Alien: Covenant/Alien Series thoughts.

[TheHarbinger]

I liked the chest x-ray bit. I thought that was cool and it recalled a scene in Alien 3 where Ripley uses the escape pod to scan her to confirm the worst.

Alien had a scene where Kane is x-rayed and you see the alien and Ash quickly shuts off the monitor so that the crew don't see that he's carrying a living infection. AvP:R had something similar with the Predators scanning themselves (though it might just have been the night vision). Prometheus has its female protagonist not only scan herself for a parasite but pull the giant squid from her body. The lab in Alien Quadrilogy has scans of various Ripleys and other experiments.

There are also lots of other uses of vital sign scans and heart rate monitors throughout the series as well. Or even those grenade style scanners from the more recent films.

My issue is that the film looks like a rehash of the plot of the original Alien but with more facehuggers and pulse rifles.

Pretty much every Alien and Predator film is a rehash of the first in its series or AvP. They recycle practically everything and even began lazily borrowing the most cliched and tired horror movie tropes like shower kills of nude couples or using pop music songs.

 

[CervixHammer]

So, Romulus.

There are some things I loved about it and some things I hated. Closest comparison within the franchise is probably Isolation. Or maybe Resurrection, if Resurrection wasn't complete ass. (Head canon idea: pretend Romulus is set after 3 and that Resurrection was never made.)

Worst part: almost everything happens too fast. Facehuggers result in chestbursters which become fully-grown Aliens about as fast as they did in the AvP movies. There's a time limit for how long the characters can be on the station that gets cut down significantly, which means a lot of things happen in less than an hour (in-universe) that should've/would've taken longer. Also I could nitpick the shit out of the opening scene.

Best parts: The set design, the kills (wish the cast were bigger, BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD and such). The cryo chamber scene with the facehuggers, the full-grown Alien coming out of the extremely gynecological pod-thing it was in on a wall and what happens to the guy who was poking it with a cattle prod. Also it's nice to get hints as to what the actual fuck is going on with the Weyland-Yutani corporation and what they think they can get out of these creatures besides dead scientists. And I want the prototype pulse rifle for Christmas.

The Offspring will be controversial and probably widely loathed, but thought it made more sense than the Newborn from Resurrection, although I am biased because Resurrection is my least favorite Alien movie without Predators in it. Also it did not look like Liz Fong-Jones which is a plus, even if that means it is less creepy.

 

[Adamska]

Also it's nice to get hints as to what the actual fuck is going on with the Weyland-Yutani corporation and what they think they can get out of these creatures besides dead scientists.

It was actually established as early as in the first movie. Bioweapons department was curious about their possible uses in the field. Sure it's speculation from the crew after Ash got wrecked, but it's a pretty logical conclusion. You dump a couple of the bastards down on more restive colonies, let them wreck, and then just move in. They just kept underestimating the Xenos.

Other works also point out their molecular acids and silicon chitin have value for their chemicals branch, primarily for industrial uses. Lastly they thought there might be pharmaceutical value since both facehuggers, bursters, and adults each have their own unique properties.

Also not surprised the film refused to bother with taking time. Hollywood is just too scared of ADHD audiences ruining reception, despite Dune and Dune pt 2 doing that.

 

[CaptainAutism69]

such a mixed bag. Really interesting start. The CGI on not Kayne was terrible, the middle was ok, the end was a chatgpt mashup of the first 4 movies.
Some real cringe such as 'get away from her...*pause*...*pause* you bitch!', at which point the audience applauded because they remembered that, and the screenwriter went to beat himself off raw.

 

[Sniperwoof]

Actually kind of okish? I'll admit I expected nothing after Covenant but this one was slightly better than I thought it would be going in.

 

[Bonesjones]

Like every modern blockbuster, it's competently made with some of the worst writing I've ever seen in my life. Every part of it is completely contrived and makes no sense, characters make the absolute dumbest decisions at every opportunity just to keep the plot moving. Also there is xenussy.

 

[TheHarbinger]

Like every modern blockbuster, it's competently made with some of the worst writing I've ever seen in my life. Every part of it is completely contrived and makes no sense, characters make the absolute dumbest decisions at every opportunity just to keep the plot moving. Also there is xenussy.

Every film in the Alien and Predator franchises are just remakes of the first. Though Aliens is more of a remake of Terminator 2. If you've seen one Alien film you've practically seen everything that the franchise has to offer. Just at different levels of quality writing and production. The fans of this franchise are at Star Wars levels of Stockholm Syndrome and refuse to accept any criticism though.

 

[StevieLasVegas]

Saw it last night. It's good. Not a great film thanks to the writing, but I'd say it's still worth a watch if you're a fan. I'll hide my thoughts in a spoiler to be nice for those who don't want to be spoiled.

Spoiler

PROS:
- The practical effects are great, and the CGI is mostly good
- Apart for the dumb cunt who makes the salvage job go to shit, honestly didn't mind the rest of the cast. The guy who plays the android was the best performance for me.
- Speaking of the dumb cunt, they gave him a good painful death for his stupidity
- Did a better job than Prometheus & Covenant to match the now-dated future look the first film had
- The guy they got to voice act the Ian Holm character did a phenomenal job
- Honestly liked the tie-ins with Prometheus via the manufactured black goo and the babymorph. Wasn't expecting it and felt they were nice additions overall.
- Actually giving the main chick a crutch as to why she's able to gun down the xenomorphs (gun has mechanical aim assist)
- the face hugger hallway scene

CONS:
- Remember when I said the CGI was mostly good? Yeah, going back to the Ian Holm character, there's some goddamn uncanny valley moments with him.
- Yet again, the xenomorph develop too goddamn fast. Go from facehugger face fucking to chest buster in minutes.
- The script, as others have mentions, begins to fall apart as the film goes on so I'll highlight a few moments I had issue with
- Ignoring how the pregnant broad was only sore after a 20 foot drop in an attempt to escape the xenomorph, the fact her brother and the main chick shit on the android for not letting her out when the xenomorph is within their direct view is dumb. Yes, I get why they're mad, but mother fuckers, the murder monster is literally perched on the truck waiting for you to open the door.
- How does the brother know about the military grade pulse rifles that would not be common on the mining world? No, I'm not buying the "because video games" line
- The elevator scene. Fine action within the scene, but boy are there issues. How does the main chick not die from the sudden stop in her free fall when the xenomorph catches her? How does the elevator seal the shaft after the acid blood compromises the station's integrity in the lower hallway? I know the android is specified as to being an industrial grade & strength model, how doesn't it get damaged from it's fall as it DFA's the xenomorph given the height he was at? Why didn't the xenomorph that gets DFA'ed not ruin the aforementioned seal from the vacuum of space the elevator makes as it bleeds onto it?
- The pregnant broad taking the black goo injection. I get why she took it and can rationalize why it affects her baby more, wouldn't the main chick question how her open wound is suddenly healed when she puts her in the cryopod?
- The babymorph. Looks better than the hybrid in Resurrection, is a great nod to Prometheus, but drags the film out longer than it needed to be.

I would definitely put it above Covenant and Resurrection, but time will tell where I place it alongside 3 and Prometheus.

 

[From The Uncanny Valley]

I kinda wish Prometheus was its own thing. The basic gist of the story was cool.

 

[gaystoner]

honestly pretty good. shifts from AAA movie to B movie in a comfy sci-fi way.

if you don't like it..that's cool but it definitely doesn't go overboard on "DEI" anymore than any other mid 90s Sci Fi movie did. The scares weren't jump based and if you're into potential sequels there's a fair amount of horror from dialogue.

 

[Drag-on Knight 91873]

Every film in the Alien and Predator franchises are just remakes of the first. Though Aliens is more of a remake of Terminator 2. If you've seen one Alien film you've practically seen everything that the franchise has to offer. Just at different levels of quality writing and production. The fans of this franchise are at Star Wars levels of Stockholm Syndrome and refuse to accept any criticism though.

It's a tricky writing assignment to be sure. The Xenomorph is essentially a zombie/Tyrant as a narrative device. It has a limited skill set, so it's hard to show new things, it can be killed, so sequels have to resort to numbers to keep the threat up, and it's been seen before by both audience and characters, so once countermeasures are developed, it stops being a horror movie. So Alien fans really do have unrealistic expectations with this series.

 

[Your Starter for 10]

Or the writers could, you know, be creative.

They feel they have to go bigger, faster, MORE, crazier! with the xenos to make it interesting, but then they make the situation and character decisions utterly retarded at every step. Hell, the Aliens series isn't even as bad as most other horror movies in that even 4, Prometheus and Covenant actually had likeable or interesting characters.

It's just everything else around them is utterly stupid.

 

[Adamska]

The fact it continues to reference Prometheus and make the Black Goo bullshit canon just takes me out of bothering with this one. I don't acknowledge it or Covenant at all as Alien films, and the ending melting into shit due to the desperation for memberberries and plot points makes me not interested.

 

[Calandrino]

Every film in the Alien and Predator franchises are just remakes of the first. Though Aliens is more of a remake of Terminator 2.

Disagree, every Alien sequel (until now) went off on some odd tangent for better or worse, and T2 came out 5 years after Aliens anyway.

Romulus is the same kind of nostalgia tour as Rogue One, Jurassic World, Halloween Kills, etc etc, that same kind of low effort pandering. Nobody in the theater clapped at any of the "clap here" moments. Didn't hate it, but the story feels more suited for a comic book or a video game or something. Might rank it over Resurrection if I'm generous, but not the others.

 

[CervixHammer]

Didn't hate it, but the story feels more suited for a comic book or a video game or something.

Yeah, it felt a little like some of those old Dark Horse one-shots or miniseries, Labyrinth being the one that jumps to mind just because it was also mostly set on a Weyland-Yutani research station. Or one of the official scenarios for the tabletop RPG, since it also has modified black goo as a plot device:

 

[BrunoMattei]

Yeah, it felt a little like some of those old Dark Horse one-shots or miniseries, Labyrinth being the one that jumps to mind just because it was also mostly set on a Weyland-Yutani research station. Or one of the official scenarios for the tabletop RPG, since it also has modified black goo as a plot device:
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Labyrinth is my favorite of all of the Darkhorse comics. The art is semi-realistic and grotesque, the story is legit interesting and answers the what if question: "What happens to an Alien hive if there is no queen?" In the most horrifying possible way you could imagine. I read that when I was 12 (big surprise, right?) and it remains one of my favorite comics.

 

[Adamska]

Might rank it over Resurrection if I'm generous, but not the others.

I won't do that, since the entire movie most borrows from Resurrection, but with a Prometheus twist, and stole probably the most from it. It was then stapled onto Isolation in some spots based on the synopsis. It really feels like if you took the synopses from Isolation and Resurrection and had ChatGPT write an elevator pitch.

As for why I can never take the black goo seriously and dismiss it whenever it gets gurgled out by Scott? It's because of Covenant and how David creates the Xenos in it. I think there's tie ins and stuff that try to partially retcon it to be its own strain, Protomorph or whatever, but I don't give a shit. That left such a shit taste in my mouth I will never give that element any consideration and will not acknowledge anything that uses it as canon. This fun fact is why I initially had issues with the Free Leagues RPG; since it was made around the time of Covenant and the idiots included garbage from it.

Labyrinth is my favorite of all of the Darkhorse comics. The art is semi-realistic and grotesque, the story is legit interesting and answers the what if question: "What happens to an Alien hive if there is no queen?" In the most horrifying possible way you could imagine. I read that when I was 12 (big surprise, right?) and it remains one of my favorite comics.

Labyrinth is one of my favorites of the line. The comics in general were pretty solid. Alchemy also was a pretty decent trio of issues too. It takes and plays with faith like Alien 3 does and I think it does it decently.

 

[Calandrino]

As for why I can never take the black goo seriously and dismiss it whenever it gets gurgled out by Scott? It's because of Covenant and how David creates the Xenos in it. I think there's tie ins and stuff that try to partially retcon it to be its own strain, Protomorph or whatever, but I don't give a shit.

I liked Prometheus and Covenant, but it requires some mental compartmentalization. They don't make for a very good backstory for the original(s). That being the case, I have even more mixed feelings about seeing the Prometheus-verse directly cross over with Alien '79. Kind of fun, yet very stupid. Obviously, they had absolutely nothing like this in mind when Alien was written and filmed. I have to look at it through the same fanfic lens as Alien vs Predator or something.

 

[TheHarbinger]

I liked Prometheus and Covenant, but it requires some mental compartmentalization. They don't make for a very good backstory for the original(s). That being the case, I have even more mixed feelings about seeing the Prometheus-verse directly cross over with Alien '79. Kind of fun, yet very stupid. Obviously, they had absolutely nothing like this in mind when Alien was written and filmed. I have to look at it through the same fanfic lens as Alien vs Predator or something.

Dan O'Bannon who created the entire Alien franchise wrote the script for Alien versus Predator. So it's more canon than Prometheus and Covenant. Also those two films lifted their ancient aliens and Weyland CEO looking for immortality storyline directly from AvP. Those films also feature a few scenes that are shot for shot remakes of AvP. They are basically AvP remakes without the Predator parts.

The first AvP script took place on a remote planet in some ancient space pyramid but the budget to build those sets were too much. Paul Anderson rewrote the film to take place on Earth and then had to do stuff like kill two Predators immediately to save money on filming (original script had a team of five Predators even). The original Alien film had stuff like Engineers and other life forms in its notes. H.R. Giger had tons of concept art aliens that would eventually make their way into the comics or the modern films. Like the dead body of Elizabeth Shaw being in one his creepy paintings where a woman is dead surrounded by fused machinery and organs.

 

[BrunoMattei]

I watched a cam copy. No spoilers. but I give it... a 6.5 out of 10. It opened well but god damn, it slowed down way too much, the body count was sorely lacking, and the plot convenience got obnoxious after a while. Big thing that pissed me off is that our protagonist aims a prototype Pulse Rifle that acts as a smartgun at the Xeno's (they're officially given the name Xenomorph here) and the justification for not shooting them is that the acid blood will eat through the hull. Which is fine. But they justify using the guns in the first place by the fact that the Alien will be "scared."

Yeah, they sure were scared in Aliens...

I kind of liked the 3rd act but I'm trying not to spoil. It does incorporate Prometheus well into the rest of the Alien cannon. But yeah... The pacing sucked and there weren't enough deaths or action to justify the slowness.

I prefer Covenant of the post-Alien 3 movies.