Alien Covenant

xDutchx

Has anyone seen it yet? I got my copy this week. I can tell by the way Sam Waterston's daughter slings that Alien around, she probably reads Cosmo.

ghostsofpompeii

@xDutchx I'm a ALIEN fan to the very core, and even enjoy the films most enthusiasts hate. And because of all the bad press it got from YouTube reviewers I actually decided not to go to the theater to see it. The only ALIEN movie I didn't see in a theater. But once the movie came out on DVD I had to buy it anyway. After all, I have all the other ones including those ALIEN vs Predator films.

So I approached this film with very low expectations. And as a result came away pleasantly surprised and ended up liking the Hell out of it. And would probably rank it the third best in the franchise right after ALIEN and ALIENS. I wasn't a big fan of Prometheus when it first came out because of the convoluted backstory of an alien race (the Engineers) creating mankind. But as with any movie from Ridley Scott it looked simply beautiful on film. The more times I've watched it the better it got. So since ALIEN: Covenant was suppose to be a sequel to that film I already allowed myself to buy into the premise of Prometheus, and was looking forward to the return of the actual xenomorph ALIEN creatures again. 

If there is a problem with the movie it would be that it actually seems like the third part of Ridley Scott's proposed trilogy, and not the second, because much of what happened to the survivors of Prometheus isn't fully explained. Prometheus fans were upset with that aspect. But if you're a fan of ALIEN and ALIENS (like I am) this is more my cup of tea. Less philosophy and pseudo-religious mumbo-jumbo and more action and gore. It has it's flaws, but no where near as bad as I was led to believe by many YouTube reviewers. Since you've already spent your money on it pop a bag of popcorn, sit back and enjoy it. If you enjoy a good sci-fi horror/action flick it should check all the boxes for you.      

ghostsofpompeii

@xDutchx Well ... did you ever watch it? And if so what did you think?

Woodsman

I saw the first Alien Movie. When that Little Critter burst out of that guys stomach I didn't eat Bean Sprouts for a year, I read somewhere that the cast members didn't see the Alien until their first scene with it. Did you hear that?

xDutchx

@ghostsofpompeii, @Woodsman, I apologize for just now getting time to post. It has been a hectic week for certain.

I think it is a phenomenal series, but here is the problem with the franchise. It starts out being groundbreaking, but at the same time, it is classic exploitation. It is hard to make a horror movie, without the critics pigeonholing it. Then, when the producers realize they have a hit, and can capitalize on a series, they tend to try to turn it into a drama. The reality to it is, that it had great acting in the original, but they feel the need to tone down the violence to give the series credibility.

I never heard that the cast members didn't see the Alien till their first scene with it, but I can see how Scott might have felt that was necessary to get the proper reaction from the actors.

In a nutshell, I would have liked to see less CG effects and crane swinging, and more up close and personal encounters with the critters.

The primal fear of being eaten alive, is what drives most species to survive incredible odds. The reason that the Whitetail is the most elusive creature on the planet, is because at their core, they fear being caught, dragged down, and eaten alive.

I thought Michael Fassbender added a lot of depth to the storyline, and his contribution surely could have allowed a little more exploitation, to balance out the finished product.

ghostsofpompeii

@Woodsman The cast was not aware of what was exactly going to happen until it did. Scott wanted a genuine reaction shot. And he got it. In a few interviews with cast members they stated that when they got on set and saw all the camera and equipment covered with a plastic tarp they knew something bad was about to happen ... but exactly what ... they weren't sure. Apparently in the first take a stream of blood hit Veronica Cartwright directly in the face causing her to fall over a chair. Through careful editing you don't see that specific scene occur - but the after effect of the blood all over her face remains.