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After the lukewarm response to director Ridley Scott<\/a>\u2019s 2012 Alien<\/em><\/a> prequel Prometheus<\/a><\/em>, there was real cause for concern with his latest instalment Covenant<\/em><\/a> \u2013 did it have a new bite (no Alien<\/em> pun intended). Thankfully, because of Michael Fassbender<\/a>\u2019s mysterious and creepy android David, Scott had a new terror on offer to the human crew.<\/p>\n It\u2019s ten years on since the demise of the Prometheus crew, and another craft called Covenant with 2,000+ hibernating colonists is cruising through Space. After a malfunction, its crew is woken early and receives a signal from a nearby planet that suggests human life. They go to investigate and find a surprise from Prometheus on its surface. They also discover their worst nightmare still breeds: the alien.<\/p>\n Covenant<\/em> follows the same trajectory as the other Alien<\/em> films, while you wait for the first alien strike. However, where this film then differs is two forces of evil at play, the question being which is more imminently terrifying.<\/p>\n Fassbender as David \u2013 and more \u2018empathetic\u2019 Walter \u2013 is the driving force, as established in the very first scene, and shows the actor at his finest, playing a synthetic psychopath with shades of light and dark and keeping us grip. In fact it\u2019s almost as though the alien is a sub plot of malice and the real disturbing question is man\u2019s reliance on (and submission to) machine.<\/p>\n Praise too, to Fantastic Beasts<\/em><\/a> actress Katherine Waterston<\/a> as Daniels, the first serious Ripley contender since the earlier films. She has enough fight to take on David and the aliens and be the human saviour \u2013 or not, perhaps?<\/p>\n Covenant<\/em> may not satisfy all fans, such as those wanting to see lots of alien attacks \u2013 indeed, Scott does make sure there are some gory chest (and back) bursting scenes, but it does inject new blood and purpose into the Alien<\/em> series with the focus on character rather than effect. It\u2019s still just a nail biting.<\/p>\n 3\/5 stars<\/strong><\/p>\n By @Filmgazer<\/p>\n