Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alternately riveting and disappointing, Ridley Scott’s follow-up to 2012’s divisive “Prometheus” feels stuck somewhere between Scott’s evident desire to open up the mythology of the series, and paying lip-service to fans of the series disappointed by the lack of xenomorphs in the predecessor. While the first half is tense and intriguing, the second half gradually takes on a formula more appropriate for slasher movies, with a jarring tonal shift at about the halfway point.  The acting is solid and the special effects are terrific, but the many nods to previous movies in the series gradually begin to wear thin, and with Scott stubbornly refusing to answer the questions he posed with his predecessor while also introducing new ones, the movie gradually becomes more and more frustrating until its anticlimactic ending sucks the energy out of the room. There’s still plenty of material to explore with the “Alien” series, but after this perhaps it’s time for Scott to step aside, as he has become increasingly inconsistent and rather sloppy.

Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)