Which Movie Prequels Have Done the Most Disservice to Their Original Movie

The concept of a prequel is thrilling for some fans, as it offers a deeper dive into the backstory and mythology of beloved franchises. However, poorly executed prequels can often detract from the original works, leaving viewers feeling disappointed and estranged from the original content. In this article, we explore some of the most egregious offenders that have significantly detracted from their source material, with a strong focus on the Alien prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.

Alien Prequels: Prometheus and Alien Covenant

Prometheus (2012)

A notable entry in the ranks of prequels that went terribly wrong, Prometheus is a film that, despite its intriguing premise and beautiful visual effects, fails spectacularly in its primary objective of expanding upon the Alien universe.

The movie destroys the narrative integrity of the original Alien film in several ways, most notably by replacing a long-held mystery with a simplistic and disappointingly uninteresting explanation. Fans had for decades marveled at the enigmatic origin of the Space Jockey, a biomechanical entity whose nature and purpose remained a tantalizing enigma. The explanation provided in Prometheus—a sentient being in a complicated monster suit—crashes the illusion that the original had created. The revelation that the Space Jockey was a giant human-like alien (aided by CGI) is a colossal letdown for those who had been clinging to the idea of the unknown and unexplainable.

One of the greatest strengths of the Alien series has always been its embrace of the unknown, the unexplainable, and the alienness of its various entities. The question of origins, left intentionally unanswered, adds to the film's mystique and the scares it so effectively drives home. Prometheus takes the mystery out of the equation, replacing it with what can be seen as a rushed and underwhelming explanation. This shift effectively loses the horror and the sense of the unknown that made the original so powerful.

Further Examples: Alien: Covenant

Alien: Covenant (2017), while not as immediately reviled as Prometheus, still manages to undermine the original series in many ways. The film, like its predecessor, begins with great promise but quickly turns into a cliché-ridden mess that feels like a blatant cash grab rather than an addition to the Alien franchise.

Where Prometheus at least tried to build upon and expand the existing mythos, Covenant clumsily attempts to retell and rehash familiar tropes from the source material without the nuance or suspense that defined the original. This direct descendant of Prometheus takes many steps in the wrong direction, focusing on creating a sense of unease and tension that is fundamentally undermined by its reliance on recycled plot elements and generic alien monsters.

Moreover, the creative choices made in Covenant further expound upon the stereotypical and anachronistic narrative direction that characterizes modern prequels. Unlike the original Alien, which dealt with internal and external threats in a claustrophobic, psychological manner, Covenant relies on a more generic and often unoriginal alien threat that, while effective in some instances, ultimately lacks the freshness and inventiveness of the earlier films.

It is not just the renewal of the original’s terrifying monsters that is at stake. The character-driven elements of the prequels, particularly if aimed at engaging the original franchise’s fans, should also provide a nuanced and meaningful contribution. Regrettably, Covenant is more bewilding than enlightening, delivering an experience that feels overly complicated and underwhelming.

Conclusion: For the Love of the Original, Keep the Questions Unsolved

The best prequels, as with any sequels or spin-offs, should enhance the original work and not detract from it. Prometheus and Covenant serve as poignant reminders of how important refraining from explicitly answering every question and keeping the incompleteness of the original can add to its mystique and intrigue.

Leaving some stories unexplained can actually enrich the overall narrative experience. As the Alien franchise has shown, the power of a story lies not only in its plot and characters but also in its ability to provoke imagination and leave room for interpretation. Though the continuation of the Alien universe is enjoyable, prequels that bore out of necessity can often subtract from the experience and diminish the impact of the original.

So, to the creators of future prequels, a piece of advice: secure the mystery and let the true horror lie in the unknown.