Alien: Covenant Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Alien: Covenant" on Blu-ray, captured with Arri Alexa cameras and finalized in a 2K Digital Intermediate (DI), exhibits a stunning array of visual quality, adeptly showcasing the film's darkly atmospheric palette. The encode is a 1080p AVC MPEG-4 in a 2.40:1 aspect ratio that maintains high fidelity to the filmmakers' stylized intentions. The dominant cool tones—primarily deep blues and grays—are complemented by the occasional splash of color, such as forest greens and vibrant crimson blood, enriching the overall visual experience. Fine details are presented with remarkable precision, enabling viewers to discern minute textures in costumes, scenery, and facial features.

The film boasts rich inky blacks that preserve detail finely even in the darkest scenes, avoiding crush while ensuring shadows lend a haunting depth to scenes, such as when the Xenomorph prowls in the shadows. Brightness levels are exemplary, providing outstanding gradational differences in dimly lit scenes, thereby deepening the image quality. Whites remain crisp and vibrant without blooming, while the subdued contrast controls maintain an emotionless, grayish tone that mirrors the dismal planetary environment. Although facial complexions appear pale and pasty, they are intentionally stylized this way to reveal every pore and blemish, adding authenticity to the characters under duress.

Aside from minor issues with some softer-looking CGI sequences, clarity and sharpness are consistently excellent, true to Ridley Scott's attention to visual detail. The complementation of contrasting hues between computer monitors' ambient green, orange, and blue lights against the drab backdrops adds a layer of visual intrigue. Overall, the Blu-ray delivers an immersive, reference-quality video presentation that is both technically impressive and artistically faithful to the director's vision.

The audio presentation of "Alien: Covenant" on Blu-ray offers an exceptionally immersive experience, largely attributed to its DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 soundtrack. The film's sound design expertly enhances both interior spaceship scenes and expansive planetary sequences, creating a dynamic auditory landscape. Onboard the Covenant, the constant digital beeps and metallic pings provide a stream of sonic information with superb directionality, crafting an atmosphere of claustrophobic tension. In contrast, the planetary scenes leverage ambient environmental effects like wind and thunder to convey the planet's hostile conditions. The sound effects are meticulous, with some sequences featuring reverberant low-frequency effects (LFE) when creatures burst through human skin, maintaining high fidelity and expansive dynamic range throughout.

The balance between dialogue, sound effects, and music is meticulously managed, ensuring clarity even during the most tumultuous scenes. Dialogue remains consistently clean, prioritized effectively amidst the chaos of roaring engines and explosive action sequences. Jed Kurzel’s score, combined with familiar musical motifs, infiltrates the soundstage beautifully, delivering a spacious and expansive auditory experience. The soundtrack achieves subtlety when required, providing quiet, tension-filled moments before erupting into full-blown action. Discrete accuracy in effect placement enhances the visuals with a compelling sense of space, while the low-end rumble of spaceships and explosions adds a powerful depth to the mix. This sophisticated audio track is not only problem-free but also a demonstrable example of how effective sound design can elevate a film's narrative experience.

The Extras section of the "Alien: Covenant" Blu-ray combines an expansive suite of behind-the-scenes content, extended and deleted scenes providing deeper narrative insights, and a comprehensive director's commentary by Ridley Scott. The additional materials robustly expand on the film's universe, delving into the development of characters, the intricacies of the plot, and Scott’s creative journey. Highlights include the "Master Class" featurette, an in-depth documentary showcasing the making of the film, and faux promotional content for android models and ship operations. The supplementary gallery sections offer illustrative designs that help visualize the aesthetic and conceptual artwork behind the movie's striking visuals.

Extras included in this disc:

• Deleted and Extended Scenes: Various cut and extended scenes.
• Meet Walter: Faux advertisement for new android models.
• Phobos: Virtual therapy sessions for the crew.
• The Last Supper: A pre-cryosleep feast with the crew.
• The Crossing: Background information courtesy of David.
• Advent: Details on Elizabeth's fate.
• David’s Illustrations: An image gallery.
• Master Class: Ridley Scott: Director in action behind-the-scenes look.
• Director Commentary by Ridley Scott: Insights on creative decisions.
• Production Gallery: Conceptual art and imagery.
• Theatrical Trailers: Original trailers for the movie.

"Alien: Covenant," directed by Ridley Scott, marks a return to the franchise’s traditional visceral horror roots following the controversial and philosophically dense "Prometheus." Set years after the escape of Elizabeth Shaw and android David (Michael Fassbender), the narrative focuses on a colony ship, the Covenant, which is diverted to an uncharted planet following a crippling solar storm. New captain Chris Oram (Billy Crudup) leads the crew to investigate a distress signal featuring John Denver's song, much to the displeasure of Daniels (Katherine Waterston), the deceased former captain's widow. The crew’s encounter with alien spores quickly escalates into chaos as they become hosts for deadly Xenomorphs. David, survivor of the previous Engineer spaceship catastrophe, reappears with ambiguous intentions, adding layers of distrust and horror.

The film grapples with blending the original "Alien’s" suspenseful simplicity and "Prometheus’s" metaphysical ponderings. While Scott steers more towards classic horror tropes with shadowy interiors and blue-collar characters, the lingering influence of its predecessor's grandiose themes causes occasional narrative dissonance. The thematic attempts at exploring creation and origin mysteries, often through David's interactions with his maker Peter Weyland, provide subtext but are largely overshadowed by immediate survival horror elements. The plot largely prioritizes action over character development, leading to a somewhat vignette-driven pace where attacks unfold rapidly with brief respites.

Notably, Michael Fassbender's dual portrayal of androids David and Walter injects significant depth and tension. His performances amplify the eerie atmosphere, even as the rest of the cast remains overshadowed. Katherine Waterston’s Daniels, despite her central role, lacks the empathetic impact reminiscent of Sigourney Weaver's Ripley. Nonetheless, Scott's direction coupled with Dariusz Wolski’s atmospheric cinematography restores much of the franchise's aesthetic gloom and tension. The increase in violence and gore aligns "Alien: Covenant" more closely with its genre origins, providing a thrilling return to form for fans seeking traditional Alien franchise scares.

"Alien: Covenant" represents a notable blend of horror and sci-fi elements that align more closely with the original 1979 classic than its direct predecessor, "Prometheus." Ridley Scott returns to his roots in monster movie mode, crafting a film that emphasizes visceral thrills and horrors over grand metaphysical explorations. The narrative isn't without its flaws, displaying some character decisions that may frustrate viewers and a lack of clear answers regarding the enigmatic Engineers. Still, the movie holds substantial entertainment value with its dark atmosphere and well-executed special effects.

The Blu-ray release of "Alien: Covenant" is nearly impeccable from a technical standpoint. Audio is delivered through a robust DTS-HD MA 7.1 track, providing an immersive experience that accents the tension and horror unfolding on screen. The 2.39:1 AVC-encoded image benefits from a sharp and meticulously detailed transfer, highlighting the film's stylized visual aesthetic. Supplementary materials are ample, offering behind-the-scenes features and additional content that fans of the franchise will appreciate. Options for a limited edition Steelbook and an enhanced 4K edition also add value for collectors.

In conclusion, "Alien: Covenant" may not reach the philosophical heights some hoped for following "Prometheus," but it succeeds as a thrilling horror entry into the "Alien" saga. The Blu-ray release stands out for its top-tier audio and visual performance, along with a comprehensive suite of extras. It's a solid purchase for fans of the series and those seeking a return to the more traditional "Alien" narrative style. This film is a fun watch and recommended for both dedicated followers and casual viewers looking for a suspenseful ride.