Prometheus: Movie Review

Prometheus, the third ever science fiction movie directed by Ridley Scott is the long awaited prequel fans of the Alien series have been anticipating for over a decade. Director Scott teamed up with writer Damon Lindelof to deliver a film that would serve as a prequel to the Alien series but at the same time, would explore new ideas that allow Prometheus to stand apart from the Alien movies as an original film. There's no doubt that Prometheus does exactly that; the feeling of the movie reminds you of Alien and there are plenty of cues for fans of the series to pick up on but Prometheus easily separates itself and delivers a truly unique alien movie.

Late in the 21st century, archaeological scientists, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and love interest, Charlie Holloway discover illustrations that show men pointing to what seem to be a formation of stars that are consistent with the writings and drawings of several different cultures. This discovery leads them to believe the drawings are related and may reveal the origin of mankind. After sparking the interest of Peter Weyland, multi-billionaire CEO of Weyland Corporation, a team is put together and he funds a journey for crew aboard the titular Prometheus to follow the map to the darkest depths of the universe where the crew will learn the dark truth behind mankind's creation.

The plot of Prometheus is easily one of its strong-points but is not without its shortcomings. Instead of making the movie into a science fiction, horror-filled thrill ride, Scott and Lindelof focus on the themes of truth and religious ideologies as the characters strive for knowledge concerning their beginnings. Prometheus has a much more serious undertone than the alien movies; its about so much more than shooting Xenomorphs or fighting to escape a ship over run by aliens. Without spoiling any of the plot I can only say that Prometheus  provides answers and new insights for fans of the original Alien series but more importantly, raises new questions concerning the dark past of our creation. I found myself leaving the theater with more questions than answers but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

My only complaint with the plot was that I feel it wasn't developed enough. Prometheus is just over two hours long but I felt it was so brief. As the falling action began, I could sense the end of the movie was near and all I could think was, "Already!?" The whole movie seems to move a bit fast though. The Prometheus crew of 17 is easily forgettable with a couple of exceptions (which I will get to in a moment). Most of the characters felt like extras or were just annoying so I really didn't feel I cared about them at all. They were uninteresting and just felt flat and didn't really evoke any kind of emotion. I feel their personalities and backgrounds could have been developed much more if a scene were added.

Strangely enough, the character I enjoyed the most was the android David played expertly by Michael Fassbender. He's the one character without a brain, a soul or a heart yet he was the most interesting crew member without a doubt. Fassbender stole the show with his excellent performance as David and his acting expertise really shines. David is meant to look and behave exactly as a human. David has an almost unlimited source of knowledge but he can't quite comprehend the reasoning behind the voyage to the strange planet. Each scene with Fassbender is a delight and to me, his portrayal of David was the highlight of the movie. Fassbender says he was heavily influenced by the replicants of Ridley Scott's, Blade Runner and also took cues from David Bowie's, The Man Who Fell to Earth. 




Noomi Rapace plays opposite of the emotionless and moral devoid David as Dr. Elizabeth Shaw, who is desperately seeking answers behind the creation of man. Her limits are tested as she learns that planet they are own holds dark secrets. Noomi fit the role well but I feel like there was more to her character than the film let on. A brief flashback gives us a glimpse of her skeptical views on religion, yet Shaw wears a cross around her neck. Her complicated views are the focus of some scenes and her beliefs do spur some interesting thoughts. She does an excellent job in a few solo scenes which aren't for the squeamish and you won't want the kids to see. Similar to Ripley from Alien, you will feel sorry for her as she does endure quite a bit of punishment but again, I would have liked to learn more about her.

The visual presentation of Prometheus also drew my attention. The movie was shot entirely with 3D cameras and also relied on more conventional video effects rather than CGI, as most films do these days. Scott's direction mastery is exemplified by his intense set-pieces and the fact that green-screens were used less than six times during filming. The dark caverns, the futuristic technology and mysterious planets are nothing new but Scott presents them perfectly to evoke feelings of fear and awe. New monsters and alien species also provide some excellent visuals that are sure to leave you terrified.

While Prometheus was Scott's first time filming in 3D, he testified it was pretty simple and instead of creating scenes that pop out at you, Scott focused on adding illusory-depth to the movie to really immerse viewers. The opening scene of the movie caught me by surprise. It provides an impressive fly-over montage of different parts of Iceland panning over majestic mountain-scapes, waterfalls and endless plains which is beautifully shot and took a reported two weeks to finish.

You shouldn't let the fact you haven't seen the original Alien movies keep you from seeing Prometheus. No prior knowledge of the original movies is needed as Prometheus can stand perfectly well on its own and delivers a rich and satisfying plot full of disturbing elements that'll make you cringe. Scott and Lindelof purposely left many questions unanswered but encourage fans to seek answers throughout the film. I personally enjoyed the movie and I would recommend seeing it. Two expert performances made up for a cast that mostly fell flat and the story alone of Prometheus is as exciting and grim as they come.