June 18: Prometheus

"A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race."

I have finally seen Prometheus (a prequel" to Alien). After 16 alien movies and of course, their reviews, I can officially wrap up "Alien Week(s)" and move on to watch whatever I want. And, boy was the wait worth while. Prometheus certainly delivers. It's big, it's beautiful, it's horrific, and it's on an entirely different scale than anything I have ever seen before. Prometheus is massive, and although it is weighed down a little bit because of its size (and its many questions raised), the movie is still an epic masterpiece that continues to show how incredible a director Ridley Scott is. The film raises some very significant questions about who we are, where we come from, and who created us, all very profound. However, most of these questions don't get answered completely and it is somewhat frustrating. These mysteries may be answered in a director's cut DVD release but I feel that it may have asked a little too many questions to answer in a two hour film. 

Unanswered questions tend to be a theme for Prometheus writer, Damon Lindelof. 

Prometheus' plot is very simple but incredibly complex at the same time. Two scientists, Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Dr. Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green), discover a continued pattern in a bunch of archaic writings and paintings from different places on Earth, separated by centuries and hundreds of miles. Somehow, the two come to the conclusion that these graphics depict the story of our creation and that they must find the inspiration of the pictures, and thus "meet our makers". You kind of just go with this plot point, but it is a little confusing as to how they conclude to such a controversial and incredible idea. Shaw and Holloway are hired by Weyland Industries, a ridiculously wealthy company, and board the spaceship, Prometheus, along with 15 other individuals (geologists, biologists, space captains). The crew is put into a cryogenic sleep for two years and are carefully watched over by the android, David (Michael Fassbender), who studies ancient languages, movies, and even the crew's memories in order to better assist them when they awake. Prometheus lands on a planet "500 billion miles away" and the crew discover dome-like buildings that are clearly not made by nature. Shaw and Holloway lead a crew into the dark, mysterious chambers of this foreign settlement and discover a horror they could never even imagine. 

The cast of Prometheus is perfect. Michael Fassbender is outstanding as David and his robotic voice and nature dance the line between emotional and creepy. He has a playfully dangerous curiosity about everything and his obsession with touching everything, trying to figure out what it is, leads to a very unique kind of suspense. Noomi Rapace does a great job channeling her inner Sigourney Weaver, and shows you that women can be action stars right along with the men. And, of course, the film also stars Idris Elba, as Janek, Prometheus' captain. Elba continues to show me how flawless he is in any role he takes on and I continue to be absolutely shocked (and pissed off) that he's not in more movies. He's a strong leader and a great captain of the ship and he provides a lot of the laughs as well as the strong moral compass of the film. He knows what it takes to get something done as well as knowing what it takes to stop something from happening.

    He's also my pick for the alien ass-kicking Green Lantern in the Justice League movie. 

I really, really liked Prometheus. It's definitely a movie that, I can only assume, would be much more enjoyable on the big screen. The special effects are amazing and they blend incredibly well with real landscapes and "live" effects, similar to the original Alien. It does have its faults, as it tends to pose way too many questions for itself as well as some lazy plot holes, but it's still a very enjoyable experience. And, although the special effects are epic, the cast is what makes the movie. I would definitely recommend Prometheus and encourage you to see it in theaters, as it really is too big of a movie to watch on a TV or computer screen. 

The Good:

a bold premise that reaches for the stars and although leaves many questions unanswered, it still is very, very intriguing

The Better:

the special effects- wow

The Best:

Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Idris Elba

Overall: 8.5/10

Trailer: