Prometheus (2012)
Directed by Ridley Scott
Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and Charlize Theron
An invitation to find the possible creators of the human race is found which send a group of scientists on a journey across the galaxy to find their makers. What they find is not exactly what they were after and end up having to fight to save the human race.
Where to start? There are multiple ways to look at this film. It’s a brand new Sci-fi film for a new fan base who is watching it to enjoy the ride. Or it is a prequel/set in the same universe as the original Alien franchise with many questions that get asked. I could see it as both however being a fan of the franchise and having too many similarities I do see it as a prequel of sorts. I don’t like to give away many things in my blogs that is what the comments section is for, so I’m not going to. I will say a couple of things though. The ship Prometheus, which they are travelling on, has a crew of 17 people. This was totally unnecessary and the audience is given no reason to care for many of these characters, mainly because half of them are given next to no screen time. Also the amount of questions that are asked in the film leaves the viewer confused and wanting answers. One point you can look at that equates to all these questions is one of the films writers is Damon Lindelof, of Lost fame, who maybe thought it would be great to confuse the fan boys. Another way to see it is that this is the start of a 2 part series or even a trilogy. Michael Fassbender as android David was by far the best character and actor in the film.
Recommendation
This is a hard one to say if you should see it. I have spoken with many people about the film and I get different responses from everyone, Film critic hated it, Alien/Aliens fan loved it, Alien/Aliens fan hated it. I think I am stuck in the middle somewhere but not totally sure. I can see both sides but cannot pick one. I left the cinema thinking I wasn’t a fan. I woke up the next morning thinking I liked it more than I thought. The more I talk about it the more I like it. It is defiantly a film I will be going to see for a second time. Should you watch it? After such a mixed response perhaps you should see it just to have your own opinion.
Film Fact
The film was originally to be called “Paradise” in December 2010. This is now being touted as the name for the sequel.
thefriedgold 
I agree with you.
Here are my thoughts
http://stippidoo.wordpress.com/2012/06/05/prometheus-film-studios-do-not-make-movies-on-straight-lines/
I like the fact opinion is so divided on this; a lot of the best films take a while to be fully appreciated – hell, I was not much of a fan of Bladerunner until multiple viewings later. I hope this will be a grower, and maybe a second film could answer some of the lingering questions – but then I like having lots to think about and hypothesise over after the film (and lord knows we’ve hypothesised some this weekend!).
For my part, I enjoyed it – a very grand movie, and quite bold I think to produce what is essentially an all out speculative sci-fi movie in the vein of an Ian M Banks story, which I cannot imagine has much of a market with your average movie goer. Anyone going in here expecting claustrophobic horror in the Alien style will be sorely dissapointed.
On the negative side, I agree with comments that a lot of the crew were not really given much time and seemed quite one-dimensional with not entirely real / relatable personalities. It seems they saved all of the interesting charcterisations and development for Fassbender’s enigmatic David, which he played perfectly.
I will definitely check it out a second time – I will try and find the elusive 2D showing as the 3D did nothing for me except make it a bit dim and lose the clarity of the picture.
I got admit Kermode is on the money here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00td08y
…though I would probably give it bang on 4 stars, 8 out 10.
Even though I was a little disappointed with the theme (I thought it sounded along the lines of Star Trek too!) I think Kermode has just convinced me it’s ok.
BIG proper Sci-Fi film that is sparking huge amount of theorising and debate – I really really love that!
SPOLIER:
The only things I can think of that were not so good was that the pilots were so quick to the sacrifice at the end plus the demise of Vickers.
Ok so I’ve been looking forward to this movie for a while now, Ridley Scott back to Sci-fi and the Alien universe, what geek wouldn’t be but if I’m honest I was a bit disappointed, actually quite a big bit. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the movie but expected more.
I thought the story was quite thin, myself and the Mrs pretty much predicted what was going to happen in the film 20 mins in. Normally after a big movie like this there are moments in the film I’d like to discuss or reminisce with friends (I messaged you right after Avengers), but as I write this 1hr after the film I have no such feelings to do so. I guess I expected the same level of tension and horror that we witnessed in Alien which may have been a mistake on my part. Also there are alot of questions that were not answered in the film such as why David contaminated Charlie’s drink with the alien goo, was this to smuggle a specimen back to earth much like the previous movie or was this just out of spite? I personally think he was just experimenting who knows.
From such a great cast I was expecting some memorable performances but found most lacking in that department. I’d have to agree with you that Fassbender as David was the best of the bunch apart from a few chuckles from Idris Elba one-liners I don’t remember much from the other performances.
All in all a good movie but just not as good as I expected.
I am unconvinced. I feel that Scott has stuck himself in the middle here and not really hit either side – return to the universe of Alien and try and make another, something to set Alien up, or to have a film that tackles a completely different side of sci-fi, the God aspect, the questions. If he was going for the existentialism side, then why set it in a brand new universe? It didn’t HAVE to be in what would become the alien story. Or, if he wanted to get back to his roots and explore that world more, I felt that he should have had more coherent links between the films (e.g. planet name) so you could see – if you are a fan – where the origins were.
SPOILER
I agree with the characters element, too many people that did too little before biting the bullet. Vickers would have been better making it with David and Elizabeth if there is going to be a sequel and everyone else did pretty much nothing of note, the captain started out brilliantly (smoking, christmas tree) but then, like the others, became a stereotype.
I liked the opening, that was a thinker but otherwise the space jockey-engineers didn’t do anything for me (unless when David spoke to the one they woke to ask them to kill everyone) as they didn’t do enough for the story (no-one even questioned what made them run). Actually, before they woke that one up, they were good, but he woke up and punched everything.
I enjoy the fact I’m thinking over it, I like that it’s not something I can dismiss and maybe on more viewings I will like it more. But after one viewing, I feel that Scott has continued his run of average films without pushing himself and this one, more than anything recent, was where he had the chance to really push himself, really let things go. But he didn’t, he got caught in two minds and the writer from Lost managed to write a script that posed many questions without answering anything (in itself, ok, I like that) while hinting at how it’s a prequel (things don’t fit)…just like Lost. We’ve seen Lost, we’ve seen Alien, Prometheus could have been something new but it feels like it tried to rein itself in.
I hope there is a directors cut somewhere, with Scott letting himself loose and doing what he wants without the constraints of the story and the universe. That’s what I wanted and Prometheus is so close to being it that it’s frustrating. I want to have a debate over a sci-fi film about the meaning of it as it’s own entity rather than how a space jockey dragged his dead carcass back in to his driving seat.
It really is a marmite film isn’t it! You make some interesting points!
Thanks!
i was in the middle of writing marmite in reply to your comment on your site but deleted it. Definitely a marmite film