Alien Covenant Review Roundup

[fiveways]

From HuDaFuk (Xenopedia editor) -
Another issue I had was the big final twist. To say it was obvious is a huge understatement; I saw it coming about 20 minutes before the end of the film, and being so obvious, it was hard to get even slightly thrilled by it. It was just so blatantly telegraphed from the moment it was set up.

Great review Corporal, good to see you being honest with both the shortcomings and positives of the film.

@HuDaFuk

If I remember correctly, the final twist was a little bit too subtle in the earlier test screenings. People didn't pick up on it and they had to change it, make it more blatant and obvious. Shows you why test screenings are never a good thing.

Test screenings are invaluable and can help fix many issues with a film. In this case it was probably helpful and an important clarification to make.

Or absolutely ruin it.  Original cut of Daredevil vs Theatre Cut is a great example of a film totally destroyed by audience interaction.  Granted the first version isn't great but at least it is watchable.

There is a time and place for everything but test screenings have absolutely saved movies before and turned them into much better final products.  Sometimes people blame studios for 'interfering' with the director's 'true vision' but the true vision involved a 3.5 hour cut of a movie.  That was never going to be released and was never viable.  If the director made that cut and losing any amount of it ruins the movie, that is their fault for not knowing how to structure the film.

Better products not always better film.  They might appeal to a wide audience at the expense of actually being good.  I do understand the divide between making art and making money.  I do understand that a 110m film is more a product than an artistic work.  This is why i dream of a return of moderately budgeted films that expect moderate returns.  I was really hoping the success of Krampus (15m budget/61m box office) would bring a few more of these to the table.  Less money to work with but a little more creative freedom as the investment and break even point is low.  It can appeal to a niche market and make a tidy profit.  Sadly they'd rather bank on a few huge investments than a stead stream of winners at a lower price point.

"Heaven's Gate" we both know is the classic example of a movie that needed 3 hours to tell its story correctly.  The cut the audience hated is a superb movie just the audience wasn't ready for that kind of film nor did they expect it.  the 149 minute cut is a f**king disaster and made the film look like a meandering mess searching for meaning that had been hacked out of it to appeal to a wider market and to fit in more daily screenings.  Which in theory is great except it was so poorly received no one went to it and it won all the razzies.  In the end exchanging additional screenings for better reviews and possibly packed houses and oscars would have been the right choice. Critics would have explained to the general population why it was a film to care about a see (because people actually cared about film criticism then).  It would have had deer hunter type hype instead of being a 2:30 hour mess.

I get the test audience vs directors visions positives and negatives. 

[Ingwar]

Positive from Fangoria. 4/4 skulls.

   http://www.fangoria.com/new/ridley-scott-goes-back-to-his-alien-roots-with-alien-covenant-review/   

Director Ridley Scott uses stunning visual effects to deftly show the ultimate isolation of space; and the Xenomorphs are more realistic and violent than ever.  Having recently seen the original film in a theater on "Alien Day", it's amazing how far visual effects have come in the last 38 years.  The script by John August and Dante Harbor make inspired use of Fassbender as the surprisingly human Walter and his more sinister synthetic predecessor David, the lone survivor of the Prometheus.  David is charming, polite and so very British, but his mission has nothing to do with serving mankind.

Once things get going, Ridley Scott keeps the pedal down, delivering thrill after grisly thrill, making the metallic nooks and crannies of the Covenant just as scary as the Nostromo's were over three decades ago.  He's a master at the top of his game and this film is nothing less than a gift to the fans.

Final Verdict: 4 out of 4 SKULLS (and 1 Broken Chest Cavity)

Who the heck is John August and Dante Harbor? It should have been John Logan and Dante Harper.

[echobbase79]

Good to see Fangoria loving it! I knew they would but I didn't think they'd give it a perfect score.

[Citadel]

Guys and gals, the general consensus is it's better than Prometheus. The film has Engineers. The film has proto aliens, creatures we've never seen. Many have said it feels like Prometheus with a hint of Alien '79 nostalgia. With all of this, you'd really be disappointed even though it's already considered a better AND worthy sequel to Prometheus?

Go to this film with an open mind. Be excited. Don't hold faith in reviews and wait and see.

[Evanus]

Guys and gals, the general consensus is it's better than Prometheus. The film has Engineers. The film has proto aliens, creatures we've never seen. Many have said it feels like Prometheus with a hint of Alien '79 nostalgia. With all of this, you'd really be disappointed even though it's already considered a better AND worthy sequel to Prometheus?

Go to this film with an open mind. Be excited. Don't hold faith in reviews and wait and see.

There is one scene with living engineers, and it's the scene where they're killed, lol. After that they don't seem to play a role in the film at all. We learn nothing about them. We don't even learn anything about the black goo, apparently. Shaw's fate is also really, really lame. I'm not so sure if it's a worthy sequel to Prometheus, to be honest. Doesn't mean I won't enjoy it. Because I know I will. But I'm also disappointed.

[fiveways]

Guys and gals, the general consensus is it's better than Prometheus. The film has Engineers. The film has proto aliens, creatures we've never seen. Many have said it feels like Prometheus with a hint of Alien '79 nostalgia. With all of this, you'd really be disappointed even though it's already considered a better AND worthy sequel to Prometheus?

Go to this film with an open mind. Be excited. Don't hold faith in reviews and wait and see.

It's a better ALIEN film than Prometheus.  That isn't the movie I wanted to see.  I wanted to see exploration and investigation, not survival and slasher cliche bullshit.

I've seen the Alien kill enough people to understand it is a lethal weapon and all that shit.  Now I want to learn about the culture that thought creating black goo that does that mutates whatever it touches was a good idea.

If you want an Alien film you have it.  I'm happy for you.  Some of wanted a film that addressed the interesting parts of Prometheus with some degree of depth.  What we are getting is a lazy write-off and a dismissal of that movie.  That is why I read all the reviews and the spoilers, I wanted to confirm this is a movie I'm not going to bother to see in the theatre so I'm not wasting my money and time.  Basically, It isn't a film for me to be excited and it is not a film I'll enjoy.  I'll save my money and watch it on netflix.

[T Dog]

I read a review that said it takes an hour for the crew to land on the planet. WTF! what the hell is the first hour of the film then?

The end must be mega rushed then.

[Citadel]

I read a review that said it takes an hour for the crew to land on the planet. WTF! what the hell is the first hour of the film then?

The end must be mega rushed then.

Which review was this?

Also, I know it's not the Prometheus sequel we wanted. But it's also the Alien film many wanted. I adored Prometheus and admit I'd like to see more of the mythology presented in it. But I'm just grateful the franchise is in Ridley's hands for now, I don't want to stir up shit about what could have been or what should have been. I enjoy the moment, and if done well I look forward to Covenant's sequel.

[T Dog]

I read a review that said it takes an hour for the crew to land on the planet. WTF! what the hell is the first hour of the film then?

The end must be mega rushed then.

Which review was this?

Also, I know it's not the Prometheus sequel we wanted. But it's also the Alien film many wanted. I adored Prometheus and admit I'd like to see more of the mythology presented in it. But I'm just grateful the franchise is in Ridley's hands for now, I don't want to stir up shit about what could have been or what should have been. I enjoy the moment, and if done well I look forward to Covenant's sequel.

http://io9.gizmodo.com/alien-covenant-may-be-the-biggest-disappointment-of-th-1794898330

Sounds like its a very messy movie

[episodenone]

As with all things under the sun -- some will love this movie - some will hate it - some will kinda like it - some will kinda dislike it - some will not like it at first but like it more upon multiple blu-ray viewings - some will have an opposite reaction.

Others will feel one way about it until they begin to discuss its nuances here -- and then change their mind.

"nihil novi sub sole" ("there is nothing new under the sun"), in Ecclesiastes 1:9

I'll be first in line to form my own opinion... I never read reviews.

[Blood Warrior]

I read a review that said it takes an hour for the crew to land on the planet. WTF! what the hell is the first hour of the film then?

The end must be mega rushed then.

I read that too last night.  Then it takes another 30 minutes before anything starts happening.  I don't need a movie to go from start to finish with action, but do we really an hour on the ship?

[Corporal Hicks]

I read a review that said it takes an hour for the crew to land on the planet. WTF! what the hell is the first hour of the film then?

The end must be mega rushed then.

I'm fairly certain it isn't an hour. Maybe half hour or so.

[T Dog]

I read a review that said it takes an hour for the crew to land on the planet. WTF! what the hell is the first hour of the film then?

The end must be mega rushed then.

I'm fairly certain it isn't an hour. Maybe half hour or so.

Did it feel like an extraordinarily amount of time though? Is the pacing generally poor?

[Whos_Nick]

No it doesn't. Personally I felt the first act was paced fine, however once they land on the planet it moves a bit quick. Then the 3rd act moves super quick and gets messy.

[GrimmVision]

Is there a topic like this that was done for Prometheus where it rounds up reviews from various websites? If so, can someone link me?