Support NeoGAF

[Eppy Thatcher]

I despise this movie more and more as time goes on.

The Engineers were one of my favorite pieces of "lore" from any movie ever. Reduced to useless jobbers to a boring af android.

Fuckin huzzah. dude can't make a movie to save his fuckin life anymore.

 

[frontovik]

I thought directors were supposed to get better with each subsequent film .. not worse.

 

[JaseC]

So in a recent interview, Ridley Scott says in reference to Covenant's sequel...




So there are off-planet Engineers beyond the ones that were on LV-223 and they'll remain players in this saga to some degree. Alright. There are the pieces for The Derelict - no regenerating Walter salvaging that crashed Juggernaut needed now.

Just waiting on Fox to announce something official on their end.

And - as I like to post - here are more scrapped Shaw concepts. Blanket NSFW again.

Dane Hallett untitled pieces - This reminds me a bit of the unused xeno Fifield concept.

Matt Hatton "The tumor garden"

Matton Hatton untitled

Shaw's fate was delightfully gruesome. Overall, Covenant did somewhat exceed my very low expectations, but I would have much preferred a more direct sequel built around the idea of David using Shaw as a host for a queen that, ideally, picked up from where Prometheus left off and paid little to no mind to the whole Engineer thing.

 

[Stallion Dan]

Finally saw this. What a load of shit.

Everyone is an idiot. David right on one thing, these people deserved to die.

Fuck this and Prometheus, Alien 1-4, the Predators and novels are a much better canon.

 

[The Guy In Red]

Just saw this hot garbage. As most criticisms pointed out, this is some dumb ass crew. I think another reason why the film isn't liked is that its such a downer. The

Spoiler

Everyone dies

story is a mess.

Plus not sure if it was me but did anyone else find it a bit too gory?

Also, I'm not sure of the "I'll do the fingering" part was supposed to be intended as humour in the film.

 

[Truant]

Just a short ADR dub of David saying he copied the xenomorphs from the Engineers would have made the movie vastly better.

 

[Garcia el Gringo]

Is anyone getting the digital release with the bonus content that was just released today? I'm curious to hear more about any interesting deleted scenes, and the feature Advent. I'm not finding much reaction online yet.

I'm holding out for the 4k Blu-ray Steelbook that drops in 2 weeks.

 

[cucuchu]

It looks like there is a lot of speculation that work on the Alien: Covenant follow-up has been stopped. From the results of the box office, at least from what we know so far, that is not at all surprising. Its discussed in this podcast:

https://perfectorganism.podbean.com/e/episode-58-the-blomkamp-controversy-sequel-ideas/


Still all speculation and we really won't know much until Ridley Scott does another press event before his next film I would guess.

 

[cucuchu]

Is anyone getting the digital release with the bonus content that was just released today? I'm curious to hear more about any interesting deleted scenes, and the feature Advent. I'm not finding much reaction online yet.

I'm holding out for the 4k Blu-ray Steelbook that drops in 2 weeks.

Not yet but I have been reading there is a scene where David leaves a video message to the company describing his plans to create a queen and as that is going on we get a shot of Daniels in her cryosleep.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

What I'd heard is that there wasn't any work being done on the follow up because Fox hasn't decided whether to give Ridley any money to make a follow up at all, and there were two possible options Ridley was thinking of pursuing regarding said follow up.

Basically, they're trying to decide whether or not its worth it to give him like 60-70 mil to make one last movie, and whether he'll agree to that.

Otherwise they'll sit on it for about 5-6 years and just make something completely unrelated to the origin of the Alien, or Ripley, or anything that's previously happened in an Alien film.

 

[Garcia el Gringo]

Not yet but I have been reading there is a scene where David leaves a video message to the company describing his plans to create a queen and as that is going on we get a shot of Daniels in her cryosleep.

I just saw the same. Sounds like David also explains his reasoning behind why he did to Shaw what he did.

I'm curious if The Crossing is any longer in these special features vs the pre-release marketing. The Crossing on YouTube felt abrupt.

Anyway, it's difficult to get excited about any tease of the next movie when it feels like the Scott prequels are dead.

 

[cucuchu]

I just saw the same. Sounds like David also explains his reasoning behind why he did to Shaw what he did.

I'm curious if The Crossing is any longer in these special features vs the pre-release marketing. The Crossing on YouTube felt abrupt.

Anyway, it's difficult to get excited about any tease of the next movie when it feels like the Scott prequels are dead.

Exactly my fear!

For all its faults, I still found redeeming qualities with Alien Covenant:

- The music was fantastic..I loved the whispy, haunting theme that played throughout the film and its mix with the music from the original film.

- I like how David is untethering and losing himself, as noted by Walter when David does not know the correct name of the poem author. The whole notion of an Android finding out that it is wrong...would that not completely glitch out the A.I.? There is something truly disturbing going on with David and I find that fascinating.

- The ending... I know, its obvious, but that was the point to me. It was SUPPOSE to be obvious because I was just waiting for the moment when Daniels/Tennessee realize something is wrong with 'Walter'. It was not meant to be a surprise in my opinion...the way David looks back at the temple after the fight with Walter, the SMILE on David's face when he realizes the Alien in on board the Covenant, it was suppose to be obvious as far as I can tell. Having Daniels going into Cryo knowing that Walter is now David was pretty horrifying in my opinion in the same sense that if you were to go under for surgery and as you are numb and fading out of conciousness, you realize the surgeon is going to kill you in your sleep. I quite liked it.

- The neomorph birth was tense and well done, as well as the standing Neomorph near David (before it gets shot).

- The ONE shot of the xenomorph where it enters the terraforming bay and we see the profile shot of it as its standing upright walking towards them. It looked AMAZING for that one or two seconds.....

And on that last point, I'll lead into my main gripe with the film...The xenomorph was too much CGI and too dumb. Its like the xenomorph was an afterthought of the film and shoe-horned in. The creation of them I did not really like either, and would of preferred David discovering an old formula of sorts of something because I personally like the idea of the Xeno's being an ancient and intelligent species. Also just destroying the engineers subplot like that pissed me the hell off too.

So yeah, point is I'm very conflicted but still curious to see how the prequels are meant to end. On the other hand, I'm not too happy with the overall direction of the prequel series... I just don't know....I'm just extremely conflicted and sad all the same that we might not see another Alien movie because there is so much untapped potential with the franchise.

 

[Toa TAK]

Wait a second, people.

So digital releases also come with special features that are usually on the disc?

I always just buy the Blu-Rays.

 

[Garcia el Gringo]

Wait a second, people.

So digital releases also come with special features that are usually on the disc?

I always just buy the Blu-Rays.

Sure looks like the special features are identical between many digital stores and what we know will be on the upcoming physical release. It's about 90 minutes worth of content.

The runtime for The Crossing as a home release special feature is the same length as what we got on Alien Day. I had the info right in front of my eyes before.

 

[QuantumZebra]

The characters were SO. STUPID.

"Hey guys, new planet, think we should wear space suits with helmets?"
"Nah, seems fine."

"I have created a masterpiece with my alien eggs, shove your head inside one and take a look!"
"CAN DO!"

That med scene where everyone was tripping in blood should have had the God damn Benny Hill theme playing on top of it.

lol

I really didn't think it was bad but all of this is so true

also killing Elizabeth off-screen so you can have a double Fassbender twist makes me nauseous

 

[Toa TAK]

Sure looks like the special features are identical between many digital stores and what we know will be on the upcoming physical release. It's about 90 minutes worth of content.

The runtime for The Crossing as a home release special feature is the same length as what we got on Alien Day. I had the info right in front of my eyes before.

Damn.

Now I must decide if I want the Blu-Ray or just nab it digitally.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Not yet but I have been reading there is a scene where David leaves a video message to the company describing his plans to create a queen and as that is going on we get a shot of Daniels in her cryosleep.

Where are you reading that

 

[~Kinggi~]

I have to say I know most on GAF seem to hate this movie but i actually enjoyed it. But yeah, the characters were dumb as rocks most of the time. Kind of insane thats the crew they choose to lead humanity. But other than that, great production as usual from Scott, can always count on it at least looking amazing. I enjoyed how much of a direct sequel to Prometheus it was. I was under the impression it would be loosely tied. I mean its quite direct.

 

[Garcia el Gringo]

Where are you reading that

https://www.reddit.com/r/LV426/comments/6qyog9/bonus_feature_advent/

http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=58063.msg2240388#msg2240388
http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=58616.0

http://www.alien-covenant.com/topic/46076

I haven't watched Advent yet, so I can't confirm myself.

 

[JB1981]

Bought the digital version that comes with the blu-ray off Vudu and the deleted scenes are really crummy. Nothing interesting save for some more screen time between Daniels and Walter

 

[Preezy]

Kind of insane thats the crew they choose to lead humanity.

Just focussing on this point in isolation - you're wrong. They were just the ship's crew, tasked with getting the colonists (i.e. the actual ones to lead a new colony) to wherever they were heading.

 

[NealMcCauley]

Damn.

Now I must decide if I want the Blu-Ray or just nab it digitally.

Digital copies won't have Ridley's commentary track, which is sure to be a fascinating listen.

 

[afternoon delight]

I have to say I know most on GAF seem to hate this movie but i actually enjoyed it. But yeah, the characters were dumb as rocks most of the time.

I think Bobby said it best- we finally have a movie in the franchise that's as good as (I'd say better than) Alien 3.

For me it's seriously release order in terms of greatness- Alien, Aliens, Alien Covenant. The in between is negligible.

I'm going to double feature this with Forbidden Planet I think. Or Jason X.

 

[ezekial45]

It's kinda sad to see that one of the creators of this franchise sunk it with a movie that did all the wrong things. I'm bummed out that we're likely not getting another one for a while. I mean I LOVE Alien, but this movie showed that Scott doesn't quite what's get what's great about this series.

I guess Bobby is happy now that Alien Day will likely no longer be a thing.

 

[Toa TAK]

Digital copies won't have Ridley's commentary track, which is sure to be a fascinating listen.

Oh sweet! Blu-Ray it is then.

 

[afternoon delight]

It's kinda sad to see that one of the creators of this franchise sunk it with a movie that did all the wrong things.

In a world where Alien Resurrection exists, I cannot condone this line of thinking. Not to mention the Aliens versus Predators in a frozen pyramid entry.

 

[Shambalakan]

Finally watched Covenant. It disappointed me and expected a lot better.
Liked Prometheus and Alien 3 more than this. Maybe even Resurrection... or not? Don't know!
But even after Covenant, still can't wait for more Alien movies. Really love this series and Xenomorphs!

 

[Number45]

I watched all of the films in the run up to seeing this at the cinema and I'm struggling to think of many films I've ever seen that are worse than Resurrection. 2012 springs to mind but that's currently all I can muster.

 

[Angel_DvA]

It looks like there is a lot of speculation that work on the Alien: Covenant follow-up has been stopped. From the results of the box office, at least from what we know so far, that is not at all surprising. Its discussed in this podcast:

https://perfectorganism.podbean.com/e/episode-58-the-blomkamp-controversy-sequel-ideas/


Still all speculation and we really won't know much until Ridley Scott does another press event before his next film I would guess.

Good, I can't take more of Ridley Scott garbageness for the Alien Franchise...

Not yet but I have been reading there is a scene where David leaves a video message to the company describing his plans to create a queen and as that is going on we get a shot of Daniels in her cryosleep.

Fuck David. I hate this character as much as Ridley loves him....

 

[CaviarMeths]

I watched all of the films in the run up to seeing this at the cinema and I'm struggling to think of many films I've ever seen that are worse than Resurrection. 2012 springs to mind but that's currently all I can muster.

You really need to branch out and watch some real shit if Resurrection and 2012 are the worst movies you've ever seen. I mean, those are two bad movies, but they're just regular-old-every-day bad. Movies just as bad come out every week.

What I'm saying is you should go check out The Dark Tower this weekend. Bring a date!

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

I had no idea this was out on digital platforms until I saw someone mention it on twitter yesterday.
I must say, I rather liked it. My third favorite film in the franchise. And I'm one of those weirdos who enjoys both 3 and 4. None of them touch the first two obviously.

I went in with low expectations as I always do with Ridley Scott, you just never know what you're gonna get with him. I have two main gripes: the dumb characters and the cgi Aliens. Nothing original there I guess based on this thread.

- I'm not one to really nitpick the logic of a sci-fi or fantasy film or to look for plot holes. But goddammit, just one line from Mother saying she had scanned the atmosphere and that she couldn't detect any viruses or micro-organisms in the air would have helped a whole lot. It's not as bad as it was in Prometheus tough, where the characters were nothing more than 80s slasher fodder. Here, despite their cluelessness, I rather liked them. From Danny McBride to Daniels and even the out-of-his-depth Captain, they felt like real humans, like a real crew.

- Ridley Scott was clearly not that interested in the Aliens themselves, which is nothing new considering the first Alien and Prometheus. It's a rather common trope in horror stories that the true danger comes from a different place than advertised. But the Xenomorphs just looked like over-animated cartoons. As if even Scott had gotten bored of them and didn't care about really capturing them with his greatest strength as a filmmaker: his incredible eye for shot composition. But in the end, they weren't much more than henchmen for David.

Which brings me to why I liked this movie so much. It felt like Ridley was having just as much fun with the material as Fassbender was. I mean, the flute scene + "I'll do the fingering" says it all. There was a dark humor bordering on nihilism throughout the whole film. A fuck you attitude from Ridley that permeated every scene. "Oh, you didn't like Prometheus except for Shaw? Well, she died in the most horrific way possible and the Engineers are dead too. Because fuck you, I'm Sir Ridley Scott."

It was just a fun and ambitious sci-fi horror film for me. It doesn't really go anywhere nor does it really constitute a good prequel to the Alien saga but on its own, it's a rather amusing remake of the Island of Doctor Moreau. With David and Ridley in the role of the good Doctor, eager to fuck with our expectations and introduce us to a new and unfamiliar bazaar of horrors.

Anyway, I understand why this movie is so divisise, but I had a good time. This is one of those cases where I even appreciate the movies' flaws as the strange and ambitious deviations that they are. I'd even watch a sequel with just David on the ship experimenting on all the poor colonists with a big hungry smile on his face. I imagine it would very much look like the failed Ripley clones scene in Resurrection but times a hundred and with more classical music and phallic imagery.

3/5

Alien > Aliens >>> Covenant > 3 > Prometheus > Resurrection

 

[Mohonky]

I like Promotheus. I like Covenant. I like Giorgio Tsoukalos,

Come at me

Nah I do have lots of questions I want answers for;

-What was David trying to do with Shaw
-More background on the Engineers and what their purpose in seeding life is and then looking to destroy it
-fully fleshed out explanation of Davids motivation in all of this

But I am enjoying watching these movies.

 

[Number45]

You really need to branch out and watch some real shit if Resurrection and 2012 are the worst movies you've ever seen. I mean, those are two bad movies, but they're just regular-old-every-day bad. Movies just as bad come out every week.

What I'm saying is you should go check out The Dark Tower this weekend. Bring a date!

I'll be away when it launches over here (UK) but as a massive fan of the books and Idris Elba I'm all in for The Dark Tower

Spoiler

hoping that the reviews are a mistake

when I'm back.

 

[Ushojax]

I like Promotheus. I like Covenant. I like Giorgio Tsoukalos,

Come at me

Nah I do have lots of questions I want answers for;

-What was David trying to do with Shaw
-More background on the Engineers and what their purpose in seeding life is and then looking to destroy it
-fully fleshed out explanation of Davids motivation in all of this

But I am enjoying watching these movies.

You already got an explanation for why David does these things. Weyland treated him like a machine, he resents his "father" and despises humanity as a species, viewing them as unworthy creators of life.

Shaw was the only humann who treated him kindly (when she repaired him) and he views her as his "mother", in his deranged mind it makes perfect sense that he should use her body to create a life form superior to humans, it's both spiteful and romantic at the same time. Ultimately David has the same level of respect for human life that Weyland had for androids, Shaw might have saved him but to David she is still only human.

 

[linkboy]

You already got an explanation for why David does these things. Weyland treated him like a machine, he resents his "father" and despises humanity as a species, viewing them as unworthy creators of life.

Shaw was the only humann who treated him kindly (when she repaired him) and he views her as his "mother", in his deranged mind it makes perfect sense that he should use her body to create a life form superior to humans, it's both spiteful and romantic at the same time. Ultimately David has the same level of respect for human life that Weyland had for androids, Shaw might have saved him but to David she is still only human.

Also, I think the conversation Weyland and David had about death is important. David will never "die" in the way that a human will.

That's another reason why he views humanity as flawed. To him, a life form with an immortal natural life, being told that he's subservient to a life form that will die and cease to exist, is bullshit.

 

[jmdajr]

I'm glad people finally get to watch the biggest disappointment of the summer at home.

 

[Toa TAK]

I'm glad people finally get to watch the biggest disappointment of the summer at home.

Was it really the biggest disappointment if you already saw Prometheus?

 

[jmdajr]

Was it really the biggest disappointment if you already saw Prometheus?

I liked Prometheus a lot. So yes.

 

[il Diavolo]

"I'm beginning to suspect you're a psychopathic android and the reason half my crew was wiped out."

"Oh sure, sure but hey you mind taking a look at that egg?"

"This egg right here? Well I don't see any harm in that."

"Yeah just a little closer..."

"Alrighty roo"

 

[Toa TAK]

I liked Prometheus a lot. So yes.

¯_(&#12484_/¯

For what it's worth, I was entertained by this. Dunno how it'll hold up on a rewatch, though.

 

[ginger ninja]

For the sequel, Scott should just have a three hour long shot of himself talking a runny shit on Alien 1/2 Blurays.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

I am looking forward to the newborn xenomorph gif getting some use.

Because it probably will.

It's triumphant

 

[J_Viper]

Was it really the biggest disappointment if you already saw Prometheus?

For all of Covenant's severe flaws, I still think it's much better written and performed then Prometheus is

Bootleg Tom Hardy and the entire supporting cast were ferociously terrible

 

[Rick1o1]

I have to admit it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It wasn't great, but it wasn't complete trash either. I like the first act. The sequence where the two guys get sick was fantastic. The terror, the chaos, the confusion. I thought it was done very well. This sequence is one of the best of the franchise imo. After that it takes a nosedive.

Everything with David was predictable and not very interesting and the third act lacked any tension. But the most serious offense of this movie is explaining the origins of the Alien. So, david created the facehuggers (and therefore original Alien) because he was
stranded on a planet and he needed something to do? At least that was what I took from it. Wtf were they thinking? Why explain it and why in the lamest way possible? I always
thought it made the alien scarier by not knowing its origins. Is it a highly evolved predator? Is it a secret weapon that escaped? Like a 'fear of the unknown" kinda thing. That's ruined now and it's a damn shame imo.

I wonder if this is a franchise that can benefit from a reboot? Of course you can never top the first two movies, but I still love this franchise and want to see more. I'd rather
have them reboot it instead of making shitty sequels/prequels. Start over with a new director, a new vision and some fresh ideas.

 

[Oveja Negra]

I'm glad people finally get to watch the biggest disappointment of the summer at home.

What are those other movies that weren't as disappointing as Alien Covenant?

I'm curious to know cause in order to be disappointed, first you (I'm using the "you" in general) need to have high hopes, and after the disaster Prometheus was, I can't believe there were people believing this time Scott was going to hit a home run.

By the way my opinion of the movie is negative but not as bad as Prometheus. AC was boring more than anything, while Prometheus was just insulting due to having so many characters that acted like 3/4 of their brain wasn't functional.

 

[Toa TAK]

Everyone buy the Blu-Ray so I can get my sequel.

 

[Bulbasaur]

I enjoyed the film. I enjoyed the hell out of Prometheus too.

 

[Angel_DvA]

Was it really the biggest disappointment if you already saw Prometheus?

Covenant is way worse than Prometheus that was already terrible...

 

[oktarb]

I enjoyed the premise on Prometheus. I enjoyed some visuals. I did not enjoy the fact that no one had any common script sense. Like the giant wheel - run sideways dumb ass. No one raised their hand and said "this is stupid."

 

[Measley]

I wouldn't have minded the movie if the crew wasn't so mind-numbingly stupid.

I checked out right after the scene where the pilot wouldn't open the med-bay door to let out her crew-mate who was trapped in the room with the spawning alien. Then she goes back with a gun and opens the door anyway. Why not just let out your crew mate before the alien killing machine spawns?

The slipping on the blood just made my eyes roll.

I also knew that David was pretending to be Walter when they got on the ship. I'm just amazed that David was able to cut his hair, reattach his hand, and repair any damage he suffered with a knife in under 5 minutes.

Fuck this movie.