The biggest controversy surrounding Ridley Scott's latest, Prometheus, is if the film is really a prequel to Alien or not. The best answer I can give while trying to ride a fine-line of spoiling too much is: "There's strong evidence that the film is a prequel to Alien"). Not that I was dying to know while watching it, but the films do share commonality with the notable plot points that occured in Alien. While Prometheus wasn't really anything groundbreaking for me, I still enjoyed it for thought-provoking entertainment.
A team of scientists stumble upon evidence linking early human civilizations to one another, in spite of existing in different areas of the globe. They track the message to a jungle planet, and encounter an underwater cave that was once populated by an alien species who happen to be the true ancestors of homo sapiens. But as with all science, the team has lots of questions and little answers, and the consequence of curiosity happens to manifest by some deadly encounters and turncoat conspiracies.
This was a hard film for me to rate; the production values for Prometheus are top notch, but why oh why did the story take such an ambiguous lull by the film's third act? The most obvious answer might be "so that they can have a sequel." Yet, for me, there was so much build up and potential for the film to bank on making me walk away shaken and stirred about the fate of humanity, that instead, I only felt "hmm, that was cool!" My other guess is along the way, the studio shaved off a few minutes of plot, as what often happens with Mr. Scott's work. An extended cut on DVD seems very possible down the line, and could rectify the loose ends. I'm not saying every film needs to explain for itself, but with Prometheus, the story and premise were so fascinating that it almost seemed necessary.
On the plus side, Prometheus has a lot of aesthetic appeal going for it. The unmistakable H.R. Geiger set designs evoke that unsettling, organic feel that made the Alien saga so cool. The suspense and special effects are handled very subtly and conservatively; there are certainly enough moments in the film that will impress and shock at the same time, perhaps even both. I predict at least an award nomination or two in the effects or art department, come next spring.
Finally, if you have any reason to see a film in 3D, I'm happy to report that Prometheus is absolutley worth it! You don't necessarily miss out on any "money shots" by seeing it in 2D, but Scott keeps the effects subtle, much like Avatar. Here where the atmosphere, holographic computer screens and other elements of these strange new worlds manifest. Where some films you end up spending over $10, and the effects are far and few in-between, Prometheus features constant atmospheric effects that bring a strong vividness to the picture. Definitely worth checking out.
7/10
Peace,
- Jon
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