Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Katharine Waterston, Billy Crudup
Grade: B-
Okay, first thing I have to get off my chest. I liked Prometheus. I didn’t think it was a flawless movie it had some real problems but I liked the questions that it asked. I liked that it tried to be bigger and deeper even if it didn’t really make it. I appreciated it for that.
While I found Covenant entertaining it was also a bit disappointing in that regard.
Spoilers below! Although I try to keep it vague 🙂
For me I think the most horrifying part of this movie was actually the truth about Elizabeth’s fate. I also really didn’t like that. (I suppose I’m definitely one of those people who gets more frightened and unsettled by what you don’t see.) The only time I really felt for Daniel’s (Waterston’s character) was that ending and the likely chance she’ll meet the same fate.
I think character was one of the big problems for me. Despite the fact that the cast gave good performances it was hard for me to get attached. There really wasn’t enough to care about characters whom you already know are likely going to meet grizzly fates. The crew is paired off as couples but even there it’s so cursory, in most cases, and so fast that you never really feel the deaths.
Though I think the sequence that came closest to me was with Amy Seimetz and Carmen Ejogo near to the beginning. It was a good show of mind-numbing fear and total chaos that felt nice and raw. Billy Crudup came closest to a good character (besides Fassbender) but man by the time he went it just felt like bad decision after bad decision ending in, “Man, you really are stupid!”
Fassbender was of course awesome in two roles. But the cut away made that twist so obvious. Was it suppose to be that obvious? They should have just showed us the end of the fight and owned it although I suppose it does leave Walter’s fate up in the air. Waterston was okay. I’m not her biggest fan and I think near to the end there was too much where I felt they wanted me to see, and think, Ripley.
I thought her best part was actually the very ending. What a terrifying and helpless predicament.
Lastly I was also bummed by that super quick anti-climatic stuff with the creators/engineers from the first movie. Again I know that not everyone loved it and I don’t think it worked on every level but that was actually a cool and frightening looking place and they were dealt with so insanely quickly that it felt like an after thought. I couldn’t even enjoy the idea that their weapon had been turned against them because it was just so fast and shoe-horned in at the same time.
Apparently there’s going to be a book about the events between Prometheus and Covenant but considering that I already know how that goes I don’t think that will make the TBR.
Like I said this movie was (mostly) entertaining with good performances. A summer horror Alien flick with lots of gore. But as someone whose first and favorite foray into the series was Prometheus I couldn’t help but want for me. Though I know opinion on that one is very split.
Recommend: Yes. If you like the Alien series or for Fassbender’s performance. But honestly, if you’re on the fence I don’t think this provides anything new and could wait for a rental.
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