Opening with some beautiful flyovers of what looks like the more desolate areas of Iceland (or maybe New Zealand? I'm not sure, I've never been to New Zealand) before we meet our first forerunner, who seems to be sacrificing himself to create life. This isn't necessarily Earth, but it briefly shows us what the Engineers were doing in their hay day.
There are so many questions asked of this movie, just the thought of all the comments and boards I've gone through makes me tired, and I doubt I can add anything new to them, so I won't try to. The movie is best viewed when one is not expecting an 'Alien' prequel. In fact, I'd like someone who wasn't familiar with the 'Alien' series to see it, or someone that was, but who didn't know that there was a connection. It's a really good standalone sci-fi movie, and it's main problems arise when you go into it expecting an explanation of the events of 'Alien'.
We start on Earth - hey, its the Isle of Sky! - with two of our main characters. They just found an old cave painting (they make a big deal out of it being ridiculously old, and it's in Scotland, so surely it would be made by Neanderthals?) It shows a bunch of people worshiping a big guy, who is pointing at a collection of stars. It is later revealed that many other big guys have been found all over the world and they all point to the same collection of stars, which turns out to be too far away to see with the naked eye. Ancient alien hypothesis complete, Weyland corp (no Yutani yet?) buys them out and sends a ship (a nicely designed one that brings 'Firefly' to mind) off to investigate.
This sets us up for the main chunk of movie, which takes place on what I assumed was the planet that they initially land on in 'Alien'. Things are far more needlessly complex than that though, as we soon find out with the unraveling plot of creation myths and bio weapons.
The ship isn't the only nicely designed thing in 'Prometheus'. Everything is beautiful, from the human interiors (they get just the right amount of 'Alien' feeling to them, while making it clear that, while this is an older ship, it is a far more expensive one) to the massive Engineer architecture. Most of the sets really were built, and they really are great to look at. If only it was still the 70's, then the movie would be allowed to be slow enough for lots of creeping panning shots of the interiors for no plot reason. The wall carving fit the classic 'Alien' style that Giger made so great. The vast tubes of the interior seem so much like the insides of some huge beast, and the stacks of vials were really good at being ominous for no logical reason. The big head I wasn't as keen on, as I think it's a little on the nose (though there isn't anything actually on its nose). I get what they were going for though, and it certainly does look like the basic design at the root of many cultures (with maybe a touch extra Mayan (but when it comes to culture garnish, Mayan is one of my favourite flavours anyway)).
The characters are all great, too. I love David, he's a very good android character. They are often my favourite (Ash and Bishop from the original movies were also my favourites). I'm glad he survived through to leave with her a the end, albeit headless (bodyless?) His character was so busy though, switching personalities as he switched to more core programming and back again to freedom. I'd have liked more time spent with him, in fact I'd have enjoyed it similarly if the whole movie had been like that initial sequence of him alone on the ship. That was a great introduction by the way, and I like 'Lawrence of Arabia' too.
Then there's Elizabeth Shaw, who is all at once just similar enough to Ripley while being different enough for her to feel new and different while still nodding to the lead of the 'Alien' series. The whole pregnancy thing is done more obviously in this one, with her sad over not being able to have kids and then having an alien growing in her womb rather than her esophagus, as they do later.
Her boyfriend is alright too, and I liked both Mr Wayland and his daughter. Old white rich guys always make good villains, as do cold blondes. They were somewhat two dimensional, but as they were more peripheral characters I understand. Some people think that she was a robot too, but I don't think so (if so then why wouldn't Peter Wayland lie about David being his son too, seeing he likes him so much more. Also she has that expensive surgical machine, and didn't she have sex with the captain at one point?) The captain's cool too, as are the other two guys on the bridge, what with their betting and their Christmas tree and their self-sacrificing. The rest of the crew were believable sciencey characters. I'm glad they didn't go in for the nerdy scientists cliche, and I particularly liked Fifield (smoking in your suit would be really dangerous, right? He must either have had a very few parts per whatever of smoke content, or the filtration system must be really effective - and then what a waste).
It all comes together is an alright way, though some of the deaths seem kind of shoved in. At times I think the plot went a little overboard with the whole massive picture creationist aliens thing, and it's in danger of feeling pretentious, but it's a pretty great sci-fi movie. Not the best 'Alien' prequel, but I'm sort of not letting myself think about it as that. Rather, it's a new sci-fi movie that is set in the same universe and references it now and then, kind of like 'Predator 2'.
This sets us up for the main chunk of movie, which takes place on what I assumed was the planet that they initially land on in 'Alien'. Things are far more needlessly complex than that though, as we soon find out with the unraveling plot of creation myths and bio weapons.
The ship isn't the only nicely designed thing in 'Prometheus'. Everything is beautiful, from the human interiors (they get just the right amount of 'Alien' feeling to them, while making it clear that, while this is an older ship, it is a far more expensive one) to the massive Engineer architecture. Most of the sets really were built, and they really are great to look at. If only it was still the 70's, then the movie would be allowed to be slow enough for lots of creeping panning shots of the interiors for no plot reason. The wall carving fit the classic 'Alien' style that Giger made so great. The vast tubes of the interior seem so much like the insides of some huge beast, and the stacks of vials were really good at being ominous for no logical reason. The big head I wasn't as keen on, as I think it's a little on the nose (though there isn't anything actually on its nose). I get what they were going for though, and it certainly does look like the basic design at the root of many cultures (with maybe a touch extra Mayan (but when it comes to culture garnish, Mayan is one of my favourite flavours anyway)).
The characters are all great, too. I love David, he's a very good android character. They are often my favourite (Ash and Bishop from the original movies were also my favourites). I'm glad he survived through to leave with her a the end, albeit headless (bodyless?) His character was so busy though, switching personalities as he switched to more core programming and back again to freedom. I'd have liked more time spent with him, in fact I'd have enjoyed it similarly if the whole movie had been like that initial sequence of him alone on the ship. That was a great introduction by the way, and I like 'Lawrence of Arabia' too.
Then there's Elizabeth Shaw, who is all at once just similar enough to Ripley while being different enough for her to feel new and different while still nodding to the lead of the 'Alien' series. The whole pregnancy thing is done more obviously in this one, with her sad over not being able to have kids and then having an alien growing in her womb rather than her esophagus, as they do later.
Her boyfriend is alright too, and I liked both Mr Wayland and his daughter. Old white rich guys always make good villains, as do cold blondes. They were somewhat two dimensional, but as they were more peripheral characters I understand. Some people think that she was a robot too, but I don't think so (if so then why wouldn't Peter Wayland lie about David being his son too, seeing he likes him so much more. Also she has that expensive surgical machine, and didn't she have sex with the captain at one point?) The captain's cool too, as are the other two guys on the bridge, what with their betting and their Christmas tree and their self-sacrificing. The rest of the crew were believable sciencey characters. I'm glad they didn't go in for the nerdy scientists cliche, and I particularly liked Fifield (smoking in your suit would be really dangerous, right? He must either have had a very few parts per whatever of smoke content, or the filtration system must be really effective - and then what a waste).
It all comes together is an alright way, though some of the deaths seem kind of shoved in. At times I think the plot went a little overboard with the whole massive picture creationist aliens thing, and it's in danger of feeling pretentious, but it's a pretty great sci-fi movie. Not the best 'Alien' prequel, but I'm sort of not letting myself think about it as that. Rather, it's a new sci-fi movie that is set in the same universe and references it now and then, kind of like 'Predator 2'.
"Final report of the vessel Prometheus. The ship and her entire
crew are gone. If you're receiving this transmission, make no attempt to
come to its point of origin. There is only death
here now, and I'm leaving it behind. It is New Year's Day, the year of
our Lord, 2094. My name is Elizabeth Shaw, the last survivor of the Prometheus. And I am still searching"
Prometheus: 68.9
Prometheus: 68.9