REVIEW: “Alien: Covenant” is solidly terrifying addition to “Alien” sag

By Claire Alongi, 
BlueDevilHUB.com Staff–

After the 2012 misstep “Prometheus,” director Ridley Scott and his “Alien” crew have gotten back in the gut-bursting, thrill inducing, deep space psychological horror swing of things with “Alien: Covenant,” the second installment in Scott’s “Alien” prequel trilogy.

The general plot outline of “Covenant” is nothing new to seasoned “Alien” fans, but that’s not a bad thing.  If anything, it is almost nostalgic. While the real world may be going to shambles, at least human stupidity and fear can be relied upon in the face of sleek parasitic monsters with double mouths.

The story begins; like the ill fated ship Nostromo of the 1979 classic, the colonization ship Covenant receives a mysterious transmission from a wonderfully Earth-like planet. In fact, this mystery planet might be even better than the planet initially intended for habitation! Despite the protestations of rightfully skeptical Daniels (Katherine Waterson), the crew, along with its synthetic Walter (Michael Fassbender), disembark onto a planet that few of them will return from.

Immediately, things begin to go wrong, resulting in an explosion, bad decisions and the gory emergence of several frightfully familiar creatures from ill-fated crew members’ bodies. In other words, business as usual for the iconic franchise.

But what makes “Covenant” such a welcome addition to the “Alien”-verse isn’t just it’s familiar plot.  Much like the infamous alien that has terrorized our screens for decades, “Covenant” knows how to adapt.

The film borrows from the best aspects of the previous installments. Daniels is a not-so-subtle echo, in image and personality, to Sigourney Weaver’s classic Ellen Ripley.  Where “Prometheus” suffered from too much mythology with not enough explanation or aliens, “Covenant” manages to balance both. Viewers get a healthy dose of the more philosophical aspects Scott seems to be infusing into the prequels, as well as the terror and gore that come with new monsters and some infamous, face hugging old friends.

Best of all, “Covenant” makes use of “Prometheus’s” one shining success: Michael Fassbender as the unhinged synthetic David, who (SPOILER) returns in “Covenant” with an even more significant role.  While the whole cast dutifully plays its roles, and Waterson does step up into her action heroine boots, it is Fassbender’s eerie portrayal of both Walter and David that adds a new spark to the franchise.

The two synthetics’ conversations about the relationship between creator and creation as well as what it means to be alive and human add a thoughtful weight to the film that elevates it above a straight horror film.

Philosophizing aside however, “Covenant” without a doubt earns its R rating. Timid viewers should beware. If anything, “Covenant” is even gorier than those films that have come before it, and not even Fassbender’s pretty face can distract from the body horror that has made audiences squeamish for decades.

But, for those viewers who are looking for a new but welcomingly familiar addition to the “Alien” world that haunts and fascinates in equal measure, “Alien: Covenant” certainly delivers.