Post by Martin Stett on Nov 29, 2017 4:10:03 GMT
In this case, Alien: Covenant Breaker. To get us in the mood, some music. Maestro!
Once upon a time, Ridley Scott created The Tale of Prometheus. It was an ambitious offering, especially for a studio film. A work of wonder, of explorers on a new frontier, searching for something of such importance that if they didn't find it, they would perish. They were searching for meaning.
Instead, they found a bad horror movie, and the characters became so stupid in such a rapid time span that not even Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard could account for their decisions. A special film about people going where no man has gone before was superseded by a cheap monster movie.
Surprisingly, nobody liked Prometheus. So Ridley Scott decided to throw up his hands and say "fuck it." Audiences didn't like his slow burn exploration picture, so he gave them what he thought they wanted: horror, blood and guts.
But that's what destroyed Prometheus, at least to me. The horror elements were poorly handled, and the film suffered for it. And here, Scott learns all the wrong lessons. He fills the movie with decapitations, de-spinitations, hands bitten off, and lots and lots of gooey, bloody chestbursting, set to hyperactive editing and PS2 level CGI. (Seriously, what the fuck was up with the dancing hand puppet xenomorph? David teaching it to be Baby Groot or something?) Nowhere are we given any character development (not even character archetypes so we have something to latch onto), and never any sense of adventure or purpose. This is a cynical bloodbath, meant to cash in on the people looking for more gore.
And if this wasn't a sequel to Prometheus, I wouldn't be pissed. But by bringing David back, by reusing the theme song you are listening to right now, Scott and co. made the connection. And by straight up abandoning the plot thread that its prequel left open ("Who are we, and why were we created?") for some cheap "robots hate humanity" thread is insulting to the memory of what made Prometheus special. And it was. Even if it all fell apart halfway through, that film was special, for as long as it lasted.
This movie breaks the covenant that was implicitly made with the audience of Prometheus. That a continuation of the story would deal with grand things. If this tried and failed, I could understand that. I could admire it in the same way as its predecessor. But Covenant Breaker commits the mortal sin of not giving a shit. And that is unforgivable.
Once upon a time, Ridley Scott created The Tale of Prometheus. It was an ambitious offering, especially for a studio film. A work of wonder, of explorers on a new frontier, searching for something of such importance that if they didn't find it, they would perish. They were searching for meaning.
Instead, they found a bad horror movie, and the characters became so stupid in such a rapid time span that not even Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard could account for their decisions. A special film about people going where no man has gone before was superseded by a cheap monster movie.
Surprisingly, nobody liked Prometheus. So Ridley Scott decided to throw up his hands and say "fuck it." Audiences didn't like his slow burn exploration picture, so he gave them what he thought they wanted: horror, blood and guts.
But that's what destroyed Prometheus, at least to me. The horror elements were poorly handled, and the film suffered for it. And here, Scott learns all the wrong lessons. He fills the movie with decapitations, de-spinitations, hands bitten off, and lots and lots of gooey, bloody chestbursting, set to hyperactive editing and PS2 level CGI. (Seriously, what the fuck was up with the dancing hand puppet xenomorph? David teaching it to be Baby Groot or something?) Nowhere are we given any character development (not even character archetypes so we have something to latch onto), and never any sense of adventure or purpose. This is a cynical bloodbath, meant to cash in on the people looking for more gore.
And if this wasn't a sequel to Prometheus, I wouldn't be pissed. But by bringing David back, by reusing the theme song you are listening to right now, Scott and co. made the connection. And by straight up abandoning the plot thread that its prequel left open ("Who are we, and why were we created?") for some cheap "robots hate humanity" thread is insulting to the memory of what made Prometheus special. And it was. Even if it all fell apart halfway through, that film was special, for as long as it lasted.
This movie breaks the covenant that was implicitly made with the audience of Prometheus. That a continuation of the story would deal with grand things. If this tried and failed, I could understand that. I could admire it in the same way as its predecessor. But Covenant Breaker commits the mortal sin of not giving a shit. And that is unforgivable.
