Katherine Waterston on Alien: Covenant 2 - "I Haven’t Heard Anything in Ages"

Started by Corporal Hicks, Apr 24, 2018, 11:19:48 PM

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Katherine Waterston on Alien: Covenant 2 - "I Haven’t Heard Anything in Ages" (Read 29,678 times)

Corporal Hicks


The Highlander MacLeod

Go with the AI angle and leave the Xenomorphs alone.

Huggs

Huggs

#77
Quote from: The Cruentus on Apr 25, 2018, 03:14:20 PM
It would be stupid to make the same move twice or (three times if you include alien 3) to have the Daniels and Tennesse killed at the beginning of the next film, if there is a next film. While the prequels are inferior in my opinion, I would still like some resolution as cliffhangers suck.
Always finish what you start I say.

I think covenant actually had a rather finite ending. David accomplished his goals and won. We know where he's going, we know what he wants to do, but his overall goals, aside from the queen (which wasn't mentioned in the film itself I believe) were accomplished. He's made his decisions in regards to humanity and the engineers. He got his head re-attached, made it to paradise, eliminated shaw and the engineers, created his perfect organism, escaped the planet, and now has all the tools and human specimens he could ever want or need. He's got a ship and a wide open path to anywhere, with no chance of discovery or punishment by humanity. I think we can definitely move on from here.

I'm personally of the belief that we're just going to keep getting more of the same unless a drastic change is made. The cinema already had (and still has) the perfect vehicle for stories about rogue artificial intelligence, in the Blade Runner movies. I truly respect Scott's abilities as a film - maker and understand his desire to try something new, but this just doesn't seem to be a good fit in the Aliens universe. Fassbender is a fantastic actor, but hours of poorly written characters making bad decisions and David playing the flute, quoting poetry, waxing philosophical and kissing himself just doesn't seem like anything remotely resembling a movie that belongs in the Alien universe. Covenant just felt (to me) like a movie that was cobbled together. It just didn't seem like they have any idea where this is going. It wouldn't be so unfortunate, if not for that fact that the prequels are taking up time and money that could be put towards an actual alien movie. Sakes alive, we didn't even get to enjoy the engineers or their technology in covenant.

Maybe the different direction is a classic alien movie. Something like Alien 1979. Maybe it's another AVP set in space. Maybe it's more of a standalone creature film in the spirit of Alien Resurrection. But whatever the next direction is, I do honestly think that David's story has been well enough resolved for us to move on. Allowing David and his horrific plans to slip quietly away into the infinite darkness is a fine way to end his story, and in my opinion, a very mysterious, spooky, and effective way to do it. We'll never know the horrors he unleashed upon the colonists, but that makes it much more frightening. The whole Alien franchise could've successfully ended with the first film, it also could've ended well with the second or third film. It might not have been possible with Prometheus, but I think with covenant's ending, we've made it to a point where it's creatively feasible to pull away.

SM

Nah I think it left us with a dangling thread to rival Prometheus.

Huggs

Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2018, 11:01:39 PM
Nah I think it left us with a dangling thread to rival Prometheus.

Gotta watch out for those dangling ends.  :D The only difference I see between the ending for Prometheus and Covenant, is that Shaw and David were headed towards something, there was something new still to come. With covenant, David's done. His creation is made, and he's in control. Aside from replicating his experiments from paradise, what else is he going to do? It's already done. He obviously never made it to earth and killed everybody, as earth still exists in Aliens, and that was set almost 60 years after the original film.

David Weyland

David Weyland

#80
'Hopefully this transmission
will reach the network...
and be relayed in 1.36 years.
This is Walter, signing off.'

Clutching at straws but Hmm, film released in May 2017. If they were really nerdy we'll get news end of August or thereabouts! 😜

Would make sense commercially to release a film in 2019 to line up with Alien's 40th anniversary

SM

Quote from: Huggs on Apr 25, 2018, 11:06:05 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2018, 11:01:39 PM
Nah I think it left us with a dangling thread to rival Prometheus.

Gotta watch out for those dangling ends.  :D The only difference I see between the ending for Prometheus and Covenant, is that Shaw and David were headed towards something, there was something new still to come. With covenant, David's done. His creation is made, and he's in control. Aside from replicating his experiments from paradise, what else is he going to do? It's already done. He obviously never made it to earth and killed everybody, as earth still exists in Aliens, and that was set almost 60 years after the original film.

The two surviving protagonists are still in peril however, and the bad guy wins

It's a more satisfying end than Prometheus, but it doesn't really provide closure.

Immortan Jonesy

Quote from: Huggs on Apr 25, 2018, 11:06:05 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2018, 11:01:39 PM
Nah I think it left us with a dangling thread to rival Prometheus.

Gotta watch out for those dangling ends.  :D The only difference I see between the ending for Prometheus and Covenant, is that Shaw and David were headed towards something, there was something new still to come. With covenant, David's done. His creation is made, and he's in control. Aside from replicating his experiments from paradise, what else is he going to do? It's already done. He obviously never made it to earth and killed everybody, as earth still exists in Aliens, and that was set almost 60 years after the original film.

Maybe that's the reason why Ridley is interested in AI, because there's nothing new in Covenant's future really. Even the story behind the "big guy in the chair" seems less interesting at this point. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate prequels. But I think some really good opportunities were wasted and I don't see the true potential behind the Prometheus mythology in the final product.

Baron Von Marlon

Quote from: Huggs on Apr 25, 2018, 11:06:05 PMGotta watch out for those dangling ends.  :D The only difference I see between the ending for Prometheus and Covenant, is that Shaw and David were headed towards something, there was something new still to come. With covenant, David's done. His creation is made, and he's in control. Aside from replicating his experiments from paradise, what else is he going to do? It's already done. He obviously never made it to earth and killed everybody, as earth still exists in Aliens, and that was set almost 60 years after the original film.

He didn't made it to Earth but it would be interesting if he'd survive the possible sequel.
Him escaping in whatever to wherever.

And even if the sequel would turn out somewhat predictable, I think it still would make a good movie.
A colony shaped in David's vision, new weird experiments, the arrival of a new crew, the return of Engineers, ending in a massive battle with (almost) everybody dying.

But honestly, I just want more David  ;D

whiterabbit

The truth is that AI is more relevant today than a scary monster is, although genetic engineering isn't that far off from AI. So Ridley probably thought why not put the two of them together.

Huggs

Quote from: Crazy Shrimp on Apr 26, 2018, 12:10:27 AM
Quote from: Huggs on Apr 25, 2018, 11:06:05 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2018, 11:01:39 PM
Nah I think it left us with a dangling thread to rival Prometheus.

Gotta watch out for those dangling ends.  :D The only difference I see between the ending for Prometheus and Covenant, is that Shaw and David were headed towards something, there was something new still to come. With covenant, David's done. His creation is made, and he's in control. Aside from replicating his experiments from paradise, what else is he going to do? It's already done. He obviously never made it to earth and killed everybody, as earth still exists in Aliens, and that was set almost 60 years after the original film.

Maybe that's the reason why Ridley is interested in AI, because there's nothing new in Covenant's future really. Even the story behind the "big guy in the chair" seems less interesting at this point. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate prequels. But I think some really good opportunities were wasted and I don't see the true potential behind the Prometheus mythology in the final product.

Yeah. The engineers getting wiped out was the biggest disappointment of Covenant for me to be honest. I'm not the biggest fan of them being the space jockey, but I still found them interesting and dangerous enough to want to see more, especially more of their technology. So many interesting discoveries, sights and cool scientific concepts went with them. Such a beautiful city, and all we got to see of it was David's house.

That's why I find it so odd when people say things like "I love the prequels, I want more engineers and black goo". I can't help but think, "did you see covenant? It kind of didn't have any". As for the future of the prequels, I personally give it 30/70 that we'll actually ever see a direct sequel to Covenant. I don't see Disney going that route. They're going to wanna make serious cash and go for spectacle. AVP or Cameron's Aliens.

Highland

Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2018, 11:55:59 PM
Quote from: Huggs on Apr 25, 2018, 11:06:05 PM
Quote from: SM on Apr 25, 2018, 11:01:39 PM
Nah I think it left us with a dangling thread to rival Prometheus.

Gotta watch out for those dangling ends.  :D The only difference I see between the ending for Prometheus and Covenant, is that Shaw and David were headed towards something, there was something new still to come. With covenant, David's done. His creation is made, and he's in control. Aside from replicating his experiments from paradise, what else is he going to do? It's already done. He obviously never made it to earth and killed everybody, as earth still exists in Aliens, and that was set almost 60 years after the original film.

The two surviving protagonists are still in peril however, and the bad guy wins

It's a more satisfying end than Prometheus, but it doesn't really provide closure.

I think you can still look at it both ways. If you think of it like a " the monster isn't dead yet" ending, it's still closed. I mean sure you can make a sequel because you have that, but it doesn't feel as necessary as Shaw asking David to go check out the Engineers home world.

SM

One of my main criticisms of Covenant was the mean ending.  Danny, T and Walter being marooned would've been a preferable 'baddie wins' ending than being completely at his mercy.  I can live with a 'monster isn't dead yet' ending - which is a little like Alien with the thousands of eggs left on the planet - if the protagonists still come out on top in some respect.

Local Trouble

Would you say it was any meaner than Alien 3?

SM

Ripley defeated both the Alien and the Company in Alien 3.

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