Tell us what you thought of 'Prometheus'
Ridley Scott's 'Alien' prequel hits theaters today
A scene from "Prometheus"
Credit: 20th Century Fox
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I was out of town for all the LA "Prometheus" press screenings, so I'll be heading out to the theater in a few to catch it myself with the masses. I actually had hoped to hit the midnight screening last night but it sold out. For now, though, I'm sure plenty of you will have something to say on the matter as Ridley Scott's film has been one of the most anticipated of the year. When you get around to it, head on back here with those thoughts and soon enough, I'll dive into the conversation with you. Also, feel free to rank the film via the tool above. (UPDATE: Okay, I'm back. Incredibly disappointing.)
Kristopher Tapley has covered the film awards landscape for over a decade. He founded In Contention in 2005. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London and Variety. He begs you not to take any of this too seriously.
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2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
Best Cinematography
Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Production Design
Best Sound Editing
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects
Best Animated Feature Film
Best Documentary Feature
Best Foreign Language Film
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupRashad
June 8, 2012 at 1:25PM EST Reply to CommentI loved it. The visuals, and atmosphere was amazing, and I don't really get the dialogue complaints at all. Yes, there was a part of the ending, I didn't quite like, but all in all, it's a great standalone sci-fi movie.
The effects here were some of the best I've seen, and the 3d was top notch.
osiskars Go watch DnowWhite , the effects there were as good, it not even better! Worth watching. And the story was much better, maybe not the acting, but at least the dialogues and actions made sense.
June 8, 2012 at 1:59PM ESTKate
June 8, 2012 at 1:48PM EST Reply to CommentI liked it despite itself. Seriously, all the critics were right. The dialogue is bad, there were some real groaner character moments (I can't have children!...Father!) and they needed to cut at least three characters or completely relegate them to the background.
I think Noomi Rapace deserves more credit than she's been getting. No, she's not Ripley, but she worked the hell out of what she was given.
Idris Elba was a ton of fun.
Michael Fassbender has to be one of the most supernaturally controlled performers I've ever seen. Simultaneously eerie, adorable, and sinister. And he was so, so funny in the film. Someone please give him the opportunity to do full-on comedy.
Lars At least it's engaging, and I completely agree with the clunky dialogue and the senseless and flat characters...and seriously some tense and frightening moment...
June 12, 2012 at 11:03PM ESTAndrej
June 8, 2012 at 1:53PM EST Reply to CommentFlawed, but very engaging regardless. The sudden turns and plotholes are a bit distracting, but the mysterious and terryfing visuals make up for it, and Fassbender's enigmatically great, as always.
Although what's up with the art direction here. If this is supposedly an Alien prequel, why does it look far more technologically advanced than the first movies? I know that old monitors showing VHS video quality with an MS-DOS interface is what passed as "futuristic" back in the 80s, but what they've done here in Prometheus is way too over the top. I mean, holographic 3D projections aside, did Ash ever read Ellen Ripley's dream in the original movie? wtf
But I'm just nitpicking here. It's still a pretty good film.
osiskars No you are not nitpicking, those are the serious issues that makes this film bad.. They should have just made a totally stand alone scifi film... but I guess they didn't have ideas for that :(
June 8, 2012 at 2:01PM ESTRashad good luck getting the money for a "standalone." This film works just fine as a movie all on its own.
June 8, 2012 at 2:06PM ESTAnd you could easily write off the technological discrepancy, by saying these are corporate guys, on a first generation voyage to the planet. Thus they get better equipment, and sleeker quarters. The guys in Alien, are pretty much truckers and they have no use to give them high tech gear.
osiskars Actually good point Rashad ... They didn't have anything to do with science, where in this film, they were actual team to discover something..
June 8, 2012 at 2:12PM ESTI hope this is a flop though, it doesn't deserve the money ... Well only Fassbender ...
Andrej Haven't thought of that, Rashad... but what about Alien Resurrection? that movie took place like in a scientific military spaceship 250 years after the original Alien, and Prometheus still far more advanced than it.
June 8, 2012 at 2:43PM ESTBut anyways, the technological gap leaves something to be desired. It's all too clean and vibrant, like a mixture of Iron Man and Avatar -- it's nothing new, nowadays. A retro-futuristic art direction would have stood out a lot more, in my opinion, especially considering how 3D could have worked around it (like Hugo did!).
Rashad I don't think Ridley cares about anything but this and Alien. I don't either.
June 8, 2012 at 3:44PM ESTAl Rashad, both of the expeditions were founded by Weyland
June 9, 2012 at 1:19AM ESTAndrej But the Nostromo crew (save for Ash) never knew the true intention behind their mission, so they could have received a more basic spaceship so it wouldn't be terribly suspicious to them.
June 9, 2012 at 10:25AM ESTAnd well, I also don't really mind about Alien Resurrection and its aesthetics, but they're a part of a storyline which as a whole Prometheus strangely dodges, and the plot holes alone make the movie iffy enough. I'd say that while it may be an Alien prequel, it's better off being treated as its own paralel thing.
osiskars
June 8, 2012 at 1:58PM EST Reply to CommentSorry , but huge let down!! The writing was awful. the dialogues sometimes didn't make any sense at all!
For those who loved it ,at least admit that the lets get laid part was absolutely stupid! I mean seriously ? the captain decides to go fuck , while the crew is trapped in unknown alien ship filled with dead bodies, ye that's sounds reasonable, why not.. Ou ye and our ultras cool advanced technologies cant rewind their videos to check what went wrong with them, while they can rewind the other stuff that happened in there just 10 minutes earlier ?!?!?!?! just agrgggg, I hoped and I believed that Ridley Scot is back , but :( , just as the character in the film, MR.V. ''Kings rule and then they die'' (or smth like that)
Kyle Fuller
June 8, 2012 at 2:06PM EST Reply to CommentI loved it, but it wasn't the modern classic that everyone had kind of anointed it before it screened. I DO think it will be the kind of film that deepens on repeat viewings. When I got into bed the film's big questions/ideas were still floating through my head, which I think means the film is more of a success than anything. But I think Kate is right in that it was overly stuffed with characters, and more of that time was needed to develop Vickers, Janek and Shaw.
osiskars Well. what questions where they? Big questions?
June 8, 2012 at 2:14PM ESTIf you want that watch Tree of Life, you will not only get the questions, but actually some answers !
Evan
June 8, 2012 at 2:46PM EST Reply to CommentI thought it was good, not great. David was easily the best character in the movie, and if there is a sequel, I hope we can learn more about him. The script was fairly weak and really hurt the film at times. So overall, it was good but not a new sci-fi classic
katie, a princess
June 8, 2012 at 2:51PM EST Reply to Commentvisually stunning. stupid dialogue. all the casting but fassbender is mis-matched. characters two-dimensional. love half the creatures. too many problems to like it.
osiskars agreed!
June 8, 2012 at 2:56PM ESTBrock Landers
June 8, 2012 at 3:08PM EST Reply to CommentI was one of very few who really wasn't anticipating this all that much. A movie like this is prime for having mysterious and interesting trailers and falling flat in the end. Funnily enough though, while most people on the hype train seem disappointed or downright furious, I actually thought it was pretty damn good. Not a masterpiece or anything, but a movie that consistently engaged me and frequently had me on the edge of my seat. It doesn't all work, but I was never bored and I've had some interesting discussions about the film with friends since I saw it.
Ania Sal
June 8, 2012 at 3:33PM EST Reply to CommentSaw it last week - quite lousy indeed. Tony Scott's brother seems to be one of those once-more-than-capable guys (hi, George!) who still cannot get over the "amazing powers" of modern CGI and effects, compared to what he had to work with in the 70s... so now they go and stuff their new movies with nothing *but* CGI and effects.
It was actually worse than expected (from literally the first seconds - watching that silly DNA scene, I kept wondering if I was looking at "Hollow Man III"), and I always expect the hyped junk that makes the masses excited to be bad. Can you recall a single ridiculous moment in "Alien"? Nope. This, on the other hand, has those aplenty - and that Japanese rape monster scene in the end was just so hilariously stupid it went around "ridiculous" twice and got back to the start.
The bumbler who penned it seems to be one of those imagination-free 'zoids who think that "wow, I'll insert a reference to that movie I like here!" is what makes a memorable scene.
Some good things that can be said for it:
- it's definitely not even 1% as awful as most of the usually hyped junk (such as that pile of waste "Cloverfield".)
- if I were to treat Alien's sequels as actual extensions of the story (which I don't - Alien is a single film with no sequels, just like Highlander), I'd certainly agree that this one was the second-best in the entire cycle. Not that it's saying much! (Hi, Paul W. S. Anderson and those SFX guys who made Alien versus Predator III, or whatever it was!)
- the forced references are not even 1% as awful as the "golden aka urine-colored standard" of that modern "film and TV school of thought" - namely, the pus oozings of that living carbuncle Seth McFarlane.
- there is a lot of nice imaginery, although - once again - it just reminds one of those amazing Derelict scenes in Alien, with Goldsmith's music. (Here, the score was sadly so bland I can't even recall a single theme.)
- the trailer was excellent... but guess why? Yep, because of its slavish aping of Alien's astonishing original trailer.
- although the Space Jockey and his mystery has been completely destroyed, at least there were thousands of *much worse* ways in which it could have been destroyed. If Scotty boy did this, just imagine what a rattner, a mcginty or a jarjarabrams would have done with the Jockey... shudder...
- Aliens are left untouched. Not that it matters much, since Jimbo Titavatar Cameron has already damaged them beyond repair, with his idiotic sequel which turned a terrifying, mysterious and *highly intelligent* species (capable of building pyramids and creating art) into a big screeching ant.
- it, uh, certainly isn't as bad as it could have been. Yeah, put that one on the DVD cover. "'Prometheus' is definitely not as bad as it could have been!"
- if one was to treat it as completely separate from anything else - Alien, that is - it would be... well, maybe even upper-average. Slightly below "Leviathan" and high above "Deep Star Six", for example.
Rashad Ripley going back for the cat was indeed stupid and ridiculous.
June 8, 2012 at 3:46PM ESTGrifter Pretty sure that no Prometheus of any kind could live up to your expectations. Your opinion is just terrible.
June 8, 2012 at 11:23PM ESTAnd huh "...with his idiotic sequel which turned a terrifying, mysterious and *highly intelligent* species (capable of building pyramids and creating art)..." huh...lol?
Simone
June 8, 2012 at 4:21PM EST Reply to CommentI thought Prometheus was awesome! I give it a B+. Read my full review at my blog - http://www.fassinatingfassbender.com/2012/06/prometheus-film-review-homo-sapiens-are.htmlWrite a comment...
Roadshow
June 8, 2012 at 5:17PM EST Reply to CommentI think Brock Landers above has said it right.
Not a masterpiece but pretty damn good.
It does seem to me that the weight of expectation around it ruined it for many.
I went with 4 friends and there was a range of opinion on it, from "that was great" to "that was awful".
I was the in the "great" camp.
It's got flaws and I would see them chiefly as a serious lack of attention paid to the secondary characters and perhaps one suspense/action sequence too few.
But when you have some great odeas, amazing design, a duplicitous android, an icy Charlize Theron and at least 1 gripping sequence, I consider myself very very happy.
Roadshow Ideas. D'oh.
June 8, 2012 at 5:18PM ESTFrank Lee
June 8, 2012 at 5:22PM EST Reply to CommentCalling the movie "disappointing" is generous. The two-dimensional characters and bad dialogue reminded me of the second Alien movie (which I realize a lot of people like, but did nothing for me). Noomi Rapace is dull. The mythology is confused and confusing. David's motivations never made much sense (sometimes he seemed to be on the side of his maker, and sometimes he seemed to be on the side of the monsters, and sometimes he seemed to be on the side of the intelligent aliens, and sometimes he just seemed to be making mischief). I hated the red herring of giving Cherlize Theron reflective android eyes in that oddly lit scene with Fassbender in the corridor, and having the captain ask her point blank if she is a robot, and then that not adding up to anything. The person editing the movie didn't seem to understand when he was at a main plot point; he just hammered right through everything. I hated that the ship arrives at this moon and miraculously locates the alien lair within about fifteen seconds. I won't go on. It was just a bad movie. You know you are seeing a bad movie when you don't believe any of the characters are real.
Kristopher Tapley Generous, indeed. I'm fully with you.
June 8, 2012 at 5:24PM ESTAl Why do you think so many critics (Ebert etc) could not see the huge flaws in the movie Kris?
June 8, 2012 at 5:30PM ESTKristopher Tapley It's impossible not to see them. It's just whether you want to care about them or not. Like the movie says, I guess: "It's what you choose to believe."
June 8, 2012 at 5:46PM ESTDrew As far as the whole android nature of Vickers, I would say that she is. Hints aside, she shares nearly the same exact physical appearance to David. They weren't too good with amiguities. While I found the film as a whole to be thrilling and a visual treat, but, with all due respect to writers, it isn't intelligent enough to answer the questions that it asks about mankinds origins. Although it's almost impossible for anyone to answer such things.
June 9, 2012 at 12:20PM ESTMy one question for Kris, and for anyone else who has seen it, what were your thoughts about Shaw, a christian, demanding and even begging for what was basically an abortion to performed to remove the squid?
austin This is exactly how i felt about the movie! Thank you! the group i went with thought it was awesome. I looked like a nitpicking douche. Glad I'm not the only one with these feelings!
June 9, 2012 at 2:33PM ESTcarrie
June 8, 2012 at 5:33PM EST Reply to Commentthe awful incoherent confused predictable script ruins all
JMC
June 8, 2012 at 8:44PM EST Reply to CommentI gotta disagree with Kris. While far from perfect, I thought the film was great. Technically speaking, Ridley Scott really brought it. The Art Direction and Visual Effects were pretty top notch, the score fitting, etc. Scott handled the action and suspense well.
I'd disagree with anyone who says the acting wasn't good. Rapace was spot on, Theron does what she can with her role, Idris is always great, and Fassbender of course steals the show. There are certainly some problems with characters, but I don't think it related to acting.
Is the film perfect? No. The second half is rushed and jumbled and some elements are not fleshed out. But I think Ebert's review is pretty spot on. I wouldn't give it four stars as even he admits many of the flaws, but I'd give it a solid 3 1/2 and think it's the best summer blockbuster so far.
I don't think what many people are complaining about are flaws or plotholes. If they did what many of you are saying, I feel like it'd be a Scooby Doo episode where people are explaining things in long speeches, stuff that they wouldn't even know. Is David just going to start spewing to someone his motives? Are we supposed to know exactly what the Alien motives and ideals were? Of course not. Again, to me, I got enough out of it. Much more and I'd have nothing left to the imagination.
I had some problems with a few scenes individually, I think some characters are underdeveloped, and I think the 2nd half is rushed, but I still think the film is pretty damn great.
I'm discouraged by the attitudes of "I'm right and you're wrong" on films like these. I think Ebert's 4 star review is every bit as valid as Kris's thoughts, I just agree more with Ebert on this one.
HoustonRufus
June 8, 2012 at 8:50PM EST Reply to CommentMakes me sad to read these comments. I get so tired of studios spending insane amounts of money on films only to disregard the most important thing, that being the script. It's infuriating. I was very much looking forward to Prometheus and will still see it. But I'm disappointed to read it's a letdown. I respect alot the opinions of those commenting here.
simone Ignore the negative comments until YOU see it, then judge for yourself. I hope you like it, I did.
June 8, 2012 at 9:04PM ESTJMC I agree with Simone. Give it a shot. I really liked it and disagree with what others have to say. No one always agrees.
June 8, 2012 at 9:23PM ESTJMC Besides, for what it's worth, everyone I could hear afterward was talking about how they liked it, some were crazy Alien fanboys, others were in their 60s.
June 8, 2012 at 9:25PM ESTHoustonRufus Oh, I'm going to see it! ha! It's one of the few big summer movies I've been anticipating.
June 8, 2012 at 9:32PM ESTsimone If you like, read my review of Prometheus at the link I posted earlier in this thread.
June 8, 2012 at 9:40PM ESTosiskars well, ahh but be ready NOT to like it (*maybe this works as reverse psychology*)
June 9, 2012 at 9:32AM ESTSimone @Osiskars, we get it, you don't like Prometheus and you're letting EVERYONE know about it, but others do like it! Move on, go see Madagasgar 3. Sheesh!
June 9, 2012 at 10:31AM ESTosiskars @Simone I get it you like it and you are letting EVERYONE think they will like it !
June 9, 2012 at 12:06PM ESTSheesh ! I am just saying not to wait for too much, that way the person watching could actually end up liking it ,because he didn't anticipate too much... I feel really sad that I did, if I hadn't I might have liked it much more ... People like you can ruin it cuz without reason you are saying its incredibly awesome , I am NOT , I repeat NOT saying it was terrible, but it was a let down, for a huge Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof fan !
Sheesh ! go watch it again! and bring your friends with you.
osiskars @Simone I get it you like it and you are letting EVERYONE think they will like it !
June 9, 2012 at 12:06PM ESTSheesh ! I am just saying not to wait for too much, that way the person watching could actually end up liking it ,because he didn't anticipate too much... I feel really sad that I did, if I hadn't I might have liked it much more ... People like you can ruin it cuz without reason you are saying its incredibly awesome , I am NOT , I repeat NOT saying it was terrible, but it was a let down, for a huge Ridley Scott and Damon Lindelof fan !
Sheesh ! go watch it again! and bring your friends with you.
Chris138
June 8, 2012 at 10:41PM EST Reply to CommentI liked it. I actually found it to be one of Ridley Scott's more interesting movies in recent years. It's not perfect and I can see where people find some fault in its screenplay, but I still found myself pretty engrossed with the whole thing. I didn't see the movie in 3D but I still thought the visuals were incredible.
alex_leonardis
June 9, 2012 at 12:10AM EST Reply to CommentScript flaws aside, I actually loved it quite a bit. I wasn't going in comparing it to Ridley's Alien, I just admired it for what it was. And that was a thought provoking, beautifully crafted film. Oh and I LOVED the score!
Kris, outside of technicals do you see Prometheus getting anywhere in the awards race? What technicals?
Kristopher Tapley I think some of the effects were kind of bad. Particularly on the creature at the end. So that could hurt it there. Maybe sound, but nothing outstanding there (though the sound editing was okay here and there). Potentially art direction but doubtful. That's about it.
June 9, 2012 at 12:17AM ESTRashad Did you just not like the design? I thought the creature effects were some of the best in a while.
June 9, 2012 at 3:24AM ESTosiskars Snowhite beats Prometheus in art directions by a mile! and vfx alike!
June 9, 2012 at 9:35AM ESTAndrej I think that at least it's the first serious contender of the year for Best Original Music, because VFX is a (mostly) given.
June 9, 2012 at 10:30AM ESTDuncan Houst I'm particularly confounded as to why they cast Guy Pearce, only to gloss over him with frankly unbelievable (not the positive kind) CG. Did they just not want to cast somebody who isn't young and attractive in the film?
June 9, 2012 at 4:02PM ESTDooby I can't believe your pushing for this movie's score ANDREJ. The most intrusive, pathetic OMGSCARYMOMENT type of score possible. What's even more stunning is the same composer did brilliant work for the score of THE GREY earlier this year.
June 11, 2012 at 2:38AM ESTbef
June 9, 2012 at 2:34AM EST Reply to CommentI'd give it a B/B-
I think it had a great first 2/3 and then it was too rushed at the end. It was scrambling to connect itself to Alien which is what people wanted, but that was the oh thing I was letdown by. As standalone sci-fi it was very good.
Fassbender walking around the ship at the start while everyone was still frozen was great. Elba was good, the audience chuckled at most of his lines. He took something simple and made more of it. Hollywood please give this man roles you're considering Clooney, Bale and Pitt for.
For people complaining about the technology on the ship -- I'll try and be as delicate and spoiler free as possible -- but -- it is the final project before Weyland dies. He probably wanted to be remembered for the discovery and for them to be as aptly equipped as possible. Does that make you feel any better? We all want a legacy. Especially multi-billionaires.
However if it didn't have to spend the last section tying into alien to satisfy the base (I love the original Alien but this doesn't really feel a part of that universe) it would've approached a B+ area. Still totally worthwhile. Cheers to Fassy and Idris.
Joe W
June 9, 2012 at 3:21AM EST Reply to CommentI was very disappointed as well. It felt like a very average rehash of the original Alien storyline. All of the plot points were just reshuffled around a little. Michael Fassbender was the best thing about the movie, but a lot of his motivations I didn't get. Like infecting Holloway and going through the whole pregnancy thing with Shaw (Noomi Rapace). The art direction was superb and so were the visuals - the score annoyed me though.
The story didn't add up to anything much at all and I was left wondering what the point was to the movie. It's really too bad that they had such a great concept to work with (the backstory of the space jockey, alien ship, warning call, etc) and turned in a very derivative and average movie. I felt little tension or atmosphere as well.
Under normal circumstances I would consider it a very good sci-fi/horror movie. But this movie had high ambitions and now I wish they never made it so the backstory of Alien was still left up to my imagination.
osiskars :D :D , just remembered the pregnancy plot-line and David infecting the guy ( i don't even remember his name) ... I mean why why why o bloody why did he did it? just for revenge?????!?!
June 9, 2012 at 9:39AM ESTJoe W You got me. Just to see what would happen I guess...???
June 9, 2012 at 11:24AM ESTJJ1 I honestly felt it was just to see what would happen, as well. I mean, for him, why not? I thought that one of the themes of this film is that the aliens can do whatever the hell they want. We humans have little control. And the droids (like David) can just onlook and not care either way. It's not deep. But I don't think it's bad, either.
June 9, 2012 at 10:11PM ESTJJ1
June 9, 2012 at 7:43AM EST Reply to CommentI'm seeing it at 4pm today.
But from what I can tell, overall consensus seems to be:
-stunning visuals.
-flawed script, especially near the end (like so many movies lately).
-good acting by most.
-underdeveloped characters.
And you either really like it despite it's obvious flaws.
Or it's near impossible to get around the flaws.
Can't wait to see for myself, later. :)
Mitt Romney
June 9, 2012 at 10:22AM EST Reply to CommentBut you liked Ides of March so this is not to be taken seriously
Casey Fiore You have taken to non-sequiturs like its your job, Mitt. Go bully some helpless loners. See I can do it too.
June 9, 2012 at 10:33AM ESTMitt Romney Damn! I've posted twice in this site since I started visiting. Seems like I've left quite the impression in you uneventful life. You should find other stuff to do boy. I'm busy running a campaign! I just remarked that he chose not to see all the bullshit and flaws in The Ides of March. Sorry you felt bullied Nancy. Don't forget to vote for me boy!
June 9, 2012 at 10:51AM ESTKristopher Tapley Actually I think most would argue that any argument with no leg to stand on but "you liked 'x' so blah blah blah" is not to be taken seriously.
June 9, 2012 at 1:54PM ESTNot Mitt Romney This is a test.
June 9, 2012 at 2:46PM ESTMr. Gunderson
June 9, 2012 at 2:38PM EST Reply to CommentI cannot fathom how anyone found this movie satisfying. It pays off literally none of it's ideas, but I guess just bringing them up is enough for most. It walks and talks like smart sci-fi, but there's absolutely nothing going on in it's pretty, empty head.
If it acted like a big, dumb action/horror movie the whole time maybe I wouldn't have been so disappointed, but it doesn't, it wants you to take it seriously and then throws out any thematic and character consistency for run-of-the mill "thrills". Truly abysmal.
BJT
June 9, 2012 at 6:51PM EST Reply to CommentRidley Scott is a great visual advert director who lucked out with a couple of superb scripts early in his career but hasn't the wit to make a good film from a poor script.
Time and time again he disappoints and yet his reputation miraculously remains intact. But try turning it on his head - how stoked would you have been for Prometheus if the adverts read:
"From the Director of G.I. Jane, Someone to Watch Over me and Hannibal"
DylanS and don't forget the oh so memorable "Body of Lies".
June 9, 2012 at 7:02PM ESTNelson
June 9, 2012 at 7:35PM EST Reply to Comment3/10 My reason for a low rating simply comes down to the incredibly thin story. The film features numerous jarring plot holes, and most of the characters are thinly developed, or their motivation is confusing/unclear. Or in some cases, it is painfully clear that characters exist simply to be alien victims. The theme of too much going on and weak development runs through the entire film. Production value is very high all technical elements are top-notch, but the lack of story would not allow me to suspend my disbelief. Ridley Scott wanted to make an original film in the same universe as Alien, but the story follows so many exact pieces of the original film (including the first alien interaction and the ending) that it's hard to take this one seriously. There is one shining light in this not-so-good movie and its the one incredible aspect: Michael Fassbender, who delivers a beautiful and captivating performance as David. Even his character ends up having a lack of clear motivation, but the performance is unquestionably one of the best in recent memory. It is unfortunate to see a film with so much potential turn out this poor.
StevenEdwards
June 9, 2012 at 9:08PM EST Reply to CommentKris, I really enjoyed the movie and I keep reading everyone complain about the script. What specifically did you or others find it lacking? I know of a couple but not enough to take me out of the story and what was happening. I loved the tension and many of the actors but wish they either would have embraced or disregarded the fact of it being an Alien prequel
JJ1 Yeah, I have to say, I thought the film was amazing. And I, too, am stunned at some of the responses, here. That doesn't make me right and it doesn't make a lot of you wrong. I just really enjoyed this film, thought it was visually astounding, nicely acted, and my hand was gripping my armchair throughout.
June 9, 2012 at 10:17PM ESTI second Stevenedwards in asking what it is about the script that was so bad. I know that some of the dialogue was iffy, for sure (the afformentioned "I can't have a baby"). But the entire movie made sense to me; even if I was scurrying to play catch-up, at times. By the end, I got it all, and I was bowled over (same goes for my pal who saw it with me). What is it that I'm missing? What is it that the film DIDN'T do that is frustrating so many people? What were you guys looking for? Expecting? etc. Thanks :)
chaz whats frustrating so many people is that you can't relate to any of the characters, non of their actions' motivations make any sense or are fully fleshed out and the story doesn't give you any one to root for...Shaw becomes our heroine way too late in the game, while for the most part the action moves along not directly effecting her until its convenient for the story...if anyone tells me they seriously felt any emotion towards any of the characters or the danger they were in (c-section scene aside) i honestly would not believe them...the only character i found myself rooting for was David but that was due to Fassbender's performance and not what the story ended up having him do...
June 9, 2012 at 11:57PM ESTalso what was promised as a stand alone film in the alien universe ended up being a set up for another series in that universe...wouldnt be a problem if the set up worked as a stand alone film but this doesnt, audiences are feeling cheated because this film just throws a bunch of broad strokes never fully realizing any of them...the final chest exploding/alien scene is therefore even more frustrating because it feels like they through it in there like, 'hey if you give us another chance you'll get to see this stuff? :)"
all that being said, the main reason why it is frustrating people is because just how far it falls short when such great potential is so evidently there...just goes to show that what resonates is story and characters first and effects alone cannot satsify the audience
p.s. anyone championing the score is out of their mind...go watch the book of eli and tell me it was recycled from that equally boring and uninspiring score
StevenEdwards I did expect a little more from it but ultimately I still really enjoyed it. I think it will benefit a lot from repeat viewings with lower expectations and a different mindset about what the story entails. I did cringe at the "father" line and the baby talk though and also found the comedic relief lacking (outside of Idris Elba)
June 10, 2012 at 2:10AM ESTJJ1 Right ^. I mean, I saw the flaws. They were there. But none of them distracted me so much that it took away from the visceral experience I was having. That's basically what I felt I had: an experience. I felt transported. I was immersed. And I did have a connection to both Shaw and David; from pretty early on. I guess I just don't get the "fell so short of it's potential" thing. Yes, it's not a masterpiece. But I still don't quite understand what it was that people were expecting; for it to have been disliked as much as it is (though, people I know who have seen it liked it, and it's gotten mostly solid reviews). So that's my main thing: the "it didn't live up to expectations" thing; when I wonder what it is that people specifically expected of it. That's all. :)
June 10, 2012 at 8:15AM ESTCab I agree JJ1. Everyone I watched it with loved it. Is it perfect? No. Not many films are. That said, I was completely immersed, as was you. I still don't agree that there are as many plot holes as everyone is saying. I had more than enough to create my own answers, and I don't think there was anyway we could have known more. I equate it to the Scooby Doo effect that I mentioned above. The only way to offer more to fulfill the story for some, to me, would require characters giving long diatribes of explanations of things they'd have no way of knonwing. They showed up at this planet and are surprised by what is happening like the rest of us. They can't have all the answers and neither can we, but I thought the film gave you more than enough to go on.
June 10, 2012 at 12:55PM ESTI too was drawn to David and Shaw. The performances were great, even from what could be admittedly be some not fully developed characters in the background. But I got enough from each of the characters, and the film would've been far too long if they would've gone much deeper. Beyond that, the film's art direction and visual effects were stellar (I'm really surprised Kris does not like the VFX), and I was completely engrossed.
What really surprises me are those trashing it saying it was perfect and making it sound like a piece of garbage. Everyone obviously has their take, but I actually thought this was far superior to, say, the pedestrian The Avengers. Did I like The Avengers overall, sure. But I personally find it hard to ignore that it was little more than a run of the mill A-B-C super hero script (little character development beyond the characters we know and love, a plodding 2nd half where our characters have to fight only to make-up, and a non-existent third act that's really just a long action sequence with local New Yorkers fleeing in secondary shots). My point is, I enjoyed Avengers because some stellar dialogue and comedy that overshadowed a mediocre script. In that vein, I thought Ridley Scott's universe, mood, and handling of this script was stellar (better than Whedon's direction). So, I'm just surprised people can praise one and trash the other.
Anywho, Prometheus and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel are by far the standouts for this year so far for me. I'll likely see it another time or two in theaters and purchase it when it comes out type film.
Cab *"those saying it wasn't perfect"
June 10, 2012 at 12:57PM ESTKristopher Tapley For starters, it's incredibly lazy. The way it chose to reveal certain information (the arbitrary holograms depicting the Engineers fleeing the facility, Idris Elba showing up with a sudden mouthful of exposition after the caesarean scene -- which itself was unbelievably unnecessary, the handling of the "twist" of Weyland being on the ship, etc.). It's also full of half-baked "ideas" regarding ancient aliens and mythology that makes it a tasteless souffle.
June 10, 2012 at 1:00PM ESTI guess maybe if one has never pondered the ideas in the film, perhaps the film would be fresh. But as someone who has given these kinds of things a lot of thought, I was appalled at how they were handled.
StevenEdwards Here's my one response to the unanswered questions. "Lost" was my favorite TV show of all time and so I have some Damon Lindelof biased and will defend him, but some of the worst episodes were based on answer oriented episodes. For example the one where they introduced Jacob and Man in Black origins it got bogged down in exposition and just trying to please the fans. In that case I'd rather leave some things to the imagination but I understand where you guys are coming from.
June 10, 2012 at 2:36PM ESTStill loved the movie aside from a couple of issues I had with it but also can fully accept parts of the criticism that is being given to it
Bryan Kris, I agree with you about the caesarean scene; masterfully done but terribly indulgent. From my full review:
June 10, 2012 at 3:20PM ESTIndeed, what appears to be David's most intentional action, and which leads to the film’s most memorable and horrifying scene, turns out to be another dead-end move, present if for any reason solely to allow this film to have its tie (and thus marketable thrust) to the Alien films (in fact, it would’ve been much better as a stand-alone; the plot could have been consolidated and purged of its most problematic elements). That scene’s inclusion, with so little justification speaks of a gross insensitivity to Rapace’s character specifically and to the audience in general. Don’t submit me to that sort of intensity without a reason.
Paul Outlaw Saw it last night with no expectations (except negative ones from reading this thread and the usual positive ones for Fassbender and Theron) and enjoyed it for the most part. It didn't rock my world by any means, but I liked the visuals and the suspense. The "ideas"? Well, let's just say it wasn't revolutionary. As far as the acting goes, the two "romantic" leads don't do very much for me, however; Rapace is, as someone else said, dull, and Logan Marshall-Green is like Tom Hardy lite, a bee-stung lipped Hollywood pretty boy that I'd rather see in a magazine spread of than on a movie screen. Theron and Pearce were okay but wasted, Elba was fun, and Fassbender did not disappoint. He was excellent, in fact.
June 10, 2012 at 4:39PM ESTBut bottom line, I walked in the theater almost nodding out and was engaged throughout. So I'm not complaining about the two hours I spent on Prometheus.
Kristopher Tapley
June 10, 2012 at 8:54PM EST Reply to CommentGreat second look piece from Drew:
http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/prometheus-second-look-digging-deep-into-spoilers-and-questions
JJ1 Thanks Kris & Drew. Extremely thorough. Loved reading it. Though, I still like the film an awful lot despite a few of those points being valid.
June 10, 2012 at 9:36PM ESTMatthew Starr
June 11, 2012 at 10:07PM EST Reply to CommentI didn't like it at all. The plot was just a mess. The only redeeming aspects were Fassbender, Rapace and the sets from Arthur Max. The tone was just wrong from the jump.
It's definitely fair to place blame on the script but I have not enjoyed a Ridley Scott film in a while. If The Counselor fails then who do we blame? Cormac McCarthy?
crossie
June 12, 2012 at 3:04AM EST Reply to CommentTerrible.
I know, you're Ridley Scott, you're allowed to ignore the stupid Paul Anderson "Alien vs. Predator" backstory, because you did start this franchise, after all.
That being said, maybe next time you should sit down and watch that movie so that you DON'T USE THE EXACT SAME STUPID, GOD-AWFUL "CHARIOTS OF THE GODS" CLICHE AS THE VIDEO GAME MOVIE HACK.
Seriously, if someone invents a time machine, I'm going to go back and kick Eric Von Daniken in the nuts for what he's done to modern sci-fi.
Then, when I return to this time, all sci-fi movies will begin with the terrible, god-awful cliche that human kind was seeded by future time travelers, except it will be new to me, so that's okay.
crossie Also, if you're creating new monsters to replace possibly THE most iconic movie monster of all time, maybe make them, I don't know, a lot scarier.
June 12, 2012 at 3:08AM ESTIs that a zombie? Because that really looks like a zombie.
JJ1 Geez, the Engineers scared the shit out of me.
June 13, 2012 at 4:24PM ESTKristopher Tapley Von Daniken is not to blame. (And not the initiator of these ideas, either.) Indeed, there is plenty to build on in the realm of fiction where ancient astronaut theory is concerned. Prometheus just obviously couldn't distill itself enough to work.
June 13, 2012 at 6:05PM ESTLars
June 13, 2012 at 1:32AM EST Reply to CommentMy friend actually said he thought the David character thrives on creating chaos, but I didn't have time to talk to him further to explain. So I wonder did other people see that in him? I find it amusing that I enjoy this one more than Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. Yes, the script in Prometheus is really below-par, but I don't understand why someone would overlook the weak characters and repetitive plot elements in Kingdom and claim it as one of the year's best. To me, the actors (Willis, Norton, Gilman (I think that's his name)) bring more to the characters. For me so far, I have zero films in my top 10 this year (not even the sushi documentary was solid enough).