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!
