CreationWhy did the flute scene feel so sexual, though? Not better than Prometheus, tbh, but it's still a good movie nevertheless. But I do agree the story might just be a little repetitive. Unlike Prometheus, Ridley didn’t take many risks in here and kept it basically the same thing as the OG (kinda), but also showing where the Xenomorph even came from. I personally will NEVER get tired of the gory kills, cool spaceships landing on planets, the alien attacks, and that plot twist (my fucking dumbass didn’t even realize it). Fassbender is amazing and definitely the star of this movie. That and a surprisingly good script (not dialogue, though) made this more than a sci-fi, lowkey Star Wars horror thriller. It's about the meaning and origin of life. David kinda reminds me of Officer K from Blade Runner; they are kinda similar. They are androids that have always been forced to do these duties by humans; they feel emotions and try to break free—except David becomes a Yoda of some sorts (the fuck was he doing with that shit on his head?) and K became, well, dead. But David really despises his creators because of the way they treat him as a servant; he refuses to believe he is inferior to our species.
I think this movie was made for the people who didn’t like Prometheus. It’s more of a fan service, bringing back those acidic blood and gore and shit that Prometheus didn’t have. It’s clear this is more that 1979 Ridley who gave us the OG Alien. The movie really uses a lot of Greek mythology and doesn’t make it subtle, especially the story of Prometheus, who defied the gods to bring fire to humanity and blah blah blah, read more about that in the Prometheus review. But in here, David becomes sort of this modernish Prometheus figure of some sorts because he wants to create something and surpass his creators. He is like this Prometheus because he is creation and rebellion. He has this god complex that makes him think to these xenomorphs he is their creator and their god—or at least he wants to, and that's why he is creating all these aliens.
The movie really follows up on that question that Prometheus did of the nature of creation and the ethical implications that come with it. Prometheus questions where did we come from, but Covenant goes to a darker side of creation, seeing the potential for destruction and just pure evil when creation (David, I'm talking 'bout u) is driven by narcissistic choices and the desire for dominance. The duality of creation and destruction is a central theme. This is again shown in David, that went from this slave to like this big-ass important god that wants to create life in his own image. Basically, he is desperate to be something more than he was created for. His experiments are what led to the perfect organism (Xenomorph). It's a reflection of him wanting to create a perfect organism, one that is free from the flaws of humanity. This theme also ties into the film's broader discussion of artificial intelligence and the potential dangers of advanced AI. David himself is a robot who becomes a creator and surpasses humanity. This is what basically everyone in real life is now fearing of AI and the consequences we will have if we keep kind of playing god with them. That idea of creation going against its own creator is a kind of usual theme, tbh, but the movie takes it a step further by exploring the moral effects it has. 2017 was indeed a good year for movies about AI trying to be human. Nothing will pass my deliciously baby boy Blade Runner 2049, tho.
This movie is the more horror aspect that Prometheus wasn’t because Prometheus WAS the one that leaned on the more sci-fi thematics of this franchise. Covenant is more of this visceral, brutal horror that I fucking love. The film delivers the gruesome kills and the gore everyone was expecting, and I swear this movie would be higher, but the CGI blood they used at times really threw me off, man. I liked the CGI aliens because we get to see them in all their glory, running around and acting up. Although they looked a bit off, I could get past that. But Jesus, dude, sometimes the use of CGI was just unnecessary and would have made this so much better with practical effects. But the movie still delivers some very gruesome, bloody moments, so it gets points for that. Faith and existentialism are also prominent in the movie. The fact that the crew just goes to this planet to colonize it is itself an act of faith (how did that go, tho?). But David is what challenged that faith they had, because if the planet didn’t have this human or robot intervention, they would just indeed be able to colonize it, and James Franco would be alive.
Overall, its a solid movie but not as philosofical as Prometheus. It feels like Ridley Scott played it safer here, bringing back the classic gore and alien action. The story explores big ideas like creation, AI, and the dangers of playing god, with David stealing the show as a twisted android with a god complex. The movie has great horror vibes, gruesome kills, and epic alien moments, but some of the CGI, especially the blood, feels off. If you wanted more of the classic Alien feel with a mix of deeper themes about life, creation, and rebellion, it delivers. Not better than Prometheus, but still worth the watch for sci-fi and horror fans.
