Six-Word Snapshot: Is this the best Alien yet?

Rating: 8/10 (8 August 2017)

There are lots of reasons to feel disillusioned and downright fed-up with the Alien franchise. Since James Cameron's 1986 spectacular Aliens, the series has wallowed from the unspectacular Alien 3 (1992), to the utterly dreadful Alien: Resurrection (1997), to the interesting yet baffling Prometheus (2012). And let's not even consider the Alien vs Predator movies, shall we? Unlike the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises, which are undergoing somewhat of a renaissance, Ridley Scott's sci-fi contribution has begun to feel tired.
All of which serves to increase the surprise that the latest instalment, Alien: Covenant, feels fresh and relevant. It is more than able to serve up the traditional dose of gore and shock factor, yet cleverly marries it with a delightfully simple yet fabulously intriguing plot-line.
We pick up the story a decade after the events of Prometheus, with a new crew aboard the colonist ship Covenant. In search of new terrain to expand the dying human race, the crew, which includes new synthetic Walter (Fassbender), receives an unexpected communication which draws them to a seemingly untouched paradise. It's not long before the bloodshed begins, which won't surprise anyone who has experienced an Alien film before; however, this is the first film since the original to realise that less is more. The dark and brooding atmosphere of the movie, the re-emergence of synthetic David (also Fassbender), and the relative sparsity of the infamous Xenomorphs, creates a throbbing suspense and relentless tension that is sure to captivate both old and new fans alike.
A historical problem with the both Alien and Predator entries has been a failure to create three-dimensional characters which we care about. The net effect is that the audience is indifferent to the protagonists' suffering and often leaves us praying for these dullards to be killed off. To a certain extent, Covenant suffers from much of the same with a supporting ensemble that is not especially remarkable or interesting. However, the strength of this movie (and indeed of writers Michael Green, John Logan and Dante Harper), is in realising that the star here is not the Xenomorph, is it Fassbender, whose fabulously contrasting roles of Walter and David are the pillars of the story-line. Whilst it is perhaps unfair to suggest that the most human characters in Covenant are two synthetics, it is certainly in these characters that the plot interest lies. The Xenomorph, is somewhat of an accessory, and the movie is all the better for it. As is the blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Guy Pearce.
This strong screenplay is executed masterfully by the ever-steady hand of Scott, who has taken the strengths of the first two entries in the franchise, distanced himself from the head-scratching of Prometheus, and sprinkled Covenant with little touches of magic in order to create a two-hour long product which contains not an ounce of fat and delivers nostalgic kicks and new intrigue in abundance. So rich is the delivery here that there are sequences and vistas in this film which are staggeringly beautiful, and create a sense of epic vastness akin to Oblivion (2013) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2015). When taken with Jed Kurzel's quietly anxious score, it create an environment that is quite terrifying.
From the plot, to the directing, to the lead, there is a lot to like about Alien: Covenant – enough to forgive the niggling issues with uninteresting supporting characters. This is the first film in the franchise for decades to leave fans craving the next entry, and perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid is that it begs the question: is this the best entry in the franchise? Die-hard advocates of the original Alien will scoff at this suggestion, however for us mere mortals there is plenty in here to at least consider the question.