Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba
I'm just going to come right out and say that I thoroughly enjoyed this film from start to finish. This is a great science fiction film that is filled with a sense of discovery, yet terrifying and thrilling at the same time. There were two films that Prometheus reminded me of. The first, of course, was the first installment of the Alien franchise, which was directed by Ridley Scott as well. The second was John Carpenter's The Thing. And I believe that this movie compares quite favorably against those sci-fi horror classics.
Everything from the mood to the performances was pitch perfect in this film. And while this may not be your typical summer blockbuster, i.e. "let's blow the crap out of everything and hope people don't realize there's no interesting story or character here", this film actually cares about certain things, like a few of the characters and the storyline.
The story revolves around Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace (who is the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo in the Swedish versions), an explorer who believes she has discovered the creators of mankind. A team is assembled to travel to another planet in an attempt to essentially discover the reason human beings were created. What they end up finding is not what they expect.
The Shaw character is an interesting one, who has experienced plenty of loss in her life, and even though she believes these aliens are the creators of humanity, she still has faith in a higher power. That faith is tested throughout the film with some rather gruesome and intense trials. There is one scene in particular that is quite graphic that I will remember for awhile.
The pacing of the film helps to add to the suspense of each of the more frightening scenes of the film, as it slowly builds to one event after the other. This movie has no problem taking it's time getting to action, which makes it all the more satisfying when you realize what direction the film is about to take.
While I absolutely loved this film, I will admit that this isn't a light summer fun film one more time. The mood is dark, the pace is slow, and the mythology can get a little boring if you're not interested in the story. For me, however, the combination of great performances from Rapace and Fassbender and the slower pace that builds up the suspense with a natural effectiveness is enough for me to give a high recommendation for this film.
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Like this:
Be the first to like this.
