Ridley, here, no Ripley, but still Ridley. Scott. 8/10

Rating: 8/10 (6 June 2017)

Hi !
1979 to 2017 - Alien - to - Alien Covenant. The master who started it all is back : Ridley Scott. I just saw this tonight and I am quite satisfied; I'll be honest, I put my expectation bar so high that I was slightly deceived (I had seen the 6.8 score before going in, but thought that was harsh; but it turns out there is some truth to the criticism this time (I don't really follow critics, it's just someone's/people's opinion(s) which I respect - though if Many people give about the same score - it does give me an 'overall' feel of how I will feel (generally I add 2 points extra on critics)); and generally, it's a good 'barometer' about how 'most' people feel about the film. No one person responds the same to a film, but if a majority gives the same score (almost the same on multiple sites and off sites (like magazines film reviews)); it tells me that indeed that's about the general public feel, and I could feel roughly the same (but, most of time, I end up liking it up far more than the public because I'm really 'easy'/I don't care as long as it is decent and it, generally, is (hence, why I always give 2-3 points extra on 10 than the rest. It's impressive you know this is Mr.Scott's film, because he made the Alien 1979, Not only that he made 'horror films' become what they are today (for Many Many films have been inspired by Alien 1, not just in horror, but in thrillers and suspense's. Thanks to him. And Mr. Giger (the original inventor of the Alien creature (from his own dreams/nightmares; and all the 'Alien' art concepts he drew)). Story : A crew of about 10 people are on their way to a planet and carry 2000 colonizers 'asleep' (hypersleep), but during space travel (on a space ship) they encounter a very 'earth-like' planet that is very 'bio' compatible and 'biolively' (on it, there grows 'wheat'/the settlers grew and cultivated wheat fields on it and there is oxygen, water, etc (like Earth)). We have some good actors such as the Captain (Danny McBride) and the young woman whom she talks with often. They obviously go to that planet (after a talk between her and him). In fact, Mr.Scott does not spare the Captain's life - he kills him. I was a bit shocked by that.. but that is what Movie Magic/Power is about; your audience can be angry that you kill an important character to them that they wanted to 'live'... as a director/directors, it's your job and you decide where you lead your audience; not the other way around. I respect Mr.Scott's decision to end the Captain (whom was one of the best one on this film, Mr.McBride is the most natural one here - only
Mr.Fassbender equals him and the young woman (and also, that early woman whom gets stuck in the room when one of the crew members is infected and an Alien rips out of his back). There is one problem : Alien 2017 vs Alien 1979; The 1979 version had a Strong Female Heroine (Sigourney Weaver (whom carried the film all by herself/on her shoulders and made a huge difference, there was a crew too but it's impact was much less - Mrs.Weaver (Helen Ripley) was The Protagonist of the film - we understood that, the other characters did not steal her limelight) - not this time, now for the 2017 version we have a 'crew' of mostly 'nobodies' and everyone is trying to steal the other's 'fame'.Other great things : The Aliens in this film are incredible - they are 'Protomorphs' (white body form and protracted head) rather than Xenomorphs (the evolved crawling humanoid black body form). Problems : - Film suffers from Alien 2 problem, it's more 'actiony' than scary - and it had a PG-13 Rating (to get more (younger) viewers and thus, more money for film distributor 20th Century FOX and Mr.Scott's own company); As such, yes it is a horror film like Alien 1 - but it - Does Not - compare in terms of sheer terror than Alien 1 did. Alien 1 was terrifying - because it pitted a Single Woman (Mrs.Weaver/Ripley) against a Xenomorph Alien - in an abandoned derelict Spaceship. The Good: - VFX are Absolutely Spectacular (but with MPC/Frame store VFX, we always know it will be Top Notch (obviously, this film has an immense 100+Million dollar budget and it shows) -The New Aliens are cool but are quite infrequent actually and though, they are a bit 'Deja Vu' - they are still pretty frightening. IT's just the Mr.Scott does not do like his Alien 1 did : Make Real Suspense - that scares ...now the Aliens are basically 'Shown' full frontal...so no, monsters, don't scare people - Darkness, Fear, Psychosis, Loneliness, gallons fluid, etc...these elements scare people...not a 'big monster'...that doesn't work. In this Alien, the Aliens are not that much hidden and in 'plain sight', sometimes daily...so yeah, the fear factor is reduced to 0.Still, in the end, I give a solid 8.5/10. Mr.Scott please don't stop, you're still alive and can make so more movies - make a new Prometheus 2 or Alien: Covenant 2 and make it even better; this was just a warm-up from the long 'rusted time' since 1979... Alien: Covenant 2020 (perfect timing for 2020). I see it already.