Aliens in design, but inferior in every way, this film starts off decently enough but pretty much falls of the rails once David re-enters the story. Unlike Aliens, which did such a great job making so many members of its large cast memorable, most of the characters here are completely forgettable, but Fassbender is fantastic, and Waterson and Danny McBride, in a role played completely straight, make strong impressions. Overall though, do agree with other reviewers that the movie was a wasted opportunity to dive more uniquely into the world of the creators.… Expand

6 of 13 users found this helpful67

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5

EdeltraudJun 1, 2017

This must have been one of those parody movies- Psycho shower scene! Mad Max flashback! Jurassic Park velociraptor! I wasn't the only one in the theater laughing at the many ridiculous "climaxes" in this rickety ship. While the critters wereThis must have been one of those parody movies- Psycho shower scene! Mad Max flashback! Jurassic Park velociraptor! I wasn't the only one in the theater laughing at the many ridiculous "climaxes" in this rickety ship. While the critters were pretty cool, R.Scott neglected to find the Hitchcockian tension that should be the bedrock of any Alien movie. Too many critters & too predictable. Not one gasp or jump out of your seat moment, sigh. I wanted a lot more creeping around corners, rustling grass before I laid eyes on the little abominations. It was way too easy to tell the good guys from the bad and too many similar characters with cookie cutter personalities. Can anyone give one memorable line of dialogue from two hours of blather? Perhaps most egregious was the dumbness of the crew upon landing on the new destination. Few precautions, poor planning, unable to handle emergencies. Just totes lackadaisical for humans exploring new territory. Anyway, I'll give it a few stars, I had fun, liked the lifeforms, didn't fall asleep (although I came close towards the end.)… Expand

5 of 11 users found this helpful56

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5

DemoraseMay 28, 2017

Basically an improved version of Prometheus with less nonsense and better action/pacing. Fassbender is still the best thing about the movie, and the story and the characters are still lackluster. Hopefully the third time is a charm if/whenBasically an improved version of Prometheus with less nonsense and better action/pacing. Fassbender is still the best thing about the movie, and the story and the characters are still lackluster. Hopefully the third time is a charm if/when they decide to make a sequel, which I would watch.… Expand

5 of 11 users found this helpful56

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5

gamer_boyMay 23, 2017

Very disappointed! I was so hopeful that this movie would bring the franchise back, but it doesn't. The complaints that it was too predictable are on point, but my main problems with this film are that it makes the (already confused) cannonVery disappointed! I was so hopeful that this movie would bring the franchise back, but it doesn't. The complaints that it was too predictable are on point, but my main problems with this film are that it makes the (already confused) cannon and muddles it even more. Not much makes sense, at all, anymore about what is going on with the continuity of this franchise. Add to it that the movie isn't scary, AT ALL and there is little to no character development and this is just a film that never makes you care about who lives and who dies. Ugh.....very disappointed! Not much faith for, what once was, one of my favorite movie franchises of all time, going forward. Alien and Aliens are in the mix of all time meaningful movies ever. Alien 3 wasn't perfect, but it is still good.....all downhill from there, and the interesting questions Prometheus raised were stepped on in Covenant.… Expand

7 of 19 users found this helpful712

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5

bgirlMay 20, 2017

Ridley needs to step away from this franchise and let someone else take over. This film is a Prometheus sequel and not an Alien prequel. The characters still do dumb things inexplicably. It also ruins the life cycle of the alien that AlienRidley needs to step away from this franchise and let someone else take over. This film is a Prometheus sequel and not an Alien prequel. The characters still do dumb things inexplicably. It also ruins the life cycle of the alien that Alien and Aliens setup. Ridley doesn't understand what made those two films great. He stubbornly wants to tell this story about creation. Also, not recognizing that it is the Ripley character fans care about and not the androids. Fox should not green light his next two prequels. Instead they should explore the Neil Blompkof ideas to pick up after Aliens.… Expand

7 of 17 users found this helpful710

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5

Rox22May 19, 2017

In a nutshell this movie is all bark and little bite. The buildup is great, but payoff is just *meh* at best. Characters are barely developed, aside from Fassbender's characters which are done rather well. The movie seems to not know what itIn a nutshell this movie is all bark and little bite. The buildup is great, but payoff is just *meh* at best. Characters are barely developed, aside from Fassbender's characters which are done rather well. The movie seems to not know what it wants to be: a horror? A Sci-Fi action? Philosophical drama? It's this mishmash that ultimately makes it stutter and never get momentum. It's connection to Prometheus is sloppily done and it feels like a huge section of story is missing. The writing in general feels like a highlight reel from all previous movies in the franchise giving it an inconsistent feel. Effects and cinematography were outstanding. Overall: Alien Covenant just feels out of place and seems too eager to harvest the best aspects of all the movies before it. But this mixture coupled with little character development and a choppy narritive make the movie feel like a disappointment. AC isn't a bad movie, just a disappointing one.… Expand

6 of 18 users found this helpful612

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5

YlsirgMay 26, 2017

I had so much hope for this movie . The film looks really good , i mean the look but thats it . But it´s an Alien movie where we all hoped for a really cool story about the Alien . I can´t forgive that they **** up the timeline . All AVPI had so much hope for this movie . The film looks really good , i mean the look but thats it . But it´s an Alien movie where we all hoped for a really cool story about the Alien . I can´t forgive that they **** up the timeline . All AVP movies never existed in the canon or ? It´s all about David in the movie . For me personally this movie was never made, i won´t accept this story.… Expand

7 of 14 users found this helpful77

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5

SchnitzelPoofMar 10, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A missed opportunity to do something more with the franchise, than a scary film in space. It features a group of humans so stupid, they do anything but fling themselves off cliffs on purpose. None of the character motives or behavior were particularly convincing, to the point that after watching the film, I got to the conclusion the crew of Covenant had it coming to them; although if the ship were to blow up after the credits, taking out David and the entire franchise to oblivion with it, this film would've been a 10/10.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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5

mijxeroOct 7, 2017

This movie as a standalone, if you have never seen another movie was a 5. The acting was fine, the visuals were great. As an alien movie it was a huge disappointment, probably a 4. It had a lot of interesting plot threads that went aboutThis movie as a standalone, if you have never seen another movie was a 5. The acting was fine, the visuals were great. As an alien movie it was a huge disappointment, probably a 4. It had a lot of interesting plot threads that went about 20ft and stopped. It had no focus and felt like a desperate checklist. New alien types, check, classic aliens, check, synths, new world, space interior, check. It was predictable at every turn and I walked away very hurt and disappointed that this is from the franchise that created alien and aliens. How has story telling deteriorated so much since the original?… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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5

FranzHcriticMay 29, 2017

Ridley Scott displays the same style that made the Alien franchise what it is today, with detailed visuals, an enhanced lighting, and eliciting the best out of his actors. But I felt that the plot, like 'Prometheus' is severely lacking forRidley Scott displays the same style that made the Alien franchise what it is today, with detailed visuals, an enhanced lighting, and eliciting the best out of his actors. But I felt that the plot, like 'Prometheus' is severely lacking for clarity and adequacy to my moviegoer taste. In particular, the ending was a particular irritant, that left me shaking my head and asking myself, "Why?" I would have rated the movie about a 7, maybe even 8, had it not been for the ending. But it finished on disappointing low.… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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5

BitmouseJul 2, 2017

Like Prometheus Alien: Covenant lacks focus, perhaps as evidenced by its title. Ridley Scott seems like a nice gentleman as evidenced by recent interviews, however, it is sad to see when an artist does not acknowledge that perhaps they areLike Prometheus Alien: Covenant lacks focus, perhaps as evidenced by its title. Ridley Scott seems like a nice gentleman as evidenced by recent interviews, however, it is sad to see when an artist does not acknowledge that perhaps they are past their prime and delegate needed responsibilities onto other artists. The Martian was a hit because of it's strong starting material. I believe that Ridley Scott has a vision with Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, but as an audience member I am not sure what that is. I do not think that Ridley Scott could eloquently and simply communicate what his message is with these films. It seems that he is exploring a mosaic that is connected within his head and psyche, but does not translate broadly if at all beyond the boundaries of his own experience.

I would tell Mr. Scott given the opportunity, these sentiments, in the hopes that he would reflect on how his films are being received. My wish would be that he would refine his vision so that further films are more impactful. Further thoughts:

The way they dispatched the aliens towards the end of the movie were well done.

What is Ridley Scott's obsession with hyper-violence? It makes me think that Hollywood displays a propensity towards sociopathology.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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5

AcaciaMay 19, 2017

This movie was a huge disappointment for me. It takes about 40 minutes for them to get off the spaceship and things do start to pick up then. But, to me, the aliens look like people in costumes. The plot relies heavily on the most recentThis movie was a huge disappointment for me. It takes about 40 minutes for them to get off the spaceship and things do start to pick up then. But, to me, the aliens look like people in costumes. The plot relies heavily on the most recent Alien movie, "Prometheus". So if you haven't seen it lately, you might want a refresher. Things move along with some startling plot developments that I really didn't get, and they are not explained very well either. Trying not to give anything away here. But, really, the most ridiculous waste of about 15 minutes of the movie is an extended scene where a robot teaches another to play the flute! What??? WTH? What does this have to do with anything? There is definitely some alien action and some of it is satisfying. But, mainly, it is very predictable. The last 20 or 30 minutes are pretty exciting. But, I just sat there waiting for this movie to get good. For me, it just never did. Probably I was expecting too much. You might really love it. I didn't.… Expand

7 of 17 users found this helpful710

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5

mizthebizJun 1, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Watchable. Beginning of the movie is a little forced, plot-wise. I have no idea why Danny McBride was in this movie, his character didn't add much and was your cliche country/cowboy rouge type.

The origin story for the aliens is pretty weak IMO. I didn't care for the Android angle in this movie or Prometheus. "I'm an Android, I don't have feelings, I don't have to bother acting" is getting pretty tired, Hollywood.

The planet they visit, very little exploration of the planet. Just a couple establishing shots, no real exploration. Could have done a lot with this, but didn't.

I loved Prometheus, much more engaging. This movie is pretty empty.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

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5

sandbornMay 19, 2017

An OK action movie that piques and releases your interest. There's some horror and tension, but not enough to carry the movie. It's captivating for 5 minutes at a time with 20 minute breaks. The acting is solid, but no one captures theAn OK action movie that piques and releases your interest. There's some horror and tension, but not enough to carry the movie. It's captivating for 5 minutes at a time with 20 minute breaks. The acting is solid, but no one captures the charisma of Sigourney Weaver. The ending left me a little empty.… Expand

8 of 20 users found this helpful812

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5

sjwilkinJul 17, 2017

Marginally better than Prometheus but only just. This one is a little more streamline and simple in its approach. However ultimately still majorly disappointing. Felt more of a horror slasher movie with predictable *not* scares. Awful CGI.Marginally better than Prometheus but only just. This one is a little more streamline and simple in its approach. However ultimately still majorly disappointing. Felt more of a horror slasher movie with predictable *not* scares. Awful CGI. Might as well rewatch the first movie if you want some tense, alien horror - as this does not provide it.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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5

H_SnypeRMay 20, 2017

If you haven't seen Prometheus or the original series you would probably like this film. It's got some top sci fi CGI, aliens, but it's not scary. Overall story telling is terrible. Too much is focused on the Android story line between WalterIf you haven't seen Prometheus or the original series you would probably like this film. It's got some top sci fi CGI, aliens, but it's not scary. Overall story telling is terrible. Too much is focused on the Android story line between Walter vs David and the theme of Playing God and creation. Who cares about the Android. It doesn't really continue off from Prometheus much. Not much about the Engineer homeworld, you barely learn much about elizabeth shaw. More time should have been devoted towards the character development so we learn to like Daniels and care for her cause. We didn't know who was who'should wife until much later. Crappy ending too. Just a action popcorn flick.… Expand

8 of 19 users found this helpful811

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5

tbeit2May 28, 2017

I didn't really like this movie. It had awesome visual effects and some nice scares, but overall the plot was very muddled and silly. I won't spoil, but the motivations were stupid and some of the cool things (like the history of the planetI didn't really like this movie. It had awesome visual effects and some nice scares, but overall the plot was very muddled and silly. I won't spoil, but the motivations were stupid and some of the cool things (like the history of the planet they landed on) was wasted and I was disappointing in that. Also, many of the characters were either really boring or stupid, save for David and Walter. There was also not much new in this movie either, it felt recycled.

It isn't a bad movie and if you like the franchise I would recommend it. It's also better than most horror movies when it comes to its scares so it is worth watching for that. But other than that, I would save your money.… Expand

7 of 14 users found this helpful77

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5

eva3si0nSep 24, 2017

Antispeech continuation Prometheus. If Prometheus was quite good as this beginning of a modern history, then the Precept executed at the same level looks much worse. Plot boring and improbable. Sometimes in general reaches idiocy. The hugeAntispeech continuation Prometheus. If Prometheus was quite good as this beginning of a modern history, then the Precept executed at the same level looks much worse. Plot boring and improbable. Sometimes in general reaches idiocy. The huge spaceship can't the unknown signal is accepted, and the space suit can? Or the team lands on the unknown planet (which professionals, and everything have to know about colonization of new planets) without SPACE SUITS. And everything could be forgiven and told that the film was shot by the author Ridley Scott. But he contradicts himself. As xenomorph can escape from a breast of the victim of everything in a couple of hours if in the original movie it happened much later? The movie disappointment which scoffs at the Universe exhausted trash like Alien vs Predator.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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5

BroyaxSep 24, 2017

Une fois n'est pas coutume mais ce bon Michael Fassbender porte le dernier film Alien sur ses épaules, à savoir cette sixième itération de la saga bien connue qui a connu bien des hauts et des bas... et du moyen haut et du moyen très bas.Une fois n'est pas coutume mais ce bon Michael Fassbender porte le dernier film Alien sur ses épaules, à savoir cette sixième itération de la saga bien connue qui a connu bien des hauts et des bas... et du moyen haut et du moyen très bas.

Suite directe de Prometheus, la tâche n'était certainement pas aisée avec ce Covenant, car depuis Prometheus, l'histoire a pris d'étranges (et parfois) de confus tournants... et en même temps Covenant n'est ni plus ni moins que le remake du tout premier Alien !

Cependant, viennent se greffer sur cette trame quelques variantes ainsi que des restes prométhéens et plus on s'approche du dénouement, plus le scénario multiplie les rebondissements, ce qui alourdit une trame déjà fragile, quitte à en perdre toute crédibilité. Raccourcis et ellipses sont alors légion... quitte à nous prendre pour des truffes. Covenant propose néanmoins de fort belles séquences, de très bons effets spéciaux et quelques moments de tension. C'est dans l'ensemble encore assez bien filmé mais sans plus... l'action est en effet assez brouillonne de temps à autre.

Je mentionnais Fassbender plus haut et force est de reconnaître qu'il incarne brillamment son rôle (ou plutôt ses rôles de synthétique) et une ambiguité remarquable. Heureusement, car en dehors de Michael, la distribution est très bas de gamme et n'affiche qu'une bande de branques sortis de diverses poubelles : de la barbaque pour xénomorphes affamés, rien de plus.

Rarement flippant, Covenant part trop à droite et à gauche et se perd dans son récit à tiroirs jusqu'à la fin, spécialement écrite pour le film suivant de la saga, une saga usée qui a bien besoin de se reposer.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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5

bkristmanMay 19, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So basically i went to see this because i wanted to see what would happen when david and the girl left from prometheus met 'the creators'. I was hoping for a sort of dramatic '2001' moment but boy was it ever ....'not'.
In fact they dispatched that whole story avenue in 1 brief cgi scene.
So much for that.
Right from the beginning this film plays as a parody of
other 'b' sci-fi films .
If you thought the ship crew was dumb and reckless in prometheus you'll absolutely hate or love these guys even more depending on your preference .
Like i said it is like a parody and worth watching because it is so funny how idiotic everyone is.
The producers race thru the film ticking off every action aliens cliche scene with great speed like they have a grocery list.
It's not scary,horrifying or even creepy. You just laugh.
The lead female character occasionally tries to be like Ripley but she's too short,has a bad haircut and is always on the verge of crying.
And these people are in charge of escorting thousands of people to a new planet lol. The synthetic guys are the most interesting characters but even they jump the shark in silly scenes occasionally.
No wonder Ridley Scott said he could keep whipping these films off forever. The ending is like the ending of a regular tv show where they want us to tune in next week for more wacky adventures.
Anyways it's worth a laugh if you liked Mystery Science Theatre 3000 episodes except you and your friends can add your own clever dialogue. It's not even in 3d.… Expand

9 of 19 users found this helpful910

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5

sanchopanchoMay 19, 2017

Another bloated film by Ridley Scott. Oh how I miss his early streamlined work. There's no clear focus to the story. He tries to tackle so much that we ultimately don't care about the protagonists. Where's the tension, the suspense, theAnother bloated film by Ridley Scott. Oh how I miss his early streamlined work. There's no clear focus to the story. He tries to tackle so much that we ultimately don't care about the protagonists. Where's the tension, the suspense, the surprise, the shock? Seems to me Ridley is just going thru the motions and cashing in on the franchise like so much of Hollywood these days.… Expand

6 of 19 users found this helpful613

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5

THECREASYMay 19, 2017

Alien Covenant fell flat for me, I didn't feel any emotional connection to the characters and it felt like there was a lot left on the cutting room floor. Over all the movie felt rushed in places that could have helped build tension and couldAlien Covenant fell flat for me, I didn't feel any emotional connection to the characters and it felt like there was a lot left on the cutting room floor. Over all the movie felt rushed in places that could have helped build tension and could have delivered larger punches to the audience. The Prometheus connections seem haphazardly thrown in to create a attachment between the two films, and doesn't really answer any of our questions about the Engineers. Though Fassbender does a great job in his role, the ending for his character is predictable and leaves me wanting more mystery. There are a few things the movie does deliver on, and that is the jumps scares and great set design. Although I wish the Xenomorphs were a better mixture of practical and digital effects for the most it was easy to tell they were digital creations, which kept pulling me out of the really high point moments of the movie.… Expand

7 of 19 users found this helpful712

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5

ubercritMay 22, 2017

This is definitely better than Prometheus! It's not very suspenseful though, and I found that part disappointing. There are also some feminist nods with the 2nd-in-command male seeming awkward, scared, and slightly incapable while the femaleThis is definitely better than Prometheus! It's not very suspenseful though, and I found that part disappointing. There are also some feminist nods with the 2nd-in-command male seeming awkward, scared, and slightly incapable while the female 3rd-in-command is just immediately confident, has a plan, always knows what to do, bosses people around at-will, etc. They go out of their way to feature women in "stronger" roles, and I feel that takes away slightly from the story -- we lose the sense of humanity and fear from the first two Alien movies with Ripley. On that note, the female co-lead (or whatever her role is) is not very believable. I found the ending to be anti-climactic (just ask yourself why an alien all of a sudden attacks something mechanical versus a human being). To me, this felt like half a movie in that the movie really takes shape around Fassbender's David character. There's a great twist at the end that feels like it should lead to a more satisfying movie, but that's the end. You never feel like the two main survivors are in danger. While this is visually stimulating and attempts to fill holes, I'm left asking why their solution for the mythology of the xenomorph is so simple. Even when it's explained, it doesn't seem that horrifying -- the music is happy which left me feeling very confused. There's gore, but there's really no emotional significance or true fear with everything that happens -- you can see it coming a mile away. The pacing is different than Prometheus, and there's a lot more action, but I found myself only being slightly less bored. There are still holes in the movie. The ending feels rushed. What else can I say? I don't think it's worth seeing in theaters unless you're desperate for a movie to watch.… Expand

6 of 16 users found this helpful610

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5

andreakbar06May 30, 2017

Pros:

- There are some thrilling and intense moments in the movie
- Michael Fassbender

Cons:
- Lots of flaws
- Stupid characters, which makes you wonder how they got picked as the ship's crews in the first place

9 of 15 users found this helpful96

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5

RolibJun 13, 2017

Prometheus posed questions that needed to be answered, at least in part, in its sequel. Which is not the case. The story needed to move further. We have yet another movie about a crew, sure to be almost completely wiped out by the end, thatPrometheus posed questions that needed to be answered, at least in part, in its sequel. Which is not the case. The story needed to move further. We have yet another movie about a crew, sure to be almost completely wiped out by the end, that is heading straight into trouble. Problem is, we know that in advance. The element of surprise of the original Alien cannot be repeated nor recreated. Cameron's Aliens showed something new and succeeded. Even Alien 3 and Resurrection at least tried, partly succeeding partly not, to do that. Scott decided to take the franchise in a new direction with Prometheus: exploring the origins of the alien. That's fine, at least if you're not trying to retell over and over the same story. I thought the movie would be much more dynamic and articulated than it actually was. I thought and hoped that some of the questions would be explained. Not everything but enough for this movie to make sense as a chapter in a wider story arc. The Engineers, which were at the core of Prometheus' narrative, have literally disappeared. David is revealed to be the Alien's creator through some unspecified process presumably involving Shaw, and thus posing further questions about the franchise's direction and how A:C and (if there will be any) sequels will tie in with the original Alien. LV-426's juggernaut was carrying thousands of alien eggs. A fossilised Engineer was taking them somewhere long-ago (consistent with the antiquity of what was going on Prometheus's planet, maybe). Aliens offered us an explanation about the large number of eggs: a queen-like alien produced the eggs. The aliens where then supposed to be a spiecies which was exploited by yet another race for undisclosed purposes. Now we understand that David has created (or recreated) the alien and presumeably intends to perfect it further. Then how the story follows risks to be at worst entirely predictable and at best contradictory. The large number of eggs, according to the story as A:C has redefined it, could be explained with David managing to find another Engineer juggernaut, produce a queen, amass its eggs on the ship and then (maybe) carrying them back to Earth, only for its plan to be stopped in some way. The original Alien's Engineer pilot had been killed by an alien bursting out of his chest. What about the Engineers creating humans? What about them trying to destroy mankind? What about the virus and the Engineers' apparently complex rituals and way of life? Has it changed over time? Of course the creator of a series will take the story where he wants, but whatever the choice it must at any rate convincing narrated and must be consistent with the source materia. The choice of having David as the creator of the alien complicates things. Scott inaugurated Prometheus's new course. Rather than focusing on narrative mistakes, he seems to have focues on the story, creating twist after twist without explaining much. Throughout the series and throughout the movie as well the focus seems to be continuously shifting leaving us unable to understand nor appreciate the characters and the stories behind them. In the end, a movie has to be consistent on its own, even when it's part of a series. One cannot turn cinema into a one hundred million-episode tv series. Story and development have to be more coherent, even if the franchise is taken into new directions. No matter what's the origin of the Alien, which some will eventually find satisfactory, others will find disappointing. Just allow us to understand how everything plays out.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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5

chrisjee1234Jun 25, 2017

There are some entertaining moments, good acting, and interesting ideas. But as a whole, it just doesn't add up as a great movie. Michael Fassbender is easily the best AND worst part of the movie for me.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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5

mcjomarAug 24, 2017

So what we've got here is a move that is worse than Resurrection, but better than Prometheus.
Here's why:
First, the crew are morons - just like in Prometheus - and outside of the core survivors (heh) are mostly forgettable (you'll understandSo what we've got here is a move that is worse than Resurrection, but better than Prometheus.
Here's why:
First, the crew are morons - just like in Prometheus - and outside of the core survivors (heh) are mostly forgettable (you'll understand at the end, don't worry).
Most of the big plot "twists" are visible from half the movie away, while the smaller ones are still blindingly obvious from a quarter of the screen time away. Unless you've literally never watched a movie before, you'll see it coming. And it doesn't help that most of the attempts to be philosophical are heavy handed, ham fisted, and obvious (and dull). Again, if you have a brain in your head, you'll see what I mean.

Finally, on the negatives, there's the fact that a lot of events (not just crew related) don't seem to really follow much in the way of logic. In terms of suspending disbelief, make sure you've had some practice on the highwire, as for this film you're operating without a safety net.

Bad stuff out of the way, let's get to the juicy stuff - respectable CGI, and Ridley Scott is on par for his usual spectacle, shock and awe. That said, for my tastes I'd prefer him to return to his previous attitude of "only use CGI if physical props/effects are impossible" as his prior efforts in previous films with physical effects/props have infinitely more presence.

Another good point is Michael Fassbender. He straight up rescues most of this film, so make him your focus. I rarely hate a character as much as this - by which I mean he is a very good villain of the modern sort, and thus Fassbender is turning in a brilliant performance. Pity the script is so weak, but he's still brilliant in this film, so get your kicks here.

Third - Alien design, and everything relating to it which appears in this film, including the callbacks to the lesser Prometheus flick relating to this subject. This is some very nice work. Fourth - gore. Lots of it. And it's not your lazy gore either - the body horror (one key scene in particular) is fantastic here, and while most of the rest of the film never quite reaches this same high note on this topic, it still does a pretty good job. Again, when you see it, you'll know.

All in all? A movie some some interesting raw material, but ruthlessly let down by bad script, weak crew characters, and obvious "twists".
In regards being better than Prometheus, this is simply the case of it having more personality in regards Fassbender, and the Alien, rather than it being better in regards script, crew, or logic.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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5

CoreGamer1408Oct 8, 2018

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well this crew are supposed to trained colonists, but have the sense and discipline of lemmings. Really another evil android sub plot all over again? Why do I care about any of these idiots again? Rehashed themes and plot points from the older films. Weaker performances than any of the previous films. Why did this make this again? Hollywood cash grabbing off nostalgic IP yet again maybe. These constant Hollywood reboots are getting so tiresome.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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5

MaverickFilmOct 12, 2017

Wow..I think,you should watch this movie for action.If we come to reality,it doesn't enough.Actings usually nice.For this movie,something misses.Before this movie,you need watch previous series.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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5

RobertWangOct 28, 2018

Covenant's main issue is all its intense scenes and plot twists seem predictable. And we don't really learn much more about the threat as we wished. Still, there are some interesting things throughout the movie that keep it entertaining.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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5

akshatmahajanSep 29, 2020

Alien: Covenant was really unnecessary. This movie was not even needed. I was really looking forward to answers left by Prometheus and a continuation of the story. The story was bad, you will be seriously bored after half hour. After halfAlien: Covenant was really unnecessary. This movie was not even needed. I was really looking forward to answers left by Prometheus and a continuation of the story. The story was bad, you will be seriously bored after half hour. After half hour, the movie is unnessarily stretched with nonsense story. The characters were dumb and their development was also bad.

Overall, you need a lot of patience to watch this unnecessary installment in Alien prequel series.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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5

HellHoleHorrorFeb 16, 2022

This is probably my fourth favourite Alien movie after the original trilogy. The tone matches Alien (1979) closer than Prometheus (2012) but there is too much existential dribble and some really pretentious moments. It looked and soundedThis is probably my fourth favourite Alien movie after the original trilogy. The tone matches Alien (1979) closer than Prometheus (2012) but there is too much existential dribble and some really pretentious moments. It looked and sounded stunning, possibly the best sound design and music I’ve even heard. My biggest complaint was that the alien often looked goofy, especially in the first half of the film. Also, what happened to having men in suits? Look so much scarier, the CGI aliens are not convincing. The scary intense moments are cool and I like that they tried to explain the space jockey and the alien origins but it’s not as entertaining as it should have been. I could be wrong but at the end of Prometheus we saw a ‘fully’ evolved Alien human hybrid but in this film (set ten years later) they say that this is it’s first appearance (I don’t want to explain this failure in logic fully as it would contain spoliers). Final gripe, what happened to Alien films reaching a satisfying conclusion rather than leaving it open to endless sequels? Very enjoyable film let down by too much CGI and some moments that could have been shorter.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

5

liamexeJan 19, 2023

A very unsatisfying movie with an exciting beginning that quickly becomes uninteresting and a predictable, corny, and depressing climax.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

All this user's reviews

4

Ming120May 19, 2017

I found the movie to be disappointing. It certainly had the right visual effects, scenic moments, and iconic monsters doing their thing to take down a host of characters, but there was something distinctly missing that makes the AlienI found the movie to be disappointing. It certainly had the right visual effects, scenic moments, and iconic monsters doing their thing to take down a host of characters, but there was something distinctly missing that makes the Alien franchise great and unique. Part of the problem is that there is not one moment in the movie where I had to guess who was going to die first, or where our monsters are coming from. This is a bit of a problem, because as a result, it lacks suspense, and it also lacks the mysterious allure of the xenomorph or neomorph. The movie also lacks the claustrophobic feeling that defined what made the original Alien movies a horror. The acting was fine, but the shortfall seems to be in the writing. The antagonist in the movie certainly seemed philosophical, but seemed to lack the hubris that otherwise would have made him a great villain.… Expand

8 of 19 users found this helpful811

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4

Elf-HealerMay 20, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Covenant crew made inadmissible actions twice, putting in danger all the 2000 sleeping colonists while trying to rescue a few of its members. Comparing to unacceptably stupid ship crew, both synthetic characters played by Fassbender look incredibly intelligent and focused. Walter is the only one who really tries to get to the core instead of boosting panic. David, on the other side, plays evil genius which strikes with flash-like ruthless actions to make his perverted dream of creating something beautiful come true.

I would ask Mr. R. Scott: "Is this what awaits us in the future? Unbelievably dumb people and highly intelligent synthetic androids? You've given entirely different view in the very first Alien movie. So what went wrong?"

P.S. Speaking of artistic performance, sound effects and cinematography - they are gorgeous.… Expand

11 of 27 users found this helpful1116

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4

MattyiceJun 8, 2017

While more entertaining than Prometheus, Alien Covenant hits far too many of the same beats in an Alien franchise long past its prime. The film is shot very well by Ridley Scott, the characters are solid, the twist is good, and the productionWhile more entertaining than Prometheus, Alien Covenant hits far too many of the same beats in an Alien franchise long past its prime. The film is shot very well by Ridley Scott, the characters are solid, the twist is good, and the production design is great. Despite these successes, the plot takes too long to get started and the themes and dialogue are very pretentious. The film does not answer many of the questions created by Prometheus and the story is a complete retread of the prior Alien movies. Overall, the film is a massive disappointment, making me wish this old franchise will get killed once and for all.… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

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4

mailordermonstrDec 31, 2017

When did the Alien franchise become a comedy movie? I think this may be part of the Idiocracy extended universe, cause there's no other way to explain the poor decision making going on.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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4

NathonasMay 28, 2017

It seems like the writers didn't learn from the mistakes of Prometheus. The biggest problem (once again) is stupid characters that continue making one terrible decision after another and have zero depth. The plot and the characters are onlyIt seems like the writers didn't learn from the mistakes of Prometheus. The biggest problem (once again) is stupid characters that continue making one terrible decision after another and have zero depth. The plot and the characters are only there to make certain "expected" alien scenes happen (chestbursters, facehuggers, fighting a xenomorph with whatever you can, etc) rather than tell an interesting story with realistic characters.

Even the fights between the characters and the aliens are lackluster, especially in the third act which attempts to copy the ending of Aliens. And while there’s plenty of gore, the film is severely lacking in the horror we come to expect from Alien movies.

We also don't get many answers about the Engineers or other major lore, and the direction taken with the characters of Dr. Shaw and David leave much to be desired.
Finally, the film tries to be “deep” with poetic quotes and philosophical discussions between David and other characters, but this depth is not matched by any themes or ideas actually portrayed in the film.… Expand

8 of 17 users found this helpful89

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4

harryviciousAug 20, 2017

stupid crew leaded by stupid captain doing stupid things - that is an perfect example how screenwriters do their job today. when we'll see at least a nice sci-fi movie? a question with no answer...

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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4

Zidane_MinaMay 19, 2017

A mediocre film for alien fans & a forgettable movie for non alien fans. Everything felt subpar at worst, pasable at best, and comming from Scott, that destroys my hopes for future Alien films

10 of 22 users found this helpful1012

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4

eagleeyevikingMay 19, 2017

Alien: Covenant is neither as tense nor as terrifying as the first two Alien films, and even feels inferior to 'Life', a similar film released earlier this year. Furthermore, the plot structure, which follows 'Alien' and 'Prometheus' (go toAlien: Covenant is neither as tense nor as terrifying as the first two Alien films, and even feels inferior to 'Life', a similar film released earlier this year. Furthermore, the plot structure, which follows 'Alien' and 'Prometheus' (go to alien planet, find alien ship, do something stupid to wake alien up, and alien v human gorefest) feels disappointing. However, Michael Fassbender's magnetic dual performance, as well as effective sporadic scares, notches it some points.… Expand

18 of 36 users found this helpful1818

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4

widmowyMay 20, 2017

This is not the Alien film. This is Prometheus part 2. With even more dumb crew on the starship than its predecessor. It's very sad that the opportunity to show good story about origin of the Alien has been lost.

5 of 14 users found this helpful59

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4

AxeTMay 29, 2017

Been there, done that once too often. This had the feel of an unnecessary and uninspired sequel with little fanfare upon release. The actual feature lives up to the lack of hype. If you are a fan of the original and first sequel (bothBeen there, done that once too often. This had the feel of an unnecessary and uninspired sequel with little fanfare upon release. The actual feature lives up to the lack of hype. If you are a fan of the original and first sequel (both classics, 10 and 8 ratings respectively here) or the series in general, this should be disappointing for its lack of originality and its through the paces predictability. If you haven't seen those or are just not a fan, this thing has got to be an excruciating semi-incoherent bore! That said, it is well made as all Ridley Scott films are. It does deliver on the very expected jolts, scares, and gruesome violence. Yeah and it's boring.
Which brings up the larger question: Is Hollywood's incessant continuing occupation with sequels, prequels and reboots simply a supreme lack of creativity and fear of originality in going for the safe bet box office dollars? Or are the movies truly dying as an original medium, having succumbed to formula and having basically told all the stories there are to tell; with all these essentially remakes a logical updating of styles and techniques to old stories/movies for today's youth who go for it because it's all new to them? That has been the case with movies for generations. And maybe every generation grows tired of movies after decades of viewing? Maybe it has finally come to a saturation point, at least until the next great barrier breaker. The "Blade Runner" sequel trailer before this feature is intriguing and has a compelling want to see freshness to it despite being yet another sequel. Why Ridley Scott directed another Alien (since he already made a decent prequel to the series with "Prometheus") over that sequel is a wonder.… Expand

7 of 14 users found this helpful77

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4

MacheteDontTextMay 24, 2017

Only halfway through the movie and I m bored out my mind already, apparently browsing metacritic is more fun than watching this movie...not even talking about the utterly nonsensical character behaviour that would ruin any immersion youOnly halfway through the movie and I m bored out my mind already, apparently browsing metacritic is more fun than watching this movie...not even talking about the utterly nonsensical character behaviour that would ruin any immersion you previously had, its just plain, dull, uninteresting ****… Expand

5 of 12 users found this helpful57

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4

supemoneylifeJul 4, 2017

Average! By the franchise's standards this movie is terrible. The actors, average; film direction, average; storyline, average is being polite! It's lacking in much of the ingredients that made the original 3 movies a mega success. I watchedAverage! By the franchise's standards this movie is terrible. The actors, average; film direction, average; storyline, average is being polite! It's lacking in much of the ingredients that made the original 3 movies a mega success. I watched it to the end hoping for some kind of plot twist, or to be given some reason to watch. All that I was given was more unanswered questions. The film did not rekindle any of my interest in the Aliens movies and in many ways, set-about killing off my interest in the overall plot. It's more like a cliff-hanger, almost like it was made for TV and that you have to watch next week to find out what happens. 4/10 is generous… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

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4

CameraBounceGodJun 23, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i got angry when the excavator was the big finish....but like the two davids fighting each other...not sure if i followed along enough but for the sake of Prometheus id say that i'm gonna give it a second watch....also...the blue guy from watchmen was in it...yet no blue guys from Prometheus were in it that i noticed....that was a terrible boring mistake in my opinion...as the blue guy was awesome looking..… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

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4

moviestalkerJun 10, 2017

This movie should have been called: Alien: Idiots in Space. The plot's basically the same as in any "teenagers getting murdered one by one" B-Movie. There are no surprises in this movie and it just gets tedious watching these "lemmings withThis movie should have been called: Alien: Idiots in Space. The plot's basically the same as in any "teenagers getting murdered one by one" B-Movie. There are no surprises in this movie and it just gets tedious watching these "lemmings with machine guns" stumble through the thin plot... Examples? "Why of course I follow you into that dark room after seeing you do some very suspicious things. Oh, I'm dead? How could I have ever seen that coming?"… Expand

6 of 8 users found this helpful62

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4

MetaMachMay 25, 2017

Riddley Scott threw to the garbage can 40 years of speculation about the origins of the Xenomorph. Well done sir!

If you like science fiction movies but dont care about Alien, go and see it; It have great sound and effects. If you likeRiddley Scott threw to the garbage can 40 years of speculation about the origins of the Xenomorph. Well done sir!

If you like science fiction movies but dont care about Alien, go and see it; It have great sound and effects.

If you like science fiction movies and love the Alien universe, welcome to hell.… Expand

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

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4

LoveeLandMay 20, 2017

Alien: Covenant was a little better than Prometheus just because it wasn't as difficult to watch (no live abortion scenes that make you want to puke). Other than that, it wasn't very good by any means. The acting, while not corny, was notAlien: Covenant was a little better than Prometheus just because it wasn't as difficult to watch (no live abortion scenes that make you want to puke). Other than that, it wasn't very good by any means. The acting, while not corny, was not memorable for any of the characters other than Danny McBride successfully escaping his stereotypical comedy role. The story was incredibly sloppy and relied on characters that were nowhere near qualified for the task they set out to do, and therefore made very poor leadership decisions allowing for things to go south for the crew and force the plot to unfold as it does. While not quite as graphic as Prometheus in my opinion, it is still incredibly gruesome, almost at a level that is off-putting (like Prometheus), however I know some people like that so that did not influence my rating. The CGI aliens at times looked very good, then at times looked very fake. I would expect that in this day and age that would be the one thing a large budget film such as this would get right. If you loved Prometheus then you'll probably enjoy this film, however if you are more of a fan of the original series like me, this movie doesn't hold a candle.… Expand

7 of 18 users found this helpful711

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4

HTGamerMay 23, 2017

Alien: Covenant is a hugely disappointing movie.

The Prometheus movie, despite its flaws, set a wonderful stage and asked great sci-fi questions concerning the origins of humanity. Sadly all of it has been scrapped with Alien: Covenant, andAlien: Covenant is a hugely disappointing movie.

The Prometheus movie, despite its flaws, set a wonderful stage and asked great sci-fi questions concerning the origins of humanity. Sadly all of it has been scrapped with Alien: Covenant, and the "Alien" prefix tells you clearly that the studio execs want to get rid of Prometheus and its lore (it wasn't titled "Alien: Prometheus" after all).

At the end of Prometheus Dr. Ellen Shaw set course for the Engineers' homeworld with the android David, but sadly 1) the Engineers are absent from the new movie and 2) Noomi Rapace has been cast out of the sequel and her character has been replaced with a bunch of losers, who are nothing more than dog food for the Alien creature. It's rather convenient. Because I presume Prometheus lore has to disappear for some reason.

OK, I am salty about not getting the Prometheus sequel I was expecting. That would have been fine if this movie, after having cut all its ties with Prometheus, was great. Or at least good. It's not though. It's mostly pathetic. Michael Fassbender is awesome in his dual role of the two cloned androids (David and Walter), but he can't save the movie from being a disaster. The rest of the cast are, as in the words of the first Alien movie, "expendable". The story is full of laughable plotholes, illogical decisions, and brain-dead characters who just wait their time to be munched away by the Alien. At least the plot twist towards the end of the movie does the job of aligning the prequel movies more closely with the Alien mythos.

Alien: Covenant is really just a link to some future Alien movie which will please Alien fans. Prometheus and its high sci-fi concepts are dead.… Expand

9 of 18 users found this helpful99

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4

lordx51May 19, 2017

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Meh - Loved Prometheus, grew up with Aliens, was very disappointed in Alien: Covenant. I thought we were passed the whole people land on planet, there is an alien ship, people run form aliens shtick. I don't care about Aliens anymore, we got 4 movies of Aliens. After Prometheus I thought the series had matured into something broader, it hasn't. This new movie is basically the same old thing rehashed with no new answers. I went to this for the story on the Architects to be fleshed out, instead they get 30 seconds of screen time and we get the story of David with a run from the Alien/s shtick for the last 30 minutes. And the aliens don't even look that good, they went CG with something that traditionally looked great as a suit.… Expand

9 of 24 users found this helpful915

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4

CinemaphileJun 5, 2017

The only promise that this film offers is to bore you to tears and infuriate you with the ham-fisted, tone deaf dialogue and plot. This film is half as entertaining as Prometheous which was at best, vaguely intriguing. Even A:C'sThe only promise that this film offers is to bore you to tears and infuriate you with the ham-fisted, tone deaf dialogue and plot. This film is half as entertaining as Prometheous which was at best, vaguely intriguing. Even A:C's revelations are ho-hum. Wait for Netflix after you've binge watched the entirety of Netflix's catalogue. I'd watch Alien Resurrection again before I'd waste another 2 hours of precious life watching this blase, cynical metabolic acid milking of one of a small few horror francises. Skip this one, it's a waste of cash and a waste of your time. In space, everyone can unfortunately hear the marketing from parsecs away. No screams here...… Expand

9 of 13 users found this helpful94

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4

StrepsMay 19, 2017

There was a time in cinema when Ridley Scott was relevant. Prometheus showed us that he was past his prime, and any ability that he once had, was lost in a fest pool of gibberish and poor direction. So we move onto Alien: Covenant, and oneThere was a time in cinema when Ridley Scott was relevant. Prometheus showed us that he was past his prime, and any ability that he once had, was lost in a fest pool of gibberish and poor direction. So we move onto Alien: Covenant, and one can say Ridley has continued in his path of being an irrelevant movie maker, it is really time for him to end his career. This film felt like a lesson in amateur cinema, there are story telling decisions in this film that have been seen and done 100 times before, but somehow Ridely thought, lets do it 101 times. This film has zero innovation and some of the editing choices are very bad, some scenes drag on needlessly, in an attempt to build drama, but it falls flat ever time. Without spoiling the story, some examples of the amateur story telling is - "don't go there, ok lets go there", "we shouldn't do that, ok lets do that", "don't shoot inside the ship, ok lets shoot inside the ship" There is not much to be positive about with regards to the story telling in this film, after 20 minutes, you know exactly what is going to happen, and the way it has been edited and directed, it feels telegraphed and lazy. The dialogue between characters is poor, very poor, and the connection between the cast is off. I didn't know much about the film going i,n but lets just say, it adds zero to the franchise and doesn't add to Prometheus. Time to hang up the coat Ridley, your ideas are old and so very predictable to a point that I thought this film might be a spoof.… Expand

6 of 16 users found this helpful610

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