Ridley Scott returns to direct what some people view as a sequel to his original 1979 classic Alien. Prometheus is kind of a sequel, but also a reboot and could be seen by some people as a movie that stands on its own legs by itself. We won’t reveal any spoilers here, so this will be safe to read if you dig the mythology of Alien or if it’s alien to you.
Two people on Earth are exploring a cave and discover cave paintings that point to a solar system that takes years to get to. It’s possible that the people that drew these painting created mankind, but it’s also possible that they want to kill us all-either way, Prometheus is headed there.
The Good
The spaceship Prometheus is inventive and different. The Captains chair is a standing station that is in front of the front windows and see-through floor.
The scope and scale of the movie is huge. As a viewer, you know it was filmed on a sound stage, but it gives you the feeling that it was filmed in an area as big as Montana. The large objects against the actors feel massive and the chambers where the Space Jockey is located are otherworldly.
The Space Jockey. H. R. Giger’s work on the original Alien inspired most science fiction creatures since then. The Space Jockey figured prominently in Alien and his goals and background are given lots of room to play in Prometheus.
The aliens. It’s scary without being familiar to fans of the original movies. The movie always paints itself into a corner and then moves the walls back.
The Other
It’s not bad, per sea, just other. Given the mythology of Alien viewers may be initially disappointed when they leave the theater. Prometheus operates on a big scale, asking questions about life, mortality, creation, greed and heroics. Because it’s on such a grand scale it might require a bit of thought to process.
Immediately after the movie I was so-so about it.
When I got home I described it to my wife and she was confused. “So, it’s a movie about the origins of life, robots and aliens?” she said. I obviously did a poor job of explaining the plot to her.
It’s been a couple of days since I saw it and I can now say it’s awesome. The movie is deep, makes you think, but also has great action, robots and aliens. Don’t see Prometheus if you’re expecting an alien, action packed sequel to Aliens.
Prometheus has more in common with Alien in its style, pacing and direction. It’s a movie that asks more questions than it answers but is well worth the time for those that dig science fiction. I saw the movie in IMAX 3-D and while it was entertaining, neither add-on added too much to the enjoyment of the film. You can watch it in 2-D and still enjoy it to its fullest. Prometheus is rated R.
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The movie left me feeling “flat” – I like your term, “other.” The plot made NO SENSE. The scares were not near as good or surprising as I’d expected. It all looked great, but in the end, it was a “who cares?” for me!