Alien: Covenant (2017) Review

"I was not made to serve. Neither were you" - David.

I'm one of those rare cinema goers that totally loved Ridley Scott's Prometheus (2012). Set years before his beloved classic Alien (1979), Scott presented an original story that loosely ties into the events of that film. Prometheus told the story of an expedition to discover the origins of humanity, with Noomi Rapace's Elisabeth Shaw serving as our hero. With Prometheus receiving a mixed response from fans, Scott aims to please by having the long-awaited sequel feel more like his original masterpiece, focusing more on horror elements and re-introducing the classic Xenomorph alien. The response to this film has once again been mixed, but I went into it having loved its predecessor, so was greatly anticipating which direction the story would go. So, does Ridley Scott still have what it takes, or is it time to finally lay the franchise to rest?

Setting out on a colonising mission, the crew of the Covenant spacecraft suffer a rude awakening from their long sleep. A blast causes heavy damage and the death of the crew's captain, and so first-mate Oram (Billy Crudup) is forced to take charge. Along with our heroine Daniels (Katherine Waterston) and android Walter (Michael Fassbender), the crew answers a distress call from a nearby planet. As the planet appears just as inhabitable as their original destination, the crew land and soon realise all is not as it seems. Discovering a crashed spacecraft and with some of the crew becoming infected by an alien pathogen, the crew must turn to the planet's only inhabitant for help. Unfortunately, this turns out to be David from the failed Prometheus expedition, and the android has many a dark secret lying in wait for the humans...

I can't help but feel as if Alien: Covenant is the result of a director with a vivid imagination who has been swayed by fan opinion on what kind of film he should make. Earlier this year, I wrote an article as to how the film could serve as a sequel to Prometheus, and stated that questions raised by that film should be answered. However, only a portion of Alien: Covenant feels like the sequel to Prometheus, and even then it ignores some of the questions that I wanted to explore. The entire plot-line of Shaw and David trying to discover why the Engineers wanted to wipe out humanity has been scrapped. Instead, we have a completely new set of characters who coincidentally encounter David on the planet. These new characters are not in any way related to the story established in Prometheus, and only when David shows up does the film actually begin to get interesting. Before his arrival, a lot of time is devoted to the exploration of the planet, which was once the home of the Engineers. Whilst I enjoyed these exploration scenes, the characters themselves are very one-dimensional. We don't get to know their names or personalities too well before things inevitably go awry, and so they aren't very memorable. Whilst the performances of the actors are all good, particularly Katherine Waterston, there isn't much substance for them to work with and at times the dialogue feels very unnatural. This was disappointing to me as although many criticised the characters in Prometheus, I felt they all at least had established personalities and some memorable moments. Here, many of the human characters are quickly killed off before they've said more than a few lines, resulting in not a great deal of emotion from the audience.

Whilst the film lacks a good cast of human characters, what it does have going for it is the pairing of androids Walter and David. Michael Fassbender completely steals the film, creating a clear contrast between these identical characters. Walter, a later model of android, was designed to have his emotional capabilities restricted, something which David has developed at a frightening rate. Seeing himself as superior to humanity, David attempts to convince Walter to abandon his existence as a mere servant. These scenes are easily the highlight of the film, as we delve deeper into David's twisted perception of reality whilst Walter tries in vain to stop him. It is here that the film got me hooked, primarily due to Fassbender's superb dual performance. Overall, I actually felt more emotions towards these two artificial people than the humans as they are far more engaging than any of the other characters. 

Of course the big draw of the film is the return of the classic Xenomorph alien, which was deliberately left out of Prometheus. Featured on the film's posters and having the word "alien" in the title, Ridley Scott was clearly attempting to reassure the fans that this film will tie into the original Alien film in a more direct manner. Before the Xenomorph arrives, however, we are treated to a new monster equally as deadly. This new breed of alien (referred to in the credits as the Neomorph) spawns from several of the Covenant crew after they are infected with the pathogen. I was impressed with the design of the Neomorph, as it closely resembles the Xenomorph whilst also clearly being different due to its lighter skin tone and size. The only downside to the the portrayal of the aliens is the overuse of CGI. I know I sound like a broken record when it comes to CG in films, but it says a lot when the alien effects from 1979 look more convincing than the effects from a film made in 2017. Having the alien jump around and be shown in way too much detail reminded me of their depiction in Alien: Resurrection (1997). And trust me, that isn't a good thing.

The weirdest thing about Alien: Covenant, though, is the inclusion of exclusive scenes uploaded to YouTube prior to the film's release. The two scenes not included in the final cut would have given more depth to the film, with one in particular hinting at the story I wanted to see in the first place. The first exclusive scene features all the members of the Covenant having a final drink together before setting off on their mission. It's the most natural part of their interaction compared to any of the scenes in the final cut, and so this definitely would have helped to make the characters more believable. The biggest offence, however, was to not include the second exclusive clip in the final film. Lasting just over two minutes, the clip depicts Elizabeth Shaw and David's journey to the home of the Engineers, with Noomi Rapace reprising her role. To have Rapace return for only a brief clip and to not even include it in the film is a real disservice to her performance and the character. I cared more about her than any of the new characters in the film, and I'm pretty certain that Ridley Scott originally intended to include her more than in just a cameo in an online clip. This was the film I wanted to see: Shaw and David finding the home of the Engineers, answering the questions left over from Prometheus.

With so much to balance in its two hour run-time, Alien: Covenant feels like a bit of a mess overall. Ultimately, the film is broken down into three completely different acts: an intriguing mystery leading to the crew being attacked by the Neomorph, a ton of exposition explaining what happened after Prometheus, and then a standard conclusion featuring the Xenomorph. For me, it's crazy to think that people bemoaned the Xenomorph not being included in Prometheus because as soon as that thing shows up, Alien: Covenant becomes cliched and predictable. We could have had a more original story, but Ridley Scott appears to have given in to fan demand. That being said, the film is at least well acted and looks stunning, which makes sitting through some of the film's silly moments (like the shower scene shown in the trailer) a little easier. I just wish we could have had a different story that properly follows on from Prometheus. I guess all I can do is hope for a directors cut that makes the film feel like a proper sequel.

What can we expect from Alien: Covenant?

With two fantastic films, two dodgy sequels, two crossover films and a prequel (of sorts), the Alien franchise has seen more than its fair share of highs and lows. Starting in 1979, Ridley Scott's original horror masterpiece introduced audiences to one of the most chilling creatures ever depicted on film, as well as Sigourney Weaver's iconic Ellen Ripley. James Cameron continued the franchise's success in 1986, opting for a more action-packed approach. After Cameron's Aliens, Alien 3 (1992) and Alien: Resurrection (1997) both failed to live up to expectations. Years later, the franchise combined with the Predator series, spawning two films. Both Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) were both financially successful, but fan and critical reaction was largely negative. In 2012, Ridley Scott returned to the series to direct Prometheus, a film set before the events of Alien but primarily focusing on its own mythology. Now with Scott once again at the helm of the upcoming Alien: Covenant (2017), this article will explore what audiences can expect based on three factors of my choosing: the fan reaction to Prometheus, the look of the film based on the trailer, and Ridley Scott's own sayings as to how his new film links with the rest of the series.

First, I'd like to look at Prometheus, seeing as how it is the latest film in the series to be released. I was really excited to see it back when it came out, especially with Ridley Scott back to direct and to focus solely on the Alien series and not be another crossover. The film follows the crew of the titular spaceship as they explore a distant planet. Archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) have discovered a star map leading them to the planet, believing that the planet could hold clues to the origin of the human race. Along with the android David (Michael Fassbender), the crew soon discover a threat in the guise of the Engineers, a humanoid alien race. Shaw and David survive the encounter with the Engineers, and set off to find their home planet to discover why the Engineers intended to destroy humanity.

Critically and commercially, Prometheus was largely successful. However, the film garnered a more mixed response from fans. Whilst universal acclaim was given to the design and performances (in particular Michael Fassbender), elements of the plot were criticised. The main focus of negativity from fans seemed to be aimed at where exactly the film fits into the timeline of the original Alien film. There are references to the aliens and hints towards similar discoveries by the crew, but with some expecting Prometheus to link directly to Alien, people where left confused. The surprise at the end of Prometheus was to see what initially appears to be the first alien, as it closely resembles the creatures from the other films. This creature, known as the Deacon, only appears briefly but makes for an impactful ending to the film. But the Deacon's close resemblance to the other aliens would only generate more confusion. Seeing as Prometheus pre-dates Alien, many initially thought it to be the first alien to have existed, but the film clarifies this isn't the case by depicting statues of the aliens earlier in the film. With the title of the new film clearly stating it to be a closer link to the original Alien, perhaps Alien: Covenant be more like how some fans expected Prometheus to be and straighten out some of the confusions from the first film.

At the end of last year, we finally got our first look at the sequel to Prometheus. Before this, the film had already caught attention by going through a title change. Originally named Alien: Paradise Lost, the new title was revealed to be Alien: Covenant. Like Prometheus, the film takes its title from the name of the spaceship featured in the film. The R-rated trailer begins with a horrific death scene before creating a mysterious atmosphere. We see shots of incredible landscapes as well as dark corridors, and of course a brief glimpse of an alien. Michael Fassbender is also featured in the trailer, as well as several new characters. From this trailer, it appears as though Alien: Covenant will match the look of Alien more than Prometheus, due to the gore and darkness. However, the shots of landscapes and the use of music lean more towards the tone of Prometheus. With this trailer, one can hope that the film feels equally balanced, showing clear direction that not only is this the sequel to Prometheus, but also a more direct prequel to Alien. Check out the trailer for yourselves below:

But how will Alien: Covenant fit in with the next instalments in the series? Ridley Scott has stated that there will be more sequels following on from Alien: Covenant, and intends them to clearly lead into Alien. Seeing as how Alien: Covenant echoes the look of the original Alien and the sequels will eventually take us to the start of that film, where does that leave the established plot points of Prometheus? The focus was initially on the Engineers and Dr. Shaw's journey to discover their home planet, but the trailer has no references to this. Will the Deacon alien be featured in the sequels, or was it just an added surprise at the end of Prometheus? Despite Scott's intentions to the have a closer link to Alien, these elements of the story cannot be ignored, otherwise Prometheus has not much purpose within the story leading into Alien. I am a great admirer of Scott's direction of Prometheus, as it was clearly linked to Alien but also told us a story was hadn't seen before. I just hope he hasn't given in to fan demands of wanting a direct prequel to Alien and tells the story he wants to tell. Whatever the direction of the new film, we don't have long to get our answers, as Alien: Covenant arrives in May...