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Reviews
The Beacon (2018)
Not exactly original, but still satisfying sci-fi
I must say, to begin with, that if you are looking for fresh, 100% original content this short film won't satisfy your needs. It is evident how it drew direct inspiration (sometimes even too directly) from Blade Runner, Alien 1&2, Prometheus, Dune and probably a few others. The director himself admitted to this.
However, I really enjoyed the way it is all put together. We get to see a visually stunning and exciting thriller of a young couple, in a dystopian future, who will put their lives and relationship at risk one last time, in order to get a passage to a better life on a distant world.
The dark final plot twist is probably the most original contribution of this film, and I must admit it left me impressed, I genuinely didn't expect it to turn that way but it comes together nicely.
The acting is convincing, and the otherworldly sceneries are the truly breathtaking part of the film, as I mentioned before. The film carries a good pace and manages to transmit a complete end-to-end story in barely 25 minutes.
It's one of the few sci-fi short films from the Dust platform that left me with an overall good impression so far, in spite of its relative lack of originality and minor scientific inaccuracies. I wouldn't have minded a few more minutes of this thrilling space adventure.
Kursk (2018)
A non-Hollywood submarine film
I am aware that the film may contain some technical and historical inconsistencies, and I am certainly no expert in the matter, but I found this to be a thoroughly enjoyable film about a real-life political and military drama that stays away from the worn-out patriotism and moral superiority of the average Hollywood film.
The fact that this story was narrated from a European (Belgian), and thus more "neutral" point of view is a refreshing novelty. Instead of the simplistic we/heroes vs. them/evil narrative so often seen in American-made military filmmaking, Kursk brings a wholy more complex scenario in which the up and downs of the Russians Navy are overlapped with the personality of each of the characters. We get to see a dramatic and heartbreaking story of a man, his crew and his family, all of them fighting their own personal battles, which are narrated simultaneously from above and below the sea in a way that keeps us hoping against all odds until the end. Effective storytelling and outstanding acting help achieve a sense of magnitude and despair throughout the whole duration of the the film.
I wish to see more naval and military stories told this way, and less kaboom patriotic nonsense.
Alien: Covenant (2017)
A bit confusing but entertaining
I seriously don't get some of the fans of this franchise. If the original plot of xenomorphs kicking ass is the only thing that satisfies them, and they find annoying anything that deviates from this premise, what exactly are they watching these sequels for?
Alien (the original) was great because it first introduced the topic of "claustrophobic space horror" that has captivated so many of us ever since. The following Alien sequels basically followed upon the same premise, with uneven results, including the regrettable Alien vs. Predator crossovers.
Then, R. Scott came and gave us another perspective of the whole Alien universe: the idea of addressing humanity's most trascendental questions through our contact with the aliens and their makers. In Prometheus, we first try to contact our alleged creators in a captivating quest for answers, just to be confronted with more questions. In Covenant, the whole tale about the meaning of creation takes a darker and more evil note, while we get some hints about what brought xenomorphs into existence.
While these two prequels are not exactly masterpieces and they might lack in some aspects, I welcome the refreshing narrative and philosphical themes raised in them, especially Prometheus, instead of the already overused and worn-out xenomorph-chasing-humans storyline. They also have sensational visuals and overall good acting, especially M. Fassbender's role as Walter/David which deserves much praise in my opinion. Yes, Alien: Covenant is not the brightest gem in the franchise; some bits of its storytelling might be questionable (such as the captain's silly decision that leads them there) and the large cast seems too large to handle at times, but I like the overall unsuspected turn of events, and I think it's not as badly managed by the director as many others point out. The influence of his Blade Runner masterworks' main theme is also visible (maybe even too much at times).
In fact, it appears that he wanted to create this film as a follow-up to Prometheus that would dig deeper into the topics of the first prequel, thus diverging from the original Alien storyline, but the heavy criticism about the lack of xenomorphs in Prometheus made him change plans and rush some nasty aliens into this film. Sad decision in my opinion.
So, all in all, I enjoyed these films as what they are: a distinct touch to the Alien universe with a more thoughtful and trascendental approach.
If you are just looking for more acid xenomorph blood splashing the walls, you will be disappointed.