The Myth of the Engineers

Rating: 9/10 (23 November 2016)

One usually approaches with suspect this kind of science fiction sequels : they are described as exaggerated splatters filled with clichés, systematically devoid of a consistent plot (being able to benefit from belonging to a famous franchise). The first minutes of the movie convey, to be completely honest, this kind of "vibe" : the viewer seems to be perfectly aware of what he is watching, that is just another fictional adventure through space. But then things get complicated, both for the characters and for the viewer : existential questions, whose presence is an absolute surprise considering the genre, emerge organically from the story; the tones of the movie also get "darker" and the atmosphere becomes more thrilling. The climax reaches its highest with the gruesome birth of the familiar Alien and its legendary fight with the colossal Engineer. Finally, right when the audience is emotionally exhausted, the adventure restarts, heading towards the Unknown, and the movie ends leaving the desperate need for a sequel. Alien :The Covenant was only recently announced, after too many years separating the collective memory from the true meaning which emanated from Prometheus. A meaning which too many seem not to have fully appreciated : pure adventure is still a value for science fiction, even when it is presented in unconventional ways. There are also minor aspects which need to be taken into account : the official score by Mark Streitenfeld is absolutely inspiring, while the visual effects are moderately remarkable ( I am referring to the beautiful scene in which David finds out the holographic map)