Now, when “Alien: Covenant” is already considered two weeks at the box office, and everyone who really wanted it, has long been a new film by Ridley Scott look, we have a long-awaited opportunity to talk about this picture, without mincing words and without fear to disclose important plot details. To talk about the film-the heir and successor of that cultural phenomenon, which is Strange. Think about the connections with previous installments of the franchise with “Prometheus”, about the symbolism and meanings – you will be surprised, perhaps, but it’s hidden behind the history. All this would need to put beyond any review trying to avoid spoilers. Now need for it, so we can say openly and directly.
Nine out of ten of the reviews published on this film anywhere, are, by and large, the discourse on “What it is – a prequel to “Alien” or the sequel to “Prometheus”, compared with “Prometheus”, in particular, and to answer the question, better or worse than the predecessor were a new film. We also can not avoid, but still try to dig a little deeper.
“Prometheus” was originally conceived as a background of the original “Alien”, but then the plans changed. Studio and Ridley Scott decided to maximize the project, maintaining the relationship with the Saga of xenomorph, but focusing not only on them. The ideas in “Prometheus” turned out to be akin to what Scott was once developed in one of his cult sci-Fi movie, “blade Runner”, but, alas, the rental version of the film was so senseless and ruthless editing, that the best ideas are literally left-overs. From the rolling version of “Prometheus”, for example, was carved vivid monologue Peter Weyland (guy Pearce) before the Engineer killed him and tore off the head of the Android synthetic David (Michael Fassbender). Meanwhile, he, continuing and reflecting the meaning of another monologue from a viral promo of “Prometheus”, made it clear why Weiland suffered such a sad fate. And gave the answer (or at least a very bold hint to find the answer) to the question of why the Engineers were going to destroy their own children – humanity.
To please the speaker was sacrificed to the very meaning of the film, and for the sake of political correctness, Scott and company decided not to cut (if you really need to remove something extra!) from “Prometheus” episodes with two fellow pilots, one of whom was Asian, and they both together were absolutely necessary for the plot and ideas of painting figures.
In this sense, “Alien: Testament” looks much more advantageous, and partly puts points over i, closing back the number of issues remaining after “Prometheus”. Yes, synthetic is David aware of a being more perfect than its creators. Yes, it (like most of Ridley Scott, it seems) are concerned with the assimilation of creation to the Creator, exalting creation. What in Prometheus were only short of the mysterious replicas, in “Testament” reads right almost in the prologue of the picture. And it becomes clear to the General concept. And “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant” in fact, not words are the prequels of “Alien” and tells them about the creation of the most perfect predator in the Universe. Rate the idea, he is like a Russian doll, where one is hidden in the other, and all together hiding in the third: xenomorph was created, as it turns out, the Android… which, in turn, was created by the people… which was created by the Engineers… who wanted to destroy the people, but they were destroyed by Android.
One of the unanswered questions: Why did David grew wheat?
Two motives, two of the subtext is clearly present in the plot of “Alien: the Covenant.” And both motive originate in “Prometheus”. And do not argue that there is nothing like it, such coincidences are not random. Another thing is that while it is not clear whether all this is just part of a larger common plan (Scott because he wants to shoot a few more movies) or just a kind of intellectual entertainment Director.
The first is the religious mind. In the “Prometheus” talking about the ambitions of people who want to be on a par with the gods (line Peter Weyland), belief and the loss of her (Dr. Elizabeth Shaw). “Covenant” by the very name refers directly to the Bible. Ship with frozen embryos and are in hypersleep colonists, flying on potentially suitable for terraforming and life of the planet is a kind of ark, driven through the cosmic ocean of the future Noah and his team. Their mission is not the salvation of mankind, but its distribution in the Universe. The film begins with the fact that synthetic Walter (David’s version, which removed the “bugs” like excessive independence) is forced to awaken the crew because of an unexpected accident. As a result of this accident dies – literally burning to death – the current captain of the ship (cameo James Franco seems to be introduced in the film with the same purpose as the cameo of Patrick Wilson in “Prometheus” – just to amuse the audience, the familiar face). And replaced, which is characteristic of a true believer, but not too confident in himself.
Actually here can be traced back to notice and the second semantic implication. Which also had a beginning in “Prometheus”, but “Alien: Covenant” is reinforced. This line is almost parallel to the theme of religion and faith, and this is the theme of family.
One of the coolest horror scenes in the movie.
The creation of life is not just an act of the divine, but also the act of fertilization, pregnancy, birth and finally parenting. Already in “Prometheus” it was possible to catch echoes of this theme in the dreams and memories of Elizabeth Shaw about her father, her relationship with her husband (from whom she “got pregnant” mortom and not without the help of David), in the line of Peter Weyland and his relationship with David (which was to him “like a son”) and his daughter. Finally, in the fragmentary remarks-the remarks emanating from the mouth including the David… remember these are his “all kids dream about the death of their parents” and other fun greetings?
“Alien: Testament” constantly, throughout the film, though not Intrusive, but negotiate an issue of family, and, as a rule, we are talking about some kind of irregular, “torn”, a tragic family. The main character (Katherine Waterston) loses her husband. Shortly after landing on the planet, which, as follows from the cut of “Prometheus” episode is to be called “Paradise” (“Paradise” was the original working title “Covenant”), killed the wife of the new captain. Then killed the wife of the pilot (Danny McBride). Simultaneously, there are two twins, synthetic Walter and David, who immediately begin to call each other “brother.” One of them will eventually be forced to kill the other, like Cain Abel is another example of parallelism of the theme of religion and theme of the family in the film.
In the film there is even a gay couple, are quite severe and middle-aged men who have, nevertheless, quite a family relationship. And, of course, one of them also dies. But the family is not exhausted, no. It flows smoothly from the plane of the relationship “husband/wife” to the already familiar “parent/child” (aka – the “Creator/creation”). David Elizabeth Shaw – almost love feelings. And, it seems, not only it, and and humanity, people in General, in spite of all his contemptuous attitude towards them. And all because the people David sees the “mother” their own “children”. Yes, neomorphic and dark, horse for his children. He led them out, created, but could not give them life, because they had at hand human material. With all these nuances of the scene with David, admiring the newborn Alien gets a full sense.
Another thing is that the love of David does not guarantee anyone mercy.
Away the suspense! Xenomorph rushing like a tank.
David, who, of course, in “the Covenant” plays a Central role, binder and all, a cold, calculating mind, completely subordinating his own excessive for synthetic emotions. David cries, remembering Elizabeth, but, as we know he was with her more than cruel. David is angry when the captain kills nepomorpha, but he is preparing the destruction of their beloved offspring – xenomorph as ahead of the looming goal more ambitious than the removal of a single copy of the Stranger. Him, David, the concept of family, the creation of life, attitude towards his own creators, and his creations, and to those who, in turn, created people (Engineers, that is) very far from what we think of when talking about procreation or God. He has a different logic – and here we are approaching the fine line that separates theme androids-synthetic from the Saga about Strange and Replicants from “blade Runner”.
In “Running” the leader of the Replicants (Rutger Hauer in one of his best roles), if you remember, killed Tyrell, his Creator, when he explained to him, as a mother, that he could not extend the life of the Replicants. Roy Batty (the so-called hero Hauer) squeezed his “father” eyes, saying before that: “I Hope the God of biomechanics would let you in his Paradise.” It was an act of retaliation, but not triumph, and tragedy – and so cried Roy killing Tyrell. And in the final “Running” he left life to the hunter of Replicants (Harrison Ford) saying his famous soliloquy about “tears in rain”.
The Replicant Batty and the synthetic David is both intelligent and fierce, both strong and cunning, but the first seems to have been more humane than the other. Why?.. Perhaps the answer lies in the simple fact that Roy, unlike David, was death. Roy and his mortality felt no less acutely than David – his immortality.
Whether Ridley Scott intends to tie someone else up and Running? The answer to this question we might find in autumn, when the screens will be released “blade Runner 2049” Denis Villeneuve. Reference binder this film and “Prometheus” is found, and field for the realization of a tremendous idea, as you can see, Scott does.
In the meantime… While we can accept “Alien: Testament” just as much fiction horror. The only pity is the suspense of the original Alien (and even its two sequels) are not migrated to the prequel, replaced by the bloody scenes and rich, but not always meaningful action
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