Daily Times

In the latest chapter of the ‘Alien’ series, colony ship Covenant goes off track in chase of a rogue transmission from a remote planet.

The crew ends up fighting for their survival on an uncharted paradise that harbours a dark and dangerous secret. In 1979, when the opening title for ‘Alien’ slowly emerged on screen along with its instantly memorable theme, viewers had no clue what to expect. They eventually discovered what the vicious extra-terrestrial was capable of, and collective screams were heard loud and clear. Almost a decade later, an entire army of these creatures would wreak havoc in a sequel that ramped up the action and scares. Since then, the series has regrettably descended into generic drivel in an obvious attempt to capitalize on its popularity. Under the reins of Ridley Scott – who directed the very first film – ‘Prometheus’ showed some signs of a possible revival, harking back to the origins of the iconic space beast.

Unsurprisingly, Scott attempts to ride that momentum by combining some of the essential and successful ingredients of the franchise, but forgets to dwell on the most vital aspect that made ‘Alien’ and ‘Aliens’ extraordinary. Audiences were emotionally invested in both those respective crews, which made their outcomes jarring and memorable. Although teased in the trailers, there’s little of that seen here, and distinct personalities are only given to a couple of members who are then, predictably put through the wringer. The most crucial character is played by Michael Fassbender, as the connective tissue between ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Covenant’. He delivers a typically striking performance, and his ability to adopt unique characteristics, accents and mannerisms is delightful to witness. Katherine Waterston as Daniels does her best to channelise Ellen Ripley, although the former is nowhere as compelling as that quintessential female protagonist played by Sigourney Weaver. The most surprising performance however, comes from Danny McBride who sheds his comedic roots to dramatic effect.

Sadly, their efforts are wasted in a story filled with plot holes and frustrating choices made by some of the crew. Although the film presents some interesting concepts regarding the survival of one species over another, it doesn’t change the fact that ‘Covenant’ is by-and-large, a rehash of several elements that made the series work in the first place, and does little to propel it into compelling territory. Clearly there’s not much left to explore in this ‘Alien’ world and fans would be better off revisiting the first two classics to find their screams again.