A Rare Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (29 May 2017)

Firstly, it is obvious that some people will not wholly get or even accept this film. This is, in reality, a film for a somewhat niche audience. Yet somehow it and its predecessors have transcended that. There are so many films coming out on a weekly basis that are essentially the same thing wrapped in different clothes: The Raunchy Comedy. The Big CGI Action Film, The Comic Book Film, The Spy Film, The Drama Film, The Date Movie, The Romantic Comedy, The Horror Film, The Sci-Fi Film, etc. There are several genres that we are allowed to consume.
This one is different.
To truly appreciate this movie, you do need to be quite familiar with at least Prometheus(2012) and Alien(1979). If you are fortunate enough to count yourself among that crowd, this movie elevates itself from simply "fun" or "good" to something that is truly memorable and great.
Alien Covenant is about the USCSS ship Covenant which is on a more than 7 year journey to colonize a distant planet. All crew members aboard as well as over 2,000 civilians are in cryosleep, leaving only the synthetic Walter to watch over them while they sleep. Suddenly a disaster hits the ship, requiring Walter to awake the crew. While attending to the situation, a broadcast is intercepted which appears to be of human origin. The odd thing is, the broadcast originates from somewhere deep in space where no one thought it possible for human life to exist. They subsequently decide to investigate this transmission which leads to the Covenant arriving on the Engineers home world.
From here on in we're treated with mystery, terror, and wonder. The cinematography is simply abnormal in how exquisite it is. You'll see several scenes that will stick in your mind due to how breathtaking they look.
Without giving a full written synopsis of the movie, I will tell you that assuming you are familiar with the prior Ridley Scott films, this is a huge piece of the puzzle. You learn so much more about the origins of the Xenomorph than you ever thought you would, and it changes everything you ever knew about the Alien franchise. The fact that we have the creator of the franchise himself giving us these revelations is a treat that few if anyone will ever receive. While this film stands on its own as an awesome, beautiful, yet mournful movie; we are left with even more in this plot to contemplate and salivate over.
Spoiler territory ahead: In order for this to connect with the original Alien(1979) in the next film, we need three things:
1. An Engineer "C" ship to crash on LV-426.
2. There needs to be hundreds, if not thousands, of eggs on board.
3. There needs to be someone, or something, in an Engineer or "Space Jockey" suit with a chest burster wound sitting in the main cockpit.
I believe that we will see David return to LV-223, the planet from Prometheus, in order to get another Engineer "C" type ship.
David will create hundreds, if not thousands, of alien eggs to place within the ship, planning to take it to earth to kill all of his creators.
Something will go wrong, causing the Engineer ship to crash on LV-426, where Ellen Ripley and the Nostromo crew will find it, wherein the original Alien(1979) begins.
The only questions are who is in the Engineer suit with the chest burster injury, and is there an explanation for the Alien Queen.
It is extremely rare for any work of fiction to create this much truly interesting lore and theorizing. I am very happy with what we got with Alien: Covenant, and although there are a few things I can nitpick about, in the end Alien: Covenant is a real treat for us to consume and contemplate.