Prometheus Movie Review

[rating=3]

 

When Ridley Scott announced his return to the ‘Alien’ film series over a year ago, it was greeted with mass enthusiasm. ‘Alien’ remains one of the best sci-fi/horror mash-ups of all time. James Cameron’s sequel ( ‘Aliens’) was also excellent, although it lacked the visionary touches that Scott provided. After that it was all downhill, reduced to ridiculous plot derivations and the cartoonish AVP films. But there was also a bit of trepidation with Scott’s announcement; we all remember the last time a filmmaker who made legendary sci-fi films in the 70’s and 80’s tried to go home again, only to wind up infuriating most of his fan base.

Then Scott announced his film was going in a different direction, and wouldn’t reference the ‘Alien’ series, and would instead be called ‘Prometheus’. This was met with disappointment by many, but it was potentially a canny move; a get out of jail free card giving him license to explore a new sci-fi universe without worrying about further diluting the Alien legacy.

But then the trailer came out. The distress signal was a direct homage to Scott’s original ‘Alien’ trailer, and the ship shown on the planet is clearly the one from ‘Alien’, replete with images of the Space Jockey, the mysterious fossilized corpse discovered in the original film. So now the pot was stirring again, fraught with excitement but some anxiety as well. Partly due to screenwriter Damon Lindleof  (who did a rewrite on the original screenplay by Jon Spaihts.)  He wrote the ‘Lost’ finale. I’ve never seen the show, but I know the finale divided its fan base harshly by not living up to expectations. Would he have the same splintering effect on Alien fans?

Of which, it needs to be clear I am a card-carrying member, and a big Ridley Scott fan. I own both ‘Alien’ and ‘Blade Runner’ box sets on Bluray, and have watched both films several times a year ever since I was old enough to have VHS and cable. When I was 6 my grandfather bought me a gigantic Alien toy. Now how a toy from a rated R film ever got made for small children I have no idea, but I loved it. My Mother was very upset with him over this, but he made the right call.

So being that I am the target demographic for this film, I ventured for the midnight opening screening in IMAX/ 3-D. Will this film be a new sci-fi classic? Or will it be the next Phantom Menace?

First off, I need to say that if you have an IMAX theater in you area, see it there. This is a film that you must see in big, blown up detail, and where 3-D isn’t just a marketing gimmick, but a deeply immersive experience. It’s one of the most visually breathtaking films that I’ve ever seen, and the most visually striking sci-fi film since, well, ‘Blade Runner.’ Scott’s fusion of CGI with practical effects is jaw dropping.

After a brief prologue, the story begins in 2089. Archaeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw (Naomi Rapace, the original Lisbeth Salander from ‘Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ ) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) have discovered that several cave paintings from disparate, ancient cultures on Earth share a common theme: a star map the Archaeologists interpret as an invitation to meet the ‘Engineers’, an Alien race they believed helped birth humanity.

With the help of elderly industrialist Peter Weyland (of the Weyland-Yutani corp, the greedy, underhanded company referenced in all ‘Alien’ films), they set off for the distant moon LV-223, in the explorer ship Prometheus to find the ‘Engineers’.  The crew are all brought out of  suspended animation by David, an android, played to excellent effect by Michael Fassbender. He’s been studying how to be more human, gaining insight through watching films, in particular modeling his mannerisms from Peter O’Toole in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’.

It is an interesting contrast on how much sleeker, luxurious, and more technologically advanced the Prometheus ship is compared to the Nostromo from Alien, as that film takes place in 2122. Such is the disconnect as film effects get more advanced (although they could sneak by with the excuse that this is a premium research vessel and the Nostromo was simply a cargo ship.)

After they readjust from being in hyper sleep , Shaw and Holloway are given another rude awakening by Chief Officer Meredith Vickers (played with icy bitchiness by Charlize Theron) who tells them that since they’re traveling on the companies dime, that they ultimately report to her, and their goal to communicate with any extraterrestrial life will be muted. They’re to observe and report, that’s all.

They venture out of the ship with a group of other scientists to look at an ominous structure. Once inside they see a massive sculpture of a huge humanoid face, with several rows of cylinders filled with unknown contents. They also find a giant corpse, which resembles the Space Jockey. They take it back to the ship  for closer examination. What they find is quite disturbing, and sets the ominous wheels in motion.

From here on out, we’re in horror mode, and Scott’s back to picking off the cast one by one as in ‘Alien’. But missing from ‘Prometheus’ are the moments of  silence that made ‘Alien’ so knotted with dread. The orchestral score by Mark Streitenfield doesn’t stop from start to finish, and it’s missing the queasy, unnerving feel of Jerry Goldsmith’s classic score.

I’ve read several reviews of this film that talk about how the characters do idiotic things that hasten their demise (in particular, a geologist who has GPS mapping style electronic probes, gets hopelessly lost in a cavern. How is that possible?) But let’s be honest; almost every horror film starts by people making poor decisions. If Kane hadn’t foolishly bent over to look at that egg in ‘Alien’, there would be no film. But what is missing this time around, are characters that have much definition. When the singular best performance is by Fassbender, the android, that’s telling. Rapace does a fine job, but she’s given little to work with.

I won’t confirm or deny if any of the creatures from ‘Alien’ (besides the Space Jockey) make their appearance, That would be telling. But let’s just say given the diametrically opposing elements of evolution and creationism that this film presents, that there are variations on a theme. Creepy crawlies do exist, and they are parasitic in nature, that range from microscopic to massive.

While this film lacks the impact of  ‘Alien’, it does have its scares, and some are quite disturbing. While nothing will ever have the shock factor of the original chest-burster sequence, it’s clear Scott felt the need to reference it. What he comes up with, is a doozy, and it will make you squirm in your seat. I don’t want to ruin it for those who haven’t seen it, but let’s just say it involves emergency surgery of a gynecological nature. It ‘s so unsettling that someone actually fainted in the theater to my right. I always heard the rumors of this happening during the original ‘Alien’ screenings and thought that was just exaggerated for publicity. Not the case here.

Fassbender’s role in this film is key. He sets many of the sinister events in motion, given his capacity for understanding and manipulating the ‘Engineers” technology. Whereas Shaw and Holloway had hope of positive connections to the species, David know this is a dangerous proposition, although he gleefully indulges in poking and prodding where he shouldn’t. But he has a secret agenda, which accepts the risk for its possible pay off.

‘Prometheus’ asks more questions than it answers, and my concerns over Lindleof not spilling the beans seems justified. The Space Jockey’s motivations are frustratingly opaque, as are the machinations of what goes on inside its compound and ship. In fact, much of the film is bewildering. The film’s conclusion answers little, because it’s all a set-up for a sequel. The full story of the Space Jockey seems far from over. I’m putting Lindeloff and Scott on notice, because if they don’t deliver in Part 2, fans will go Ripley on their ass.

While ‘Prometheus’ can be frustrating, it’s the deep debate that it’ll inspire which makes it compelling. There is an over arching ambition to this movie in answering mankind’s big questions ‘Where do we come from?’, with the genre sub-category  ‘why do our predecessors/creators hate us so?’ that are impossible to answer in 2 hours. This is one overstuffed movie. But perhaps it will need repeat viewings to be more fairly assessed. ‘Blade Runner’ was dismissed by most critics upon its release, now it’s seen as a classic. Time will tell. But visually it knocks it out of the park, and is well worth seeing.

In the end, ‘Prometheus’ is like seeing your favorite band in concert, who perform a great set, but don’t play your favorite song in the encore. It’s thrilling, but leaves you wanting. But I’ll be there for ‘Prometheus 2’.

If you’ve already seen the film, feel free to comment below. Just make sure to give a big spoiler alert if you’re giving away any big reveals.

*My friend Dave turned me on to this discussion which tries to give more definitive answers to the mysteries on ‘Prometheus’. Make sure to see the film before reading.

For the Ridley Scott collectors out there:

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Also check out my Squidoo page on the best sci-fi and horror Blu-rays!