This Film Alienates

Rating: 6/10 (19 May 2017)

I am a die hard fan remembering catching the original in a late night showing to cool off and relax because I couldn't sleep. I was glued to the movie and forget about sleep for the rest of the night. The film had me when that face-hugger appeared scary in itself. The fact that it laid an embryo in someone was like a knock-out punch. I surrendered and the rest is history. I must have seen it so many times I lost count. Just when you think things have settled down, out comes Aliens and it blew me back in my movie theater chair, gripping, squirming and amazed at such high quality entertainment. Then Alien 3 came out and I wondered "what happened"? Did someone die or become bored or rich and careless? Still, it is an Alien movie so I watched it more than once. Then, Aliens 4 and I wondered why it chose this direction to go but he who has the gold rules and being a fan, accepted it although it didn't summon and beckon like the first two. A film here and there came out and I thought is the world better off with or without Alien movies? With so keep them coming and maybe one day someone with vision would enter into the Alien Universe. Prometheus intrigued me. Why? It made you ask questions, think things through and yammer, yell and demand more especially answers and we were told they are coming. Enter Covenant. We are back to "what happened'? again. We skipped a beat here. Gone are the tensions, suspense, build-up, story development, awe, wonder and most important...the plot! We have the ability to travel into space for years and years and explore where man has never been before (sound familiar Trekkies?). Instead, we are treated to a crew of UN-professionals who don't even use the scientific methods to apply to what they do or why? In place of logic, you get wild thinking. Emotions run rampant and cursing substitutes for effective, meaningful dialog. What are the qualifications for getting on board a flight like this? Even in real life when we went to the moon, as inexperienced as we were, we kept it real. This goes into fantasy as in real professionally trained and experienced people don't do this but we are forced by watching this movie to accept that they do. From there, its all down hill. At one point, I thought: I can't wait for the Aliens to come and eat these people as they sure have it coming. I don't know if this film wanted to be one of adventure, drama, fantasy or horror and the most confusing thing of all is the name Ridley Scott is associated with all this. It boggles the mind that this is what Rid has morphed into pun intended. This comes across as a quick, cheap, lets make a bridge movie to continue the series while I am doing other things and we all pick up a few million. Whatever we mess up we will correct in the next film approach. The good news? The premise of a near perfect life-form and its developing story that at some point will bring us to the land of closure and relief as movie-goers, fans and supporters of this great original premise. Yes I will keep going to see them because there is always hope that the one movie that comes out will make us forgive all the bad that led us to it. In the opening scenes in this movie, there lacked a hook whereas Prometheus was off to find the meaning of life and had a plan. Even though we don't understand the big picture, the small one has us glued wondering what this is all about. Covenant doesn't invite you along or attract you to care but you jump on board because you paid for your seat. I always judge a movie by many things but one specific stands out i.e. is a must see again? Are there memorable scenes? Does it hold in the comeback arenas? As for Covenant, once was enough....I had some black licorice and kettle corn which I enjoyed and helped better the movie going experience. I recommend the same for you...Wait for this to come out on cable you will be just fine