Prometheus

Ridley Scott returned to the "Alien" universe with "Prometheus," a prequel that explores the origins of humanity and the xenomorphs. Although it's set in the same universe, "Prometheus" takes a more philosophical and existential approach, raising questions about creation, the nature of life, and humanity's place in the cosmos.

The film follows the crew of the spaceship Prometheus, led by scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), as they seek the origins of human life on a distant planet. Michael Fassbender shines as David, an android with his own agenda, delivering a performance that is both chilling and captivating. Charlize Theron and Idris Elba provide solid support, but the character development across the board is uneven, with some crew members feeling underutilized.

Visually, "Prometheus" is breathtaking. The film's production design, cinematography, and special effects are top-notch, creating a rich and immersive world that is both beautiful and terrifying. The alien landscapes, the intricate interiors of the spaceship, and the hauntingly enigmatic Engineers all contribute to the film's grandeur.

However, the film's narrative is where opinions diverge. "Prometheus" poses many intriguing questions but provides few clear answers, leaving some viewers frustrated by the film's ambiguity. The script, written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof, is filled with big ideas but sometimes lacks coherence and focus, leading to a story that feels disjointed at times.

While "Prometheus" doesn't deliver the intense horror of the original "Alien," it is a thought-provoking and visually stunning film that adds depth to the franchise's mythology. It's a film that aims high, even if it doesn't always hit its mark, and is worth watching for its ambition and the questions it raises about creation and existence.

The main concept of Prometheus is a great idea. Having it as the backstory for such an iconic sci-fi creation as the xenomorph is worthy of the great 1979 and 1986 movies. Arguably, the creature did not require an explanation, but giving it a significant purpose, such as what we learn in this movie, was a sensible approach by the writers.

Plot highlights include the plight and fortitude of the character Elizabeth Shaw, the portrayal of the engineers, how it links to the original movie, and most scenes involving the character David.

Unfortunately, it has too many characters. It would have been more credible without Fifield, Milburn, and Holloway. This would have allowed for more focus on the most interesting individuals, like Shaw and David. Plus, it would have left more screen time for Janek and Vickers to be developed further.

This greatly frustrates in the moments you feel are there for plot convenience, such as when characters introduced as scientists behave irrationally or stupidly. It is almost as if Ridley Scott is trying so much to recapture the blue-collar tone of the original movie, he forgets he is supposed to be portraying a crew of qualified professionals on a trillion-dollar mission of groundbreaking scientific discovery.

As you would expect from Scott, the visuals are fantastic. The design is consistent with Alien, but with the added advantage of 2012 technology. I particularly like the scene involving a character undergoing a surgical procedure. I think this is a classic moment of the franchise on par with the best.

All performances are great, with the standouts being Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Noomi Rapace.

7.5/10 for me, but I round up.

It's good to see that Ridley Scott still has the same vision for stylistic sets and atmospheric lighting.Lots of dripping water and eery shadows as one might expect from the old master. The special effects are impressive, the CGI is great, the technology is plausible for the turn of the next century. But - and I'm afraid it's a big but - the plot is disjointed, the characters two dimensional and the script is, well, not the best. Far too many things happen which simply make no sense at all, or just don't tally with "what we know already" about the Alien universe. Far too many plot mechanisms, bits of tech and even shots and scenes are borrowed from other films - Serenity, independence day, The Mummy, Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, Pitch Black, X- Files. I won't go into detail because I can't do that without using spoilers, but try it yourself. Watch the film and see how many ripped off bits you can spot. Spectacular, yes. A great film? No. sadly not.

'Alien' is still to this day a tense, shocking suspenseful and frightening masterpiece, one of my favourites of the genre. The bigger and bolder 'Aliens' is one of those rare sequels that is every bit as good as its predecessor. Both are two of my favourite films and the character of Ripley is one of the most iconic female characters in film.

To be honest, there were initial doubts about 'Prometheus'. Ridley Scott, as especially proved with 'Alien', 'Blade Runner' and 'Thelma and Louise' has shown that he has a lot of talent as a director, though his filmography is hit and miss. So that he was back on board as director and that there is a great cast promised much. There were worries however as well, due to some negative reception amongst audiences who criticised the script, story and notorious "plot holes".

Watching 'Prometheus' finally, it was a better film than expected though nowhere near in the same league as 'Alien' and 'Aliens'. That said, it was heavily flawed and there are criticised personally agreed with, though it doesn't deserve the 1/2/10 ratings which indicate that the film had no redeeming qualities at all which is not the case.

'Prometheus' best asset is the visuals. The settings look tremendous, of sheer beauty and with a real eeriness, the cinematography complements it perfectly and often powerfully arresting and the special effects are a feast for the eye. Scott's direction has moments where it is superb, if more in the visuals and spectacle than the narrative.

More than up to the level of the quality of the visuals is the cast. Noomi Rapace is an authoritative lead, and Michael Fassbender is even better in one of his best performances to date. Charlize Theron and Idris Elba also prove how talented they are as performers. Most of the rest are more than up to their level.

While the story is very problematic, it does have its moments. There is some tension, especially in the last act, parts are thought-provoking and there are some thrills. The music is suitably haunting.

However, there is a good deal that doesn't work. The script is often very weak, often rambling, clichéd and not very logical with some stupid decision making. The story does suffer from too many concepts not explored enough, some leaden pacing and at times a lack of cohesiveness.

Characters are also not particularly well-written, they seemed underdeveloped and there are too many of them, the decision making of some are a cause for extreme frustration. Not to mention lapses in logic, ridiculous science and parts that don't make as much sense as ought.

In conclusion, better than expected but heavily flawed and one may question the point of it. 6/10 Bethany Cox

I think this serves as a pretty decent stand alone sci fi. I like quite a lot about this movie. The cast is good. Noomi Rapace in particular is very good.

I like the idea of the engineers, I like the idea of the black goo, I mostly like the idea that this all spawns the xenomorphs we know and love but I don't really understand why.

Not everything needs an origin story and I preferred Alien when we just thought they were out there somewhere. I don't think we needed an origin/backstory/genesis story.

Take out the final scenes which, if I'm honest, felt a little forced, and Prometheus would still have been a fairly decent sci fi.

And most notably, Prometheus does teach us not to run in a straight line.