Prometheus Review

Over 30 years ago Ridley Scott helped to define the science fiction genre with the screen debut of HR Giger’s terrifying Xenomorph creature in the original Alien; many sequels and two lacklustre crossovers later and the famous director finally returns  with an original tale that ranks right up with the best Sci-Fi lore.

This original story in question follows the titular ship Prometheus, commissioned by the Weyland Yutani Corporation to carry out a research mission on the faraway planet LV 223 in which Dr Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and her colleague and eventual lover Dr Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall Green) hope to find the truth of mankind’s existence while also coming to terms with their religions. Problems begin to arise when the mission director, Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) gradually reveals her true motivations and manipulates the team which is compounded further by the android David beginning to think and eventually conspire for his own experiences in learning; it’s a recipe for disaster and the crew of seventeen soon stumbles upon an alien race bent on humanity’s destruction. The question of religion and creation is just one of the many themes and debates weaved into the film’s plot, making it all the more fascinating. This is enhanced by the slower pace that gradually builds and reveals the many mysteries one at a time. Fans of the original Alien will be pleased to find many neat references to the universe in here from the similar looking space suits used, the fact that the cryo-sleep pods have not been fully developed yet and of course the ‘’space jockey’’ but these never detract from the premise which doesn’t waste time giving a glorified explanation of how one of Hollywood’s most famous creatures came to be, but instead innovates its own mythology, providing a link to the 1979 classic in the process. Occasionally the film does go slightly overboard with its similarities such as the ship’s pilot, Janek seeming too similar to Parker (the chief engineer on the Nostromo) but otherwise the plot itself is fully enriched with mystery and intrigue and will be a treat for any science fiction fan.

This fascinating plot is backed up brilliantly by a mostly solid set of acting talent. Rapace carves out her own character in this popular universe with Shaw’s religious beliefs and the constant need to find answers which develops into an even greater need to stop the coming catastrophe that could befall the human race as a whole. Theron also stands out with the ruthless and somewhat selfish characteristics injected into Meredith Vickers who is eventually turned into a cowardly figure who loses her authority by the film’s conclusion. The supporting cast may not be as well developed or as likeable as the original Alien’s characters but they all succeed in contributing their own efforts in portraying the fear and desperation held by the crew in the midst of disaster. But the actor who steals the show by a mile is Michael Fassbender as the android, David; while Ash was programmed with his own sinister agendas in Alien and Bishop was built solely to assist the Colonial Marines in its sequel, their predecessor straddles the line between the two. His character learns more and more through the expedition, gradually melding with the human team to a certain degree and with this, the intelligent robot’s both positive and negative attributes come shining through. One minute you’ll be resenting him, believing that his lack of guilt and pity has doomed the entire team and the next you’ll wonder if maybe he isn’t completely evil after all, having realised the consequences of his actions much like a growing child may also do. Ultimately Fassbender’s performance rises above all the others due to his character adding to the mysterious and unpredictable elements that make the overall plot highly enthralling.

The technical prowess of Prometheus is mainly a significant update to the Alien Universe with the fictional technology now both looking and sounding much more futuristic as expected. The map room discovered by David around two thirds into the film is a particular highlight with its rich three dimensional detail immersing the audience just as much as it immerses the android. The Prometheus ship itself is also a sight to behold with its holographic displays, high tech med bay and stasis tubes had me wishing that this futuristic technology existed in today’s world. Another major technical aspect is the sandstorm; watching the characters and some light vehicles being buffeted around by the intense winds was particularly impressive and also contributed to the film’s ominous atmosphere. The set designs are the stars of the show here; the enormous monolith head and the corpses of the humanoid aliens created a sense of true foreboding and generate that notion that what the characters have found cannot be beneficial. The audio succeeds mostly through the tense and creepy sound effects, from the squishing and sloshing organic material to the heavy breathing coming from the character’s space suits that work in tandem to sell the intense emotions on show. For all the hype teased by the trailer, the synthesiser music taken from the original Alien is nowhere to be found but this ends up benefiting the film, allowing Prometheus to further carve out its own identity in the modern movie landscape.

Originality becomes Prometheus’s greatest strength in a modern cinema crowded with lazy action flicks that don’t require much thought; it may fall just short of the greatest of Scott’s productions and the best of the genre for that matter, but nonetheless this is an intriguing, creative and thought provoking science fiction feast that should be viewed by anyone with the time, money or age who truly appreciates creative filmmaking regardless of genre differences. 

              

Rating: 4/5 Stars