Alien: Covenant

Right now you can watch Alien: Covenant in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on HBO Max Amazon Channel and YouTube TV — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 9,501 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Michael Fassbender leads a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. Put it on tonight on Disney Plus and see for yourself.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Alien: Covenant is worth clearing space for. What makes Alien: Covenant work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise but is actually a dark, dangerous world. Michael Fassbender and Katherine Waterston lead a cast that never lets the concept overwhelm the characters. It was released in 2017. What separates Alien: Covenant from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Alien: Covenant is satisfying on multiple levels — something to watch and something to think about after. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Michael Fassbender grounds the bigger ideas in something human. Once you are in, you will want to talk about it.