Game Over Man: Review of Alien: Covenant

Alien: Covenant

Director: Ridley Scott

By Alex Watson

Ridley Scott's third outing in the Alien universe gets the franchise back on the right lines. Alien: Covenant isn't a perfect blockbuster by any means, but has a far stronger story and greater thrills than the ill-fated Prometheus. While the script by John Ridley does have the odd fault in logic, it's great to see Sir Ridley finally returning this franchise towards its roots again.

Travelling to start a new colony on planet Origae-6, the crew of the USCSS Covenant receives what looks to be a distress signal from another planet. Officer Daniels Branson (Katherine Waterston) is against investigating and insists the mission go on. However, Captain Oram (Billy Crudup) is overly curious about what lies there and the crew isn't keen on going back into hypersleep. When the crew reach the earth-like planet, they meet David (Michael Fassbender), the survivor of Prometheus and immediately his intentions come into question.

Alien: Covenant is given a big opening shake up. Hit by a freak neutrino blast from deep space, android Walter (also Fassbender) is forced to wake the crew early. Demoralised by a death of a beloved crew member, Oram is forced into the Lt. Gorman role and his unpopular decision making is quickly what dooms everyone. What it means to be human is another major subplot touched upon. Opening before the events of Prometheus, David is shown being given a lecture by a young Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) about gods and creation. While playing an 'anaemic' piano rendition of Wagner's 'Entry of the Gods into Valhalla' the creation points out to tell his wannabe god maker "You will die, I will not!" David is the lynchpin throughout Scott's movie, so memorable before and the real lurking threat here. His appearance at first feels like divine intervention, but after we start viewing his 'amateur zoology' our views becomes very skewed.

When the crew the land on the mysterious planet, it seems almost too good to be true. Although it seems habitable, Daniels is quick to notice there are no birds or animals. Soon things get dark and intense and Scott thankfully gives us the return of some many of our beloved creatures such a face huggers and of course, the Xenomorphs! The creatures in this picture play second fiddle to the jump scares and when crew members start having weird objects bursting out their chests- the body count starts to rack up. Although the frequent kills do offer some genuinely creepy moments, there is a lot of other mumbo jumbo that gets in the way. The side plot of David weeding his influence over fellow droid Walter does make for some fine acting moment's- especially his recital of the poem 'Ozymandias' and their flute playing lessons together. The unnecessary diversion into how their kind was not meant to serve and the dreams that affect them only pushes the film away from where it needs to be.

Another issue is the crew themselves, Daniels while affected and suffering from her loss is not a strong enough character for the film to rely on. Likewise with the blundering Oram who seems to continuously worry that is faith will affect his ability to lead this crew. This issue was also present in Prometheus and this crew just feels like a group that is a buffet meal for the aliens. When Scott plays the hits, the plays them well. One claustrophobic sequence sees crew member Karine (Carmen Ejogo) quarantined while a mysterious creature begins to splatter out of her deceased crewmate! While there some good individual moments, it can't beat feeling formulaic. Scott feels like he is desperately trying to recapture the magic of his 1979 classic. Alien: Covenant is a solid entry into this franchise, but not one its fans will fully embrace- despite Mother finally being back!

Katherine Waterston gives it her all as Daniels but she just isn't the strong female character this movie desires. Taking up the torch from Sigourney Weaver is a tough ask- Noomi Rapace also gave unstuck previously. The problem is her character just feels like a blank page and John Ridley didn't seem too bothered about filling it. Out of the all supporting character only Danny McBride's pilot, Tennessee has any kind of likeability. After playing so many memorable jerks in shows like Eastbound and Down and Vice Principals, McBride seems at ease in the role of supporting hero. Once more Michael Fassbender steals the show, only this time he steals it twice. Both Walter and David are Ying and Yang on the persona front. David comes across as the gift that went spectacularly wrong. Through Fassbender, the movie's true villain is born.

Alien: Covenant does give us some joy seeing some of the touches we know and love. Ridley Scott just cannot fully seal the deal.

Food For Thought: Review of Sausage Party

Sausage Party

Director: Conrad Vernon & Greg Tiernan

By Alex Watson

While this does have the odd chuckle thrown in for good measure, Sausage Party isn't quite the laugh a minute affair many would expect. At first, this rowdy and raunchy supermarket comedy is amusing but before long the innuendo jokes begin to reach their expiry date. In the later stages, directors Conrad and Tiernan do show some great maturity and restraint on the level of humour, but its poor taste of food stereotypes makes it lose points.

Frank (Seth Rogan) is a hot dog who along with his friend Carl (Jonah Hill) and stumpy friend Barry (Michael Cera) live inside a package within a supermarket. On the Fourth of July, he is delighted when he and his bun girlfriend Brenda (Kristen Wiig) are chosen by a shopper are destined for the mythical 'Great Beyond'. When the encounter a traumatized jar of Honey Mustard (Danny McBride) the group finds themselves separated. Soon some bitter and traumatic truths come forward when the discover precisely what happens to them in the real world.

Sausage Party is the first ever R-rated animated movie and for those who like rude jokes and unashamed potty humor, this is right up your street.  Opening with a song and dance number that ranges from funny to downright bizarre, this sets the tone. When Honey Mustard shatters Frank and Brenda's delightful hopes and jumps to his death, things turn into a battle scene replica which does tickle the ribs when you see Peanut Butter crying to a jar of jam "I'm nothing without you!" From there, things dissolve into a variety of food-related puns as we meet Salma Hayek's Taco character who has an especially close eye on Brenda, David Krumholz's grumpy Middle Eastern bread Vash and Edward Norton's Sammy Bagel Jr.

Vernon and Tiernan seem of the opinion that if they drop the F-Bomb as frequently as possible it will guarantee laughs. Here, it often falls flat and after a time just becomes tedious and its lack of subtly hinders what could have been something great. There are some glimmers of hope like the hilarious character Douche (Nick Kroll) , who is an actually a Douche. A funny and relevant Italian-American stereotype, watching him get juiced up on juice is very hilarious. His quest for vengeance against Frank for ruining his chance at the great beyond is endlessly watchable. The moment where Barry and friends are at the same shoppers home are smartly played. Watching an Irish potatoes horror as the human rips down the peaceful facade by peeling him makes way to some horror film like moments as we see Nachos being made and carrots wailing in pain at being shredded. Moments like these are rare and it is during these sequences where the most comedy is found.

Sausage Party tries to engage with the idea of people believing in something higher and what it really means to be human? Meeting Firewater (Bill Hader) an old bottle of spirits breaks ground on the real truths of the supermarket, but doesn't raise any sufficient laughs. Also stranded is a wad of gum that looks and sounds like Stephen Hawking. In the right hands and deft comic touch this movie really could have been far stronger, here were stuck with German mustard resembling the Nazi's and such flat lines as "Ketchup, catch up!" When the movie morphs into an extended food orgy scene, those weary of the constant sex references will be sighing internally. It's not to say that this film will be one of the worse that will be reviewed this year, just it could have been toned down rather than just go for all out explicitness.

Seth Rogan is able to bring his usual lazy charm to the role of Frank but neither he or Kristen Wiig are stretching themselves by doing this type of role. You can see the appeal for a whole range of Hollywood stars to get paid handsomely by talking dirty all day. Edward Norton's voice is nearly unrecognizable as he sounds closer to Eugene Levy or Woody Allen. Nick Kroll steals the show as the mad and bad Douche, who now has a thirst for revenge. Michael Cera's naive charm as Barry does make us smile, particularly when he meets James Franco's junkie whose high on bath salts.

Sausage Party will satisfy some tastes, but others will probably spit this food right out. Overall this could have been given a little more flavor.