I wish Alien: Covenant was this good!

Rating: 8/10 (15 December 2017)

For starters, I didn't realize how controversial this film was until I made my way to IMdb. 1 to 2 stars is by far a hyperbolic rating for this film imo, especially for something that is so visually stunning and inputs several completely unique twists on the tried and true formula that we've seen from movies like Alien and its sequels, the primary factor being the story and conflict not only threatening the film's crew members, but also the entire human species as we know it.
Although, as many other critics have pointed out, there are risky decisions made, these choices aren't outside of each character's moral identities. Specifically, it is just that: the moral weight of the film which shines throughout as the crew sacrifices themselves for each other and the entire blue planet which looms below. As someone who is familiar with how space crafts function, I was able to excuse the physical inconsistencies that were made because of the sheer thrill and pounding rhythm of the story as a whole. There is truly never a dull moment or a non-character-driven part in this film. It is not a film about survival like past iterations of such concepts. That idea pretty much went out the window early on, which was truly refreshing. It is a film which showcases an actual iteration of what an evolved species can more realistically be (as opposed to a wish list of monster traits like acid saliva xD). The alien is truly just more adapted to its environment as evolution entails: strong, intelligent, mobile, and resilient enough to live in space like the shark in Jaws to water. And it's more abut ending the creature's existence than protecting any one individual (aka the first mistake made which leads to the entire catastrophe, which I assume was an intentional trope). What happens when a flamethrower just won't easily eradicate the monster?
I was thoroughly entertained throughout, and the film had more to add to the genre than the past 4 Alien films combined. In a way, the movie reminds me far more of John Carpenter's The Thing with it's containment mind game and big stakes, but even taking it a step farther by putting it in zero g and making the monster's only weakness a robbing of its essential resources.
Finally, the ending, too, is extremely well orchestrated as the man who wished to be in space and despised human suffering was rendered powerless against the creature's will, ultimately, crash landing on Earth and bringing insurmountable suffering upon mankind. Very unlike the Alien movies' epic and conclusive final showdowns which leave nothing left to the imagination.