Prometheus - Review

PROMETHEUS

2012

15

Directed by Ridley Scott

Starring Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron

When scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) find a star map inviting them to meet their makers, they embark upon a journey into the unknown and may just meet their end. Ridley Scott’s return to Sci-Fi has been highly anticipated and, while not living up to Alien, has created an immersive and visually stunning movie.

From the beginning of the film until the credits roll Prometheus is dramatically striking and is best viewed in 3D to best appreciate the flawless special effects. The breathtaking sequence that opens the film was actually shot in Iceland and showcases Scott’s prowess at capturing staggering vistas. The sets inside the good ship Prometheus feel clinical, expansive and airy in direct contrast in the grittier, grimier land outside the ship. In terms of visuals, you’d be hard pushed to find a better looking movie.

The cast is fine. Although Noomi Rapace makes an unconvincing leading lady with a very odd English accent, her performance is balanced out by other cast members. Charize Theron plays Meredith Vickers, the tough-nut commander of the mission. She’s one of the few actors who managed to bring depth to her enigmatic character however by the end of the film you may still not really understand her. Thank the engineers for David! Michael Fassbender is sterling in his role as the Android butler with devious motives. The actor studied Olympic diver Greg Louganis and drew inspiration for his impressive physicality. Fassbender is a true chameleon however not even his stellar performance could detract from the gaping flaws in the film.

The first act is promising and outlines some intriguing questions which sadly get ignored when the movie becomes preoccupied with killing off every member of the crew. And this is exactly the issue. Prometheus is lacking in a wider plot, as the movie just chronicles gory events and the audience struggle to care about the demise of the characters when they were so poorly written. Unlike Alien, Prometheus lacks a sense of suspense, doom and dread – which is essentially what people want form a Sci-Fi Horror film.

Fingers crossed Prometheus is the only blockbuster that fails to live up to the immense hype surrounding its release this summer. Yet despite the imperfections, Prometheus is still a good movie. It’s entertaining, sickeningly gory and beautifully shot.

Rating: 7

Check out the rest of our coverage on Prometheus from the Premiere to the viral campaign via the links below!

Prometheus World Premiere

Premiere Live

Prometheus Hype