Review Detail
9.6 7 10
Overall rating
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
9.0
Audio Editing
10.0
Visual Editing
10.0
Narrative
10.0
Enjoyment
9.0
I must start this by admitting that I find both "Prometheus" and "Alien Covenant" a slog to sit through. Any possibilities they might have, and they did have them, were weighed down by sluggish pacing, uninteresting characters, bad lines, and sillier-than-silly moments (I consider the Idris Elba/Charlize Theron seduction scene, thankfully gone in this edit, to be the absolute worst seduction scene I've ever seen outside of "Shark Attack 3: Megalodon" and "Samurai Cop"). I've seen edits of "Prometheus" in the past (not of "Covenant" due to my long absence from this site) that did improve the film quite a bit, but weren't still there. I just got a little less bored and a little less unengaged.
And then this edit happened. Suddenly, the first episode turned "Prometheus" into... something I actually like! By centering the narrative around David, it allowed the film to drop all the dead weight, and it allowed me to be able to concentrate in the stuff from the film that I always liked, namely the core themes, the production design, and Michael Fassbender's remarkable performance. Now it has a wonderful pacing and comes across as a lot more of a horror movie (which the original "Alien" of course was, one of the greatest horror movies ever). This one is a perfect 10 all around. Episode 2, though, while still very good, worked a little worse for me. Partially because the material doesn't seem to allow for this approach as flawlessly, and partly because a few things that I detested in the original cut had to stay here for narrative reasons. For instance, the flute sequence, which is so blatantly a sex scene hidden in plain sight that the lines come across a lot like something from a bad porn ("Blow to the hole gently", "Watch me, I'll do the fingering". LOL!!!), and the way the outcome to the David/Walter fight is filmed, which makes it obvious if it was the "good" or "bad" android the one who survived... exactly by trying too hard to hide it (to be fair, this does work better here than in the original as a side effect of the removal of the xenomorph, meaning less android heroics). But, as I said, the narrative needed these to stay, and it's not the editor's fault at all. Though they force me to detract one point from the enjoyment scale, as they still are what they are.
Editing was top-notch all through. I'm particularly impressed by the new title graphics. I would love to know how they were achieved. Visual quality was flawless in Episode 1, though interestingly presented a bit of artifact in Episode 2 (I did watch the version that had separate files for each). I must admit I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of subtitles, I always appreciate them and the fact that the previous Wakeupkeo edit I watched (Dick Tracy) did include them, made me somewhat expect them here too.
I also love the fact that Wakeupkeo presented this as an open series for other editors to contribute with episodes, which is both brilliant and generous. I'm still thinking what I would like to do for an episode, as I'd prefer something outside the obvious candidates. Will keep considering ideas.
Despite faults deeply ingrained in part of the source material, this is a tremendously remarkable edit. Apparently JobWillins' "Paradise", which I haven't seen so far, was the inspiration for this and might be even better, which means I should most probably be checking it out as well. In the meantime, this is highly recommended (and how is it possible that I'm the first person to review it? Come on!)
And then this edit happened. Suddenly, the first episode turned "Prometheus" into... something I actually like! By centering the narrative around David, it allowed the film to drop all the dead weight, and it allowed me to be able to concentrate in the stuff from the film that I always liked, namely the core themes, the production design, and Michael Fassbender's remarkable performance. Now it has a wonderful pacing and comes across as a lot more of a horror movie (which the original "Alien" of course was, one of the greatest horror movies ever). This one is a perfect 10 all around. Episode 2, though, while still very good, worked a little worse for me. Partially because the material doesn't seem to allow for this approach as flawlessly, and partly because a few things that I detested in the original cut had to stay here for narrative reasons. For instance, the flute sequence, which is so blatantly a sex scene hidden in plain sight that the lines come across a lot like something from a bad porn ("Blow to the hole gently", "Watch me, I'll do the fingering". LOL!!!), and the way the outcome to the David/Walter fight is filmed, which makes it obvious if it was the "good" or "bad" android the one who survived... exactly by trying too hard to hide it (to be fair, this does work better here than in the original as a side effect of the removal of the xenomorph, meaning less android heroics). But, as I said, the narrative needed these to stay, and it's not the editor's fault at all. Though they force me to detract one point from the enjoyment scale, as they still are what they are.
Editing was top-notch all through. I'm particularly impressed by the new title graphics. I would love to know how they were achieved. Visual quality was flawless in Episode 1, though interestingly presented a bit of artifact in Episode 2 (I did watch the version that had separate files for each). I must admit I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of subtitles, I always appreciate them and the fact that the previous Wakeupkeo edit I watched (Dick Tracy) did include them, made me somewhat expect them here too.
I also love the fact that Wakeupkeo presented this as an open series for other editors to contribute with episodes, which is both brilliant and generous. I'm still thinking what I would like to do for an episode, as I'd prefer something outside the obvious candidates. Will keep considering ideas.
Despite faults deeply ingrained in part of the source material, this is a tremendously remarkable edit. Apparently JobWillins' "Paradise", which I haven't seen so far, was the inspiration for this and might be even better, which means I should most probably be checking it out as well. In the meantime, this is highly recommended (and how is it possible that I'm the first person to review it? Come on!)
D