“Prometheus” is a science fiction
thriller film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts and
Damon Lindelof. It tells a completely new story despite being set in the
universe created by Ridley Scott in 1979 in the film “Alien.” It stars Michael
Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Noomie Rapace as the crew of a spaceship
investigating the origin of man. A lot has been trumpeted about “Prometheus”
being heralded as Ridley Scott’s return to the genre he left an incredible mark
on. With the film officially in release, the question of whether or not it is
actually any good is sure to be on a lot of people’s minds.
It is difficult to talk about the
plot of “Prometheus” without spoiling potential surprises. Simply put, the film
is about the crew of a space ship in the process of investigating the origin of
life as we know it. They seek to find answers to the age-old questions “Who are
we?” and “Why are we here?” Throughout the course of the film, it looks like
they very much have the opportunity to get some concrete answers. Those answers
come at a terrible (and often bloody) price.
The question that viewers should
refrain from asking while viewing “Prometheus” is, “Is this better than
“Alien”? Despite the similarities in plot, tone and characterization, they are
largely separate films and should be treated as such. “Prometheus” is more than
strong enough to stand on its own, and it asks thematic questions more powerful
than the original “Alien” ever attempted.
But such comparisons are likely
unavoidable, so similarities between the two may warrant further consideration
by some. Of all the aspects of the original “Alien” that are unquestionably
successful, “characterization” and “story” are not among these elements. The
story of “Alien” is relatively straightforward – the crew of a deep space
mining vessel is attacked and systematically eliminated by a creature of
unknown and terrifying origin. In this regard, “Prometheus” is very similar.
However, the aforementioned thematic leaps by “Prometheus” make it the clear
victor over the two.
The characters of “Alien” were
also relatively straightforward. The only thing that made them shine, and shine
they did, was the performances by actors like Sigourney Weaver and Ian Holm. On
the page, the characters that populate the ship of the Nostromo are relatively
bland.
The main strength of “Prometheus”
is in its sense of mood. The film is incredibly tense at times, and downright
horrifying in others. Does it offer thrills and scares on par with the original
“Alien”? That’s something that will come down to the individual viewer, though
if a person likes to be scared and keeps to the edge of their seat during these
types of films they certainly won’t be disappointed.
If “Prometheus” has any failings,
it’s the strength of the characters themselves. On one hand, “Prometheus”
contains excellent performances from some world class actors. This is
particularly true of Michael Fassbender’s David, an android who has more in
common with a five-year-old child than with anyone else on the crew of the ship
“Prometheus.” Some of the background players on the ship, however, are
virtually indistinguishable from one another when it comes to characterization
and dialog. Viewers may have a hard time caring for them in the first half of
the film, which could potentially leave them unaffected as the crew starts
getting picked off in the latter half.
Is Ridley Scott’s “Prometheus” a
good film? Yes. It is without a doubt one of the most satisfying spectacles of
the summer, if not of the entire year. It is also one of those rare films that
are more than worth the additional prices required to see it in 3D. It was
filmed with 3D in mind, unlike many other films that were post-converted.
However, it is unlikely to stand
the test of time the way Sir Ridley’s previous efforts have.
