Movie Review: "Prometheus" (2012)

“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.