Prometheus





Directed By: Ridley Scott

Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba, Logan Marshall-Green, and Charlize Theron

It's been 33 years since Ridley Scott took us to LV-426.  After all this time, he's come back to the Alien universe to tell another epic sci-fi story.  Now, he takes us to LV-223 in his latest film Prometheus.  We've all seen the awesome marketing campaign for the film.  We've all been waiting for it and wondering what he'll bring to the table this time around.  Finally, Prometheus has landed in theaters.

Archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover clues from a number of artifacts from numerous, distinct cultures that indicate that our past has some connection to others in some other galaxy.  In 2089, they identify this galaxy and believe that our "Engineers", or makers, come from this galaxy.  They convince the elderly Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce), founder of the Weyland Corporation, to finance the construction of a ship known as Prometheus and to fund an expedition to the distant moon LV-223 in this faraway galaxy.  He's as curious about the origins of humanity as they are and feels that this mission is absolutely vital to discovering the secrets of life.

Prometheus takes off, and the crew of 17 goes into stasis for the trip.  Several years pass, and it is 2093 by the time they land on LV-223.  They're awakened by an android named David (Michael Fassbender) who has been running things aboard the ship during their slumber for the last few years.  Upon their arrival, Weyland Corporation executive Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) takes charge of the expedition to the dismay of Shaw and Holloway.  Vickers orders that the crew is to make no direct contact if they find the Engineers during their exploration.  While the others actually go out and explore the moon to see if they can find the Engineers, Vickers and Captain Janek (Idris Elba) remain aboard Prometheus.  They watch the others discover ancient structures, find new life forms, and face certain death.

Prometheus is one hell of a wild ride, and it's great to have Ridley Scott back in the Alien universe after so much time.  He has such a creative imagination that it's captivating to see what he chooses to do his second time around with modern technology and the ability to actually bring his vivid imagination to life in the grandest way possible.  With sweeping visuals, incredible special effects, and a bombastic score, the film has an epic feel from the start.  He keeps this feeling alive throughout the film's entirety.  Though not really terrifying, Prometheus is something special that asks the big questions about life, and Ridley Scott has some gory, captivating answers.

While there are lots of new deadly creatures and new worlds to explore within Prometheus, what I love about the film most is that there is no central villain doing all the killing.  Folks were getting killed by aliens, Engineers, and even fellow crew members.  Once the crew arrives on LV-223, there's no safe or secure place for anyone.  Everyone has their own agenda, and nobody can trust anyone or anything else they encounter.  That may not be scary for the modern moviegoer, but I can guarantee that it's pretty damn entertaining.

The cast does a great job throughout Prometheus.  As the new Ellen Ripley, Noomi Rapace's Elizabeth Shaw is a tough little archaeologist.  She proves throughout the film that she has the acting prowess and star power to lead this new spinoff franchise wherever it's going.  As the creepy android David, Michael Fassbender is the most important character in the movie to me.  Whether watching people's dreams, infecting fellow crew members, or following Weyland's agenda, he's always in the mix somehow.  You never know what his angle is.

I also have to show some love for Charlize Theron and Idris Elba.  While this is our second week in a row with Theron following her impressive performance as Ravenna in Snow White and the Huntsman, she's still an absolute delight.  Her character Meredith Vickers is in the background most of the time, which makes her one of the more mysterious characters.  She's almost as creepy as Michael Fassbender's android David.  As Captain Janek, Idris Elba is definitely hilarious.  I enjoyed every moment he is on screen.  Beyond his antics, he provides the moral compass of the film as his character is the guy who will do the right thing when it needs to be done.

I thoroughly enjoyed Prometheus.  It's undoubtedly one of the most ambitious blockbusters I've had the pleasure of reviewing.  However, Ridley Scott may have bitten off even more than he can chew in a two-hour movie.  Because so much happens and he's trying to answer some of life's biggest questions, Scott only tangentially covers some of the things he introduces.  A lot of questions remain unanswered, especially around Sean Harris's character Fifield and the spider-like zombie into which he turns.  These are good questions though.  I guess that's why there will probably be a sequel.  Prometheus gets a 0.03% rating.  Have some wine coolers with this one.