Alien Covenant Fan Reviews

[Vid]

I've just got back from seeing it and I feel traumatised, but not in the way I might have hoped. When I was reading people on here and elsewhere hating on it, I just thought that they were expecting too much and would never be happy etc. I really like Prometheus, so thought if covenant is like that but with aliens there is no way I will not like it if not love it. To paraphrase dr. Shaw, I was wrong, I was so wrong.
I cannot believe I am saying this but there was almost nothing to like in there, maybe I am over reacting having just come out but I just don't even know where to begin...
Firstly, I am not even too bothered about many of the things people are generally not liking, such as changes to the lore, pace of the film and so on. I don't think I would have ever guessed it was even a Ridley Scott film. People saying the characters are good, we never learn anything about any of them so we can root for them or even want to see them die, they were just faceless, superfluous fodder. I am also usually ok with cgi and can accept it if it's not too bad but most of it here was shockingly bad, jarring at points, more like a video game. Even Fassbender who I loved in Prometheus is terrible. In Prometheus he was much more nuanced, in this he comes over really hammy like a second rate hammer horror Frankenstein with some of the cheesiest dialogue I couldn't believe I was hearing. Some things I could barely believe what I was seeing, Kung fu robots? A part of me died as I watched. Xenomorph birth? Throw your hands in the air and wave em like you just don't care, I thought I was high. I can forgive some things but there were so many cringe worthy moments in it, typing this I still can't believe it, I've probably been rambling on and haven't read this post back so it probably makes no sense, much like covenant. I could seriously go on and on, maybe I'm just in shock, but I can't ever remember being this disappointed in a film, even though I went in keeping my expectations in check. I need to see it again in the vain hope I've made a terrible mistake, but I would say it is almost straight up garbage. I thought the guy who rated it under resurrection must need his head testing but he might be the sanest of all of us. I need a lie down.

[Beardomorph]

Even Fassbender who I loved in Prometheus is terrible.

You might want to sleep on it 

[Vid]

Even Fassbender who I loved in Prometheus is terrible.

You might want to sleep on it 

Seriously, I thought he was awesome in Prometheus but did you not think he was just OTT and cheesy in this? Reall cringe worthy and hammy, perhaps it was just the dialogue, but some of the lines...

[cucuchu]

Even Fassbender who I loved in Prometheus is terrible.

You might want to sleep on it 

Seriously, I thought he was awesome in Prometheus but did you not think he was just OTT and cheesy in this? Reall cringe worthy and hammy, perhaps it was just the dialogue, but some of the lines...

Even reviewers destroying the film with their assessments are praising Michael Fassbender's performance in Covenant. This might be one of those cases where its just you. Nothing wrong with that either. We all have our preferences. But I would not make a blanket statement that Fassbender is terrible in this film.

[Vid]

I'm aware it might be a knee jerk reaction as I am shocked at myself for how I felt about it. I'll have to see it again I guess but on the one viewing I found his performance to be more subtle and insidious in Prometheus, it just felt too comic book caricature here. I truly hope I've got it all wrong and when I see it again I change my mind, but even if I suddenly think it's an Oscar winning bravura performance, I still don't think it would be anywhere near enough to elevate the rest. I hate myself for feeling this way about it! 

Even Fassbender who I loved in Prometheus is terrible.

You might want to sleep on it 

Seriously, I thought he was awesome in Prometheus but did you not think he was just OTT and cheesy in this? Reall cringe worthy and hammy, perhaps it was just the dialogue, but some of the lines...

Even reviewers destroying the film with their assessments are praising Michael Fassbender's performance in Covenant. This might be one of those cases where its just you. Nothing wrong with that either. We all have our preferences. But I would not make a blanket statement that Fassbender is terrible in this film.

See, I even put the quote the wrong way around. My head is shot! 

[reecebomb]

Even Fassbender who I loved in Prometheus is terrible. In Prometheus he was much more nuanced, in this he comes over really hammy like a second rate hammer horror Frankenstein with some of the cheesiest dialogue I couldn't believe I was hearing. Some things I could barely believe what I was seeing, I thought I was high.

This.

Although i really liked Fassbenders perfomance and he was the most memorable thing in the whole movie, he was very different from Prometheus as soon as they landed on the planet. As if Fassbender knew the dialogue written for him was so hammy and right on the nose so he embraced it with style and genuine fun. I think many other actors could not pull it off as well as he did. But not in a million years the character of David could be called  realistic in any way. It did remind me so of the mad scientist in a number of 50s and early 70s sci-fi, the sets surrounding him added to the b-movie feel (while also reminding me of AvP 1, could be wrong). And like you i thought i was on drugs or something, but in the end i think this film works far better as a fantasy film than serious sci-fi. And for that reason im not bothered anymore about the alien origin thing and another inconsistensies, it's rather easy to dismiss it as a spin-off that takes place in another universe.
I wrote here ages ago that i will be very surprised if it tops even A:R, i really really wanted to be surprised.

[Look into my eye]

Honestly, I really don't get the Fassbender knocking. He was one of the best things about the movie, again, as both Walter and David.

[Vid]

I can't really describe it, maybe as reecebomb said its more like fantasy. I know it's not supposed to be like a documentary, but the tone in some parts just seemed all wrong. Even though it's a Sci fi/horror film and some suspension of disbelief is required, the tone of the other films barring resurrection and the avp films (if you count them, I don't really) is that they are tonally serious whereas some of covenant came across as almost parody. I'm probably showing my puerile side but even the flute moment and the 'I'll do the fingering' was like a carry on film!  just seemed really clunky and awkward. Walter literally points out David is losing his marbles and it really is like an OTT mad scientist. I love those type films as well but it just didn't seem to sit well for me in the context of an alien film. At least this alien film.

[reecebomb]

I can't really describe it, maybe as reecebomb said its more like fantasy. I know it's not supposed to be like a documentary, but the tone in some parts just seemed all wrong. Even though it's a Sci fi/horror film and some suspension of disbelief is required, the tone of the other films barring resurrection and the avp films (if you count them, I don't really) is that they are tonally serious whereas some of covenant came across as almost parody. I'm probably showing my puerile side but even the flute moment and the 'I'll do the fingering' was like a carry on film!  just seemed really clunky and awkward. Walter literally points out David is losing his marbles and it really is like an OTT mad scientist. I love those type films as well but it just didn't seem to sit well for me in the context of an alien film. At least this alien film.

Even next to Prometheus, Alien felt like a documentary, this one is even deeper in the fantasy realm. I can acknowledge it being Shaw's nightmare on the way to Paradise. As a separate thing, or a strange best of remix of all Alien films, it's oddly fascinating mess. I was certain that i won't see it twice right after i walked out of the cinema, but after sleeping on it i kinda want to see it again.

[Xenomorphine]

They used suits for the alien. You can see it in the behind the scenes clips.

I've seen an animatronic upper half (the thing with arms too thin for anyone to wear), but no suit. If one ever existed, it was completely replaced.

O'Sullivan was very adamant that the most they had on set were 3D-printed sections, with those mostly used to gauge lighting for total CGI replacement, anyway.

There was the impressive-sounding puppet rig, but they apaprently didn't have enough time to both design and construct it. I'm guessing this is why certain scenes which should have used a practical suit (like walking around) were ultimately all CGI.

[zoidy]

They used suits for the alien. You can see it in the behind the scenes clips.

I've seen an animatronic upper half (the thing with arms too thin for anyone to wear), but no suit. If one ever existed, it was completely replaced.

O'Sullivan was very adamant that the most they had on set were 3D-printed sections, with those mostly used to gauge lighting for total CGI replacement, anyway.

There was the impressive-sounding puppet rig, but they apaprently didn't have enough time to both design and construct it. I'm guessing this is why certain scenes which should have used a practical suit (like walking around) were ultimately all CGI.

The problem with that is the HBO doc shows it being filmed (from this site's screen grabs):





Full size versions:
http://www.avpgalaxy.net/2017/05/11/watch-alien-covenant-hbo-first-look/

[reecebomb]

I know i'm being mr obvious here but the real reason the movie wasn't on par with the classics was due to poor writing and the poor writing resulted in poor editing. I believe Ridley could still do it if he had a half decent script. The Martian was quite good indeed unlike Prometheus. I don't blame Ridley, if he had equally strong writers the film could have been great. I sensed a lack of passion from him, even the visuals were not up to the standard of Ridleys previous work. But who could possibly make a bad script like this work, it was hopeless imo. Even the idea of

Spoiler

David inventing the xenomorph

[close]

could have been sold much better, i wasn't 100% against it prior seeing the film.
However i do blame the writers, who gave cause for concern at the moment the production started. And it has been very apparent over the years that bad writing + Ridley just doesn't work.

[Stolen]

Hummm , i think, I didn't see that passage in the film?

Spoiler

[close]

The pic could have been taken during takes. Waterson just having time out.

Maybe but there seems to be fire in the ship, the corridor is ransacked, isn't strange?
Maybe a big chase scene in the corridors?

[Citadel]

I reckon the pacing issues and the CG also contribute.

A question: who thinks Covenant's script did it better than Prometheus?

[Stolen]

I don't find the scenario bad, full of good things and good ideas.
The execution leaves much to be desired, the first part is too soft and the last
botched!