Prometheus (Part 1 of 2)

Prometheus (Part 1 of 2)

Prometheus is a very beautiful film with some interesting concepts about evolution and mutation thrown in as its central theme.  I am truly surprised how much I love this movie.  It certainly didn’t disappoint.  Its roots are firmly planted in the Alien universe, yet the movie is its own story and could possibly sprout its own series of sequels.   Prometheus is a very good movie, but sometimes gets a little too carried away with its big ideas.  However, the movie is very entertaining with some thoughtful commentary about the origins of mankind.  It will not answer all the questions for you, and that’s all right. 

I don’t want to reveal too much of the basic plot, but it is about a crew of people out to search for the origins of human life.  However, they discover that there might bigger and worst things out there ready to destroy them and all of mankind

Ridley Scott does an outstanding job fully realizing the universe again with this different take on the premise of a crew going out into unknown and bringing something really bad back.  The opening of the movie has a sweeping scope that could only be realized by Scott.  The movie opens big with the birth of life on Earth.  This is a very well directed moment and it is referenced with a darker take with the “birth” at the end of the film.  So, we begin and end the movie with a “birth”.  And, I don’t want to give away what that birth is at the end, but fans of the series will love it.  It was one of my favorite moments.

The visuals are truly astounding.  The CGI and makeup effects are top-notch.  You really get the feel for the strange alien creatures and mutations.  

The film does raise some serious questions about the origins of humankind and even religion to a certain extent.  For some, many of those questions will not be answered and other questions will arise from those answers.  And, that’s what I really enjoyed about the movie.  The movie teases us with answers and they literally take them away brutally.  It is within the subtext of the movie that some of those questions will be answered too. 

The movie also works on a horror movie level too, thus going back to its Alien roots.  There are some truly disturbing scenes, such as the C-section scene and the black ooze attack.  Scott masterfully builds the tension with all the scary moments in the movie.  And, he even teases us with one scene where a character says, “There’s something else living down there.”

Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof wrote a fine script, but there are times when it seems they got too ambitious.  With the fast pace of the script, sometimes characters get a little left behind in the rush to the conclusion.

Side note:

Jerry Goldsmith’s Main Theme does appear in the film and soundtrack!  I got a big smile on my face in the theater.  It is early on in the film, so listen for it.