Alien: Covenant

[X2-Illuminatus]

Prometheus could have been a great movie, if they would have left away the Alien references. For the first part I really liked Prometheus: A talented cast and the overall topic of trying to find out who really created mankind. The different ideas presented: Evolution theory vs. it was really Aliens. Also how differently the Crew reacted to David, the Android. Especially this one scene where David discusses with Holloway what he thinks the reasons were why David was created and what implications his answer has for the same question with regards to the creation of the human race. But then later in the movie they shoved down the Alien stuff and combined it with those ridiculous horror scenarios:

• "Hey we are in a dark, dangerous looking place. Let's split up in small groups, so we can get lost easier!"
  "Yes, of course, we're on an alien world no one has visited in the last ten thousand or so years and which we haven't researched in any way, except for walking around for an hour or so. But my sensors tell me I can breath the air here, so who am I to question the idea of taking my helmet off?"
  "Oh look! A tiny, allegedly cute looking alien lifeform. While I know that even small animals can kill people, because that's I exactly the case on my own home planet, now that I'm on an alien world I will ignore everything I know to pet that thing. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?"
  "We just established this is a super creepy and dangerous place. Nevertheless let's waste some time discussing whether we should stay here for some nonsensical reason or leave together. No wait, forget it! I'll leave alone, because I totally like running through creepy places on my own!"

In the end the film didn't really answer any questions, which I think was the initial idea, but just replaced some open questions with others.

Now what I've read in reviews about Alien Covenant: it basically goes down the same route, which makes it rather uninteresting for me.

[mrbadger]

What really killed it for me was that I felt it ended just as they were starting to get somewhere interesting.

They spent so much time expositing (mostly pointlessly) the movies runtime was done. That was what caused my rage based 'this DvD is toast' episode.

Did it even need to be an Alien Franchise movie? It wasn't really recognisable as one aside from the engineer ships. Maybe it would be on more viewings, but one is all it ever got from me.

The only thing about it I liked was David. Nothing else made any sense.

I should have just rented it, but I was foolish enough to think it would be something I'd keep, so I bought it.

[greypanther]

The only thing about it I liked was David. Nothing else made any sense.

There were several deleted scenes, including ones that were after they got to the " engineers " home planet. It seems David kills the engineers by using their own weapons against them, the ones meant to be taken to earth. I linked, I think, in the OP. It seems that the creators of the human race wanted to destroy the human race in the end, because to their mind, the human race was a failed experiment. It also seems that the engineers created the Aliens.

Oddly enough, the next film in the franchise is I think set between Prometheus and Covenant.

[mrbadger]

The only thing about it I liked was David. Nothing else made any sense.

There were several deleted scenes, including ones that were after they got to the " engineers " home planet. It seems David kills the engineers by using their own weapons against them, the ones meant to be taken to earth.

That's probably why it just seemed to come to an end for no reason with no discenible resolution. Or if there was one it wasn't apparent before the rage gripped me

But a deleted scene means it didn't happen, or it does to me, since I have no interest in reading through all the comics, I only want to watch the movies, or not in this case.

It's Bobba Fett and the Sarlacc Pit all over again, only in a rubbish movie....

[greypanther]

Well, maybe but the scenes are still there, I linked to one for instance. The others are easy to find on You Tube. I think they may well be on the Blue Ray version of the film.

Here, for instance is an alternate ending.

Here is IGNs review of the film.

Edit: Oh, by the way mrbadger, I have not read any comics for about 35 years or more.

Also I would like to know what people expect to get from a film? For me it is an hour two of escapism, which allows me to see beyond the restrictions in my " real " life. I cannot ever understand the rage you felt mrbadger, because even the worst of films has never made me even slightly angry...
Books offer much the same, but for me they are much better at it. I just do not seem to find the time to read so much now a days.

I have never understood this whole rage quit thing, which seems to be so in trend.

[Golden_Gonads]

Despite being mildly obsessed with the Alien films, I've yet to watch Prometheus. The DVD is sitting in a box behind me as I type, watching... Waiting... But everything I read and heard about it when it was released turned me right off it, so it's become one of those films I'll get around to watching 'at some point'.

From what I've heard of Covenant though (and seen in the trailer), it seems like the plan is to be much more like an actual 'Alien' film than some bizarre semi-unconnected prequel, so I guess that I'll have to watch Prometheus sooner rather than later after all...

[Bishop149]

I'm not hopeful. Alien films at their best are intensely claustrophobic almost permanently cultivating a feeling of "it's behind you". . . . occasionally interspersed with a grimy action sequence that is mostly running away with everything going to hell. From the looks of the trailers they've totally ditched the first half of that and made the whole film into a distinctly flashy action sequence in which everything blows up.

Uggggg, it looks almost Micheal Bayesque

Prometheus could have been a great movie, if they would have left away the Alien references.

Indeed, and this was kinda how Prometheus was originally billed. A film that took many of the same themes as Alien but went in a different direction with them with a different aesthetic.
It could of been great and I did really like about 60% of it, but it was ruined by some really stupid plotting and a last minute decision to try and force it to be actual Alien film . . . . . despite not looking or feeling like one at all.

I breifly hoped the Aliens franchise was going to be saved with that reboot that was going to disregard Alien 3, but that's been abandoned apparently.

Yeah I was hopeful for that, it was a Neill Blomkamp project as well, a director whose films I've always enjoyed. I think he'd have got the aesthetic and tone spot on. Shame it got canned for a Ridley Scott milking-it-cash-grab excercise.

[muppetts]

http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Aliens:_Earth_Hive

Above is book one of 3 I would love them to make into the film universe, including the overrun of Earth by Aliens, it would be epic and is a great pulp read.

The plots are are mostly a side point for some pretty old hat 'horror', the brand has never developed past. eghhhhh look it comes out of his chest/face etc etc.

You could make a really smart, engaged Alien universe.

I doubt this is it.

[BigBANGtheory]

I liked the visualization and styling of Prometheus, along with the lead actresses and David they got that down right. The problem was in my view some well thought out scenes that just didn't join well and tell a good story as presented. What could have been a good project ultimately rushed out the door with some patch work done with CGI, not unlike RogueOne.

[greypanther]

Well, I have finally found the time to see the film and I have to say it was very good! Shocking maybe, but true. My son and I enjoyed it and consider it an afternoon well spent. I would say it is closest to the first one in atmosphere, with nods towards the second.

Visually it was superb, story wise excellent imo. A couple of holes but no more than any other in the series. I can well imagine there are several deleted scenes too.

To put this in perspective for you, I would have given the first Alien a six out of ten.

I would have given the second one eight or maybe even nine out of ten and it is one of my favourite films.

The third one was still half decent, especially with the deleted scenes, I would give that a five out of ten.

The fourth was only a four for me, but still I did not get angry.

Prometheus I would give a six, at least with a couple of deleted scenes taken into account.

Covenant would get a seven, maybe even an eight, it really is good. I will put no spoilers in place, but at least I now know how the Alien species came into being.

Of course they have put a little twist in at the end, just to allow a sequel...
( Though I had read that the next one will be set between Prometheus and Covenant, which is odd... )