1979. That's when Ridley Scott's classic Alien was released. A damn scary mash up of science fiction and horror, it was lauded on it...
1979. That's when Ridley Scott's classic Alien was released. A damn scary mash up of science fiction and horror, it was lauded on it's release, went on to spawn a mega popular franchise, and became one of the finest examples of science fiction in cinema history. Now 33 years later, and riding an immense wave of hype, Scott returns to the universe which made his name, and also to the sci-fi genre after 1982's Blade Runner. So is this prequel to the Alien franchise any good?
It's 2093, and the scientific vessel Prometheus is nearly finished it's two year journey to the distant moon LV-223, an expedition funded by the Weyland Corporation, and fueled by archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Repace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discovery of a star map in several different sites all over Earth, drawn by various different cultures from different time periods, that may point to the origins of mankind. Landing on the planet, a mysterious structure is found. Discovering the existence of the Engineers (Alien fans will recognise them as the Space Jockeys), who Shaw and Holloway believe created the human race, their expedition of discovery becomes a fight for survival.
I'm just going to come out and say it, this film is outstanding. Everything from the opening scene, which lets us know this story is much bigger than any of it's predecessor's, to some wonderfully built tension and character moments, come together to make this something special. The nods to Alien, and it's sequels, are there but aren't blatant. This is a movie that can be enjoyed without knowing anything about the series. The scope of the story, the search for where we come from, separates it from the originals battle for survival against an unstoppable force. It's a slow burn, dropping only the merest of hints of what is to come, and takes it's time getting there. I will admit that when the shit does hit the fan, it felt a bit rushed, but the story slowed down again to deliver a fantastic third act, and a spectacular final shot. The design of the film is beautiful, from the wonderful hi-tech surrounds of the Prometheus, to the foreboding caverns of the Engineer base.
There is quite a dense cast present in Prometheus, and it becomes apparent early on that the focus will be only on a few of them. Repace really impresses as Shaw, a woman of God faced with something that will deliver quite a knock to her belief system. Also of note are Charlize Theron as the ice cold company woman Meridith Vickers who really delivers more than her initial bad ass cementing scene promises, and Idris Elba as the wise cracking gung ho pilot. I also enjoyed Sean Harris as gruff geologist Fifield, but sadly his scenes are all too brief. But hands down, Micheal Fassbender (this being The Moviebit, I feel obliged to say "He's Ours!") steals the show as robot David. He is a wonderful character, surprisingly complex for a synthetic being, brimming with concealed menace and child like joy, and is the focal point for many of the films best scenes.
This is a truly impressive film, and shows that Ridley Scott still has what it takes to deliver outstanding pieces of cinema. Stop what you are doing, and just go see it.
It's 2093, and the scientific vessel Prometheus is nearly finished it's two year journey to the distant moon LV-223, an expedition funded by the Weyland Corporation, and fueled by archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Repace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discovery of a star map in several different sites all over Earth, drawn by various different cultures from different time periods, that may point to the origins of mankind. Landing on the planet, a mysterious structure is found. Discovering the existence of the Engineers (Alien fans will recognise them as the Space Jockeys), who Shaw and Holloway believe created the human race, their expedition of discovery becomes a fight for survival.
I'm just going to come out and say it, this film is outstanding. Everything from the opening scene, which lets us know this story is much bigger than any of it's predecessor's, to some wonderfully built tension and character moments, come together to make this something special. The nods to Alien, and it's sequels, are there but aren't blatant. This is a movie that can be enjoyed without knowing anything about the series. The scope of the story, the search for where we come from, separates it from the originals battle for survival against an unstoppable force. It's a slow burn, dropping only the merest of hints of what is to come, and takes it's time getting there. I will admit that when the shit does hit the fan, it felt a bit rushed, but the story slowed down again to deliver a fantastic third act, and a spectacular final shot. The design of the film is beautiful, from the wonderful hi-tech surrounds of the Prometheus, to the foreboding caverns of the Engineer base.
There is quite a dense cast present in Prometheus, and it becomes apparent early on that the focus will be only on a few of them. Repace really impresses as Shaw, a woman of God faced with something that will deliver quite a knock to her belief system. Also of note are Charlize Theron as the ice cold company woman Meridith Vickers who really delivers more than her initial bad ass cementing scene promises, and Idris Elba as the wise cracking gung ho pilot. I also enjoyed Sean Harris as gruff geologist Fifield, but sadly his scenes are all too brief. But hands down, Micheal Fassbender (this being The Moviebit, I feel obliged to say "He's Ours!") steals the show as robot David. He is a wonderful character, surprisingly complex for a synthetic being, brimming with concealed menace and child like joy, and is the focal point for many of the films best scenes.
This is a truly impressive film, and shows that Ridley Scott still has what it takes to deliver outstanding pieces of cinema. Stop what you are doing, and just go see it.
