Source France | Publisher : 20th Century Fox | Release date : 13 September 2017
Video format
2160p24 – Ratio 2.40
HDR10 / BT.2020 – HEVC encoding
Master intermediate 2K
Soundtrack
English Dolby Atmos
French SDR 5.1
Subtitles
English
French
Rated 4.5 out of 5
Artistic : 8 | Video : 9.5 | Audio : 10
It is brought to the attention of our dear readers that, in addition to the specified and used viewing equipment, the rendering may differ from one installation to another, whether or not it is calibrated, as well as personal preferences and expectations may influence notation. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the edition tested.
Test equipment and condition (Config. HP: 5.1.4)
Video broadcaster : Sony Bravia XR-65A80J (Expert HDR)
Sources : Oppo UDP-203 Audiocom Reference | Zappiti Reference
Pregnant : Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar (Dolby Atmos | DTS Neural:X), SVS SB-4000
WORK - Origins of the monster
The crew of the Covenant ship, destined for a planet at the bottom of our galaxy, discover what they think is a still untouched paradise. It is in fact a dark and dangerous fashion, hiding a terrible threat.
Closer to Prometheus than quadrilogy Alien, Covenant is a horrific science-fiction film with fascinating philosophical detours (the tirades of ‘Dr. Frankenstein' David), miraculous artistic direction, raging gore attacks, and the memorable double interpretation of a subtle Michael Fassbender and to creatures as terrifying as they are aggressive (the Neomorph). More cerebral than visceral, this monstrous hybrid nightmare of death greatly enriches the mythology of the saga despite failures (laboury exposure, foolish reactions and draft writing).
IMAGE - Lost Paradise
Integrally captured in digital, the magnificent dreadful images of the work (signed by the opera conductor) Dariusz Wolski) find in this UHD transfer a weight ally. Stables and without any trace of compression, it allows you to enjoy a definition with a tablet (the incredible sharpness of landscapes), an ultra-sharpened piqué (a greater finesse of faces, information on monitors and sculptures), icy de-saturated colours, superior contrasts and intense blacks.
The colorimetric palette delivers primers with improved saturation and higher secondary vibrating (green vegetation of the mountains) while being a cooler tantinet (brighter whites and blues no longer drawing on green), natural lighting (in the den ‘KurtzienDavid's) or not (the holographic screens and the control lights in the Covenant) are much brighter (the brightness of the stars), and the dark scenes enjoy a threefold increase.
SON - « Ozymandias » as mantra
Muscle bass, oppressive organic dimension score (composed by Jed Kurzel), subtle environmental atmospheres (the wheat ears that move in the wind), disturbing noises sneaking from one speaker to the other (the movement of aliens), ubiquitous rear scene, tense silences, relevant height effects (mother's voice, water runoff in the Derelict, the weather, the arrival of the rescue vessel, etc.) and energetic dynamic, are the key elements of this Atmos mixing, both ingenious and demonstrative (in the last part in particular).
If it does not detract, the least detailed and powerful VF is far from being provided with a sound scene as wide as its 3D consister.
CONCLUSION - Creationist obsession
After the very disputed Prometheus and exploring an even darker and more dangerous world on 4K Ultra HD (divine A/V performances), this suite with biblical ambitions is above all a funeral prayer for humanity where the monster is not the one we believe!
By looking at the slasher side with stupid characters like brooms, Covenant didn't walk with me when I saw him on his way out.
That's too bad because the alien introductory scene is freezing. A bestiality rarely seen and which contrasts with the rest of the film, otherwise more conventional.
After being literally massacred, the guys are relaxed. It was incomprehensible to me after such an introductory scene of the Neomorph.
As for the final twist, it was so predictable that it made more smile than anything else. Not a bad movie for me, but nothing about quadrilogy.
I have serious fears for the franchise after she went under Disney's leadership. We'll see the next one... I'd love to find a slam like with the other movies or even Prometheus of which I'm one of the few defenders.
No, I love #Prometheus (a few reserves) too! 😉
Superb illustration of article in passing.
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