Paradise

I agree with previous reviewers here; the editor started from 2 films that were mediocre and managed to grab the best parts of the 2, as well as the best character arch / best acting, David / Fassbender.

Regarding the frequent jumping between the 2 timelines, for me the editor has found a perfect balance between the need of text on screen to contextualize the jumps and the (many) times when it was not needed, because the start of the scenes had enough context.

Regarding all the mashups I’ve seen, this one is unusual because the more frequent thing to do is to reduce the amount of cutting between the timelines, in order to improve the flow and the narrative. This fanedit may be the one with the most jumps (between the original films) but also the one that’s edited the better to give narrative meaning to those jumps.

Well done!

This is a very strong edit combining the two Alien prequels, which (mostly) improves on both. The scattering of certain scenes and extras across the film was very well done. Scenes were intercut at appropriate moments. The edit shifts focus more towards Covenant as the edit progresses, which is the weaker of the two films.

The rescore was well chosen, bar the last scene, which worked better with Wagner's Das Rheingold. I especially liked I Want You by the Beatles. My main critique is that a few unnecessary scenes were kept - such as the two Prometheus pilots discussing their bet, or Shaw and Janek explaining the plot to the audience before heading out to meet the Engineer - along with some poor dialogue. Job Willins could have been even more aggressive with a few cuts, however the pace is quite good despite the edit being almost 2hrs 40mins.

All in all, an excellent edit, which does the best it can with the original films, which are a little weak.

"Prometheus" and "Alien Covenant" fused into a single film. Decent enough plan, although it seems Mr Willins has done this twice already with his "Derelict" and "Ripley" edits.

Video - 1280 X 720p AVC. The visuals for "Prometheus" are simply better than those for "Covenant." The opening moments with the TED talks could have used less fade-outs. Afterward, the editing is assured and masterful ... for awhile. With "Prometheus" the editor has a strong concept and it shows. The editor has his craft down so I have no comments on technical aspects.

Audio - 128 kbps AAC. 2 Channels. No subs. The editing is smooth, though the audio is spotty at times - in both films. Dialogue is muffled or indecipherable. From hollering to whispering. I listen over speakers, I listen through headphones. No difference. I viewed the 5 GB file, I don't know if the larger, 10 GB file offered 5.1, or if it would have made a difference.

Narrative - As with the previous "Derelict" and "Ripley" edits, Mr Willins runs concurrent stories. With those edits, the story bounces back and forth like a ping pong match. Like an ADD incessantly switching channels. With "Paradise" Job Willins finally hones his storytelling. This becomes David's story, more pronounced and effectively done with the "Prometheus" half. "Covenant" is much too talky.

Enjoyment - Hit n miss for me. The last thirty minutes were repetitive to the point of tedium. Too many climaxes, I just wanted them all to die at that point. In a word, too much "Covenant."
With "Prometheus" he cut most of the garbage I hated. "Covenant," I predicted would be more challenging, and to me he did not successfully carry this off. Comment - songs by the fab four were distracting and incongruous.
Job Willins displays superior abilities and I would like to see him shift away from these back n forth twofers.

A great re-imagining of the 2 Alien prequels which also succeeds in doing away with some of more confusing scenes, plot holes and character inconsistencies. I have no idea how well this would work for someone who has never before seen either Prometheus or Alien: Covenant, but from my perspective it was a very well conceived alternative and well worth the watch. The Covenant finale in particular was much improved and, being a Beatles fan, I appreciated some of the sneaky song placements! ;)

A minor qualm is that you could feel the 2.5 hour run time, but considering this is squishing 2 movies into one, the pacing is actually pretty good. Great job, JobWillins!

Edit: I initially gave this an 8 for video/audio quality, but have only just realised I was watching the 720p version (unaware there was anything better available). I've now downloaded the 1080p version and it looks much better!