Saturday, May 20, 2017

Movie Review: "Prometheus" (2012)

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Director: Ridley Scott
Year: 2012
Rating: R
Running Time: 2 hours, 4 minutes

A pair of scientists discover numerous ancient artifacts with a very specific set of markings. These markings lead them to a lone moon in a remote system, one they believe holds the answer to the existence of man.

"Prometheus" is an indirect prequel to the film "Alien." It is directed by Ridley Scott, who helmed the first "Alien" movie back in 1979. It stars Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green as Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway, a pair of scientists who have been uncovering clues that will reveal conclusively where man came from. This leads them to a remote moon called LV-223. Joining them on their mission to LV-223 are Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Michael Fassbender, Sean Harris, Rafe Spall, Katie Dickie, Emun Elliot, and Benedict Wong, who make up the members of the crew and science team aboard the ship Prometheus. When they finally reach their destination and find their creators, they run into more questions than answers, and their makers aren't exactly what they expected.

When "Prometheus" was first announced, there was a lot of confusion as to whether or not it would be an "Alien" prequel. Once the film actually came out, that answer wound up being "well, sort of." "Prometheus" introduces the 'Engineers,' a race of giant aliens who bio-engineer life on hospitable planets. It is on an Engineer ship that the crew of the Nostromo find the face-hugger eggs seen in the 1979 movie. So, this giant, previously unnamed Alien winds up being a rather crucial puzzle piece to the "Alien" universe. That being said, "Prometheus" doesn't totally feel like an "Alien" film. It has a far more sci-fi drama tone due to its dealing with existential questions about creation and our own mortality. It does share a few horror elements, but lacks the tension that existed in the first two "Alien" films. It has a lot to say and certainly does so...over...and over...and over again. The tension isn't there because the peril isn't always there. By exploring these bigger questions, delving deeper into the mythos and lore of this universe, and forgoing the "baddies" that have made this franchise what it is today, expect a much more dramatic feel in this film.

As with any Ridley Scott joint, the visuals are impressive on a massive scale, and the movie overall is well shot. It is insane to see the amount of work and effort he and his crew put a into this project. Many portions look like they are CGI, but are not at all. From breathtaking planet landscapes to intricate ship designs to the look at feel of the bizarre looking Engineers themselves, there is no lack of a visual smorgasbord here.

Overall, we enjoy "Prometheus" and where it tries to go in creating a broader "Alien" universe. Critics and moviegoers alike have taken to nitpicking this film to death and we don't really understand why. Sure, the characters are a bit underdeveloped, and granted, they make questionable decisions at times, but at the end of the day, we like "Prometheus" despite having hardly any hallmarks of the franchise it is meant to introduce. Fear not, there are clearly bigger ideas on director Ridley Scott's mind, ones that may be answered in "Alien Covenant."

My Rating: 7.5/10
BigJ's Rating: 7.5/10
IMDB's Rating: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 72%
Do we recommend this movie: Sure, why not?

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