Review by RCR entertainment reporter, Eric Szymanski, follow him on Twitter at @ecmanski
Oh no…… Not again!!!!
Hard to believe it’s been 38 years since director Ridley Scott first showed us that in space no one can hear you scream. The original Alien in 1979 was a direct result of Scott seeing Star Wars two years earlier and thinking “I really need to do a sci-fi film”. A franchise was born! Not a traditional birth but more of a “what the hell was that thing that just came out of his stomach” conception. Fast forward to 2017 and we’re given the sixth installment of the franchise: Alien Covenant. (no, I don’t count either of the A vs P films)
Covenant is a sequel to Prometheus which was a prequel to Alien. Is everyone following me here? Look, we all know the formulas. Space travelers are taking an intergalactic nap, they wake up, explore a planet or someplace they have no business being, terror ensues. Much like the Force Awakens was accused by many as being A New Hope 2.0, I can see the same complaints being made about this film with Katherine Waterson’s Daniels being the Ripley here. I don’t view Covenant as a rehash but rather a satisfying sci fi horror that stuck to the winning formula that made the first two movies classics. In fact, I’m ranking Covenant as my third favorite film of the franchise behind the original Alien and the sequel many view as superior, James Cameron’s Aliens.
Everything worked for me here. From Michael Fassbender’s android character David questioning his “father” about creation to seeing Kenny Powers in space singing John Denver. The cinematography and lighting really made me feel I was in that Alien universe. A word of caution to impatient moviegoers: the first 40 minutes of the movie are a rather slow burn focusing mainly on the crew in space and the choices they must make. But when the shit hits the fans, it splatters hard. Everyone goes to a horror or science fiction film wanting to see the killer or creature do what he or it does best: kill.
Could you imagine a Nightmare on Elm Street movie where rather than slash, Freddy Kruger stalks teens in their dreams only to challenge them to a game of rock, paper, scissors?!?! NO! The same holds true for the aliens here. In fact, one particular sequence where certain crew members have a close encounter of the wrong kind for the first time had me smiling so hard for so long, I think I felt a tear of joy streaming down my cheek. That’s how giddy I was.
There IS a musical number in this film involving a flute that may make you chuckle although it’s not nearly as funny as the diner scene in Spaceballs. Fans of the franchise are really going to enjoy this movie. Beautiful exterior shots of space. Check. Witty dialogue. Check. Images of intense horror you wouldn’t want to see your co workers have to experience at the office. Check. It’s all here in the two hour running time. So grab your popcorn and go to the biggest screen your local multiplex is showing this on.
Oh, and one last thing: don’t plan on going out afterwards for a plate of spaghetti with marinara sauce. After seeing Alien Covenant, you’re not gonna want it.
????/5
Watch Alien: Covenant on Friday May 19th when it comes to theaters everywhere in the US
More about Alien: Covenant
The path to paradise begins in hell.
Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with ALIEN: COVENANT, a new chapter in his groundbreaking ALIEN franchise. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.
In Theaters – May 19, 2017
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Cast: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, Benjamin Rigby
Directed by: Ridley Scott
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