Review of Alien: Covenant (2017) by Shane P — 11 Aug 2017

Ridley Scott is back with a new ''Alien''-film after the mixed reactions of 2012's ''Prometheus''. The film is called ''Alien: Covenant'' and is the second prequel to the Alien-franchise, which started with ''Prometheus''.

''Alien: Covenant'' takes place ten years after the events of ''Prometheus''. The crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet, discover an uncharted paradise with a threat beyond their imagination, and must attempt a harrowing escape.

Ridley Scott answers some of the questions people had after seeing ''Prometheus''. We also get a glimpse to the mysterious origin of the Xenomorph. Scott also continues the existential questions that were asked in the first prequel. Discussions about the origin of life and creation are being held. It's very clear from the beginning that the humans, especially Guy Pearce's Peter Weyland, are interested in finding out about the origin of life. On the contrary to Michael Fassbender's David who only wants to find out how it feels to be a creator instead of a creation. Thanks to the fact that existential questions are being asked, the movie is not only thrilling to see, but also very thought provocative. ''Alien: Covenant'' is however not a perfect film and has a lot of flaws. The film uses multiple styles, making it a mess. Most of the characters are also very forgettable. They're only there to be used as horror-material. Dummies for the Xenomorphs to kill.

The most striking part about ''Alien: Covenant'' is the performance by Michael Fassbender. This time he does not only play David, but also the new synthetic robot Walter. They may look simular, but their ideals and motives are very different, making the performance from Michael Fassbender very unique. And even though most of the other characters are forgettable, the acting is still very good. You will be feeling the emotions they're feeling throughout the film. Making you sometimes as happy, frustated or scared as the characters are on screen.

The monsters in this Alien-film exit the human body once again, in a horrifying, masterfully and memorable way. This time the Xenomorphs are made from digital effects, and even though they look alright, they're not as scary as they were in the original ''Alien''-film.

Even though ''Alien: Covenant'' has a lot, and I do mean a lot, of problems, the positives outweigh the negatives. Making it a movie all ''Alien''-fans should first watch, before they form an opinion on it.