Prometheus

• Co-Produced and Directed by Ridley Scott
• April 11, 2012 (Paris) / June 1, 2012 (United Kingdom) / June 8, 2012 (United States)

A spaceship crew follows a star map to a distant world seeking the origins of humanity only to discover something that could cause humanity’s extinction.

Ridley Scott tries to craft a movie about humanity’s place in the universe set in a reality where the major defining element has been a sinister company trying to get a sample of the ultimate killing machines to turn into biological weapons. You cannot get deep in that type of reality. At least not in a way that feels like the two are connected. Blade Runner and Soldier are both set in the same reality but you would be hard pressed to see the connection. It is easier to see it here but not by too much. This is a world built on killer monsters and not deep thoughts.

In broad strokes the basis for Prometheus is not all that different from Alien vs. Predator. In AvP the complex found under the ice contained physical elements from multiple cultures meaning they were connected by a single culture (there the Predators). Here there is this swirly pattern found all over the planet (including a cave painting at the beginning) and it must mean that it is a star map leading to another planet. How did they make that leap of logic? And given what the planet the crew of Prometheus traveled to contained, why would these aliens leave the vaguest of maps to its location? Another thing: I am no astrophysicist, but I would think after 35,000 years or more stellar drift would make any symbology used to indicate coordinates in the sky useless. But do not think too much about those elements too much or you will have a tough time enjoying this.

Then there is the discovery of long dormant technology still working. A distant outpost would certainly have more durable technology than something close to any home, but 35,000 years is a looooooooooooooooooooooooong time for something to still work. It’s cool idea but doesn’t make sense.

Odds are you’ve seen one or more of the Alien films or at least are familiar with the concepts of the Alien Universe. Long explanations are largely unnecessary, and Prometheus has them in addition to multiple establishing shots to remind us we are on a spaceship or alien planet or a structure on that planet when we already know that. We already know why they are where they are, yet we get a presentation to recap what was mentioned moments ago.

Of course problems start when characters decide to play around with the only seemingly indigenous lifeform they encounter. There is no indications of birds or insects or anything on this very gray planet and the guys that get trapped in the only structure they find there upon entering a room with a bunch of canisters on the floor decide to approach a completely foreign animal and goof around a little bit. Really?

The motivation to search out the aliens that left the useless map behind is that Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) is near death and looking to cheat it. If these aliens created humanity (based on what evidence?) then they should be able to save him. The same logic used in The Transformers: The Return of Optimus Prime to bring back Optimus Prime. Based on in film evidence, Weyland looks to be one of the richest people alive let alone in history yet often ignores obviously important information and justified concerns. Single minded is fine. Stupid makes no sense. He comes off as a jerk who is stupid when the plot needs him to be and craft otherwise. At least check out the canisters!

I know I’m not the only person to point out when the alien ship is crashing that the two female characters keep running underneath it rather than moving to the left or the right to safety. It’s a bit of idiocy to create drama and a sense of danger because a crash is not enough. It also serves to allow full display of what is arguably a cool scene. Scott really worked to stretch this out!

The big reveal of this prequel? The aliens were all part of a terraforming operation. Huh? The Engineers, as they are called now, created a bioweapon that eventually leads to the xenomorph creatures to wipe out humanity. Not that chest bursters looks to have been their intention. It affects them as well and you would think such a thing makes wherever it is used uninhabitable for the user along with the used on. Not to mention the possible issues which should be discovered well before mass production was done like here.

This movie makes no sense when you think about it. It offers no clear answers or hints thereof. Did the Engineers create us. Or were we just in their way? They did the smart thing by building their facility far from home but why mass produce something so completely unpredictable? Why did they need to terraform a planet that was very suitable to them? Why only one attempt?

This is an ensemble piece with barely drawn characters. We get little idea of their motivations. They are two dimensional with some introduced and forgotten about mostly because they die. The deaths mean little since THEY mean little. The cast is too big with the movie being a bit too long and none used to develop the individuals.

Prometheus is an okay idea hampered by Ridley Scott no longer being in his prime. It’s not bad but it’s not great. If you’re looking for something scary like the first film this is not it. If you want something bordering on pretentious then here you go.