Movies: Prometheus

Score:  ***1/2 out of *****


Long Story Short:  Prometheus explores some interesting ideas, just as Alien fans explore how close it comes to a prequel to their beloved franchise (answer:  they're clearly in the same world, but it's not a direct predecessor via either story or character).  A good cast, great sci-fi atmosphere and non-stop entertainment basically make up for it coming apart a little bit in its accelerated second half.




For another change of genre pace, the next film up for review is Prometheus.  The film is directed by Ridley Scott, who also directed Alien back in 1979.  Quite a bit of speculation came up about this new film being a prequel to that franchise.  While I'm not a big fan of Alien, the idea of it being a prequel also didn't turn me off.  I enjoy many sci-fi films (Star Trek, Star Wars, etc.), and the addition of some horror sounded like a fun diversion from the usual.  Prometheus stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, and Charlize Theron.


The opening credits show pretty, expansive vistas before we meet Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), archaelogists on a dig.  Suddenly, four years later a spaceship run by android David (Fassbender) is speeding through the  galaxy with Shaw, Holloway, and crew along in stasis.  When the ship arrives at its destination, a moon capable of supporting life, Weyland Corporation (expedition funder) leader Vickers (Theron) briefs the crew on their mission.  The mission is to look for the "Engineers," alien life forms alluded to in a variety of archaeological finds on Earth.  Shaw and Holloway eagerly lead a trip out onto the planet's harsh surface.


Shaw and co. find the corpse of a life form there, but the team gets separated when they are called back to the ship due to an approaching storm.  Although the planet has clearly been abandoned by the "Engineers," Shaw quickly finds herself fighting for survival in a rapidly deteriorating situation, against not only the Engineers' remnants but also the secret agendas of her fellow humans on their "scientific" mission.


The cast of Prometheus is good, although somewhat uneven.  Noomi Rapace as scientist Shaw is the main character, a clear parallel itself to the Sigourney Weaver's heroine-led Alien.  Rapace does a very good job in the most intense moments, lending the scenes extra believability, tension and/or horror.  At times she doesn't behave quite the way you'd expect a scientist to, but that's probably more about the script.  Michael Fassbender as David the android is the standout.  He doesn't have Data's (from Star Trek) obviously nonhuman speech, but his mannerisms still make clear that he is an artificial life form.  His character is also perhaps the most interesting, despite obviously not having "motives."  Logan Marshall-Green is pretty annoying as Shaw's partner/lover.  Theron as Vickers (cold corporate type) and Idris Elba (blue collar and disciplined) as the ship's captain are both good but they also unfortunately both have limited screen time.


Prometheus generally does a good job on the other things, beyond basic plot and character work.  Perhaps what it does best is create a sense of scale, whether showing the fancy space ship dwarfed by the strange alien world, or the people lost in dark, massive alien-made tunnels.  It all goes to help create the impression that these people are by themselves and there's no help coming no matter what happens. The horror is also very effective (of course, I set a low bar for them to clear) in both psychological, unseen and brutal, up-close-and-personal ways.  Fantastic special effects, used somewhat sparingly, further aids all of the above.  The film even has a little bit of humor, much of which is provided by minor characters (who also, and I doubt I'm spoiling anything here, provide much of the gore).


***


I thought about maybe giving Prometheus four stars, but ultimately it falls just short, in my opinion.  The pace of the first half of the film is a bit slow but quite good, and then it speeds up significantly the rest of the way.  Now, many times when this happens the effects on the film are bad, but Scott mostly keeps it under control and there's more logic to the change of pace than most similarly accelerated films.  Still, a few parts start to jiggle loose on the streamlined Prometheus as things go faster, and most disappointingly the main moral and scientific theme turns to shambles.  The film begs for a sequel, and without one it will probably fade from memory before long since it has no emotional component.  With all that said, it's an entertaining film throughout with gorgeous visuals.  Fassbender may steal the show, but Rapace does an admirable job in the lead role, too.  If you want a change of pace at the cinema and you like/don't mind sci-fi, it's worth seeing.