I had high hopes for this movie. Ridley Scott, Alien, yada yada. It all seemed so promising. Perhaps the highlight of the scifi movie calender this year.
Oh well, more hopes dashed.
First, the good things. The cinematography, acting, special effects and everything to do with the film-making process are all better than average or excellent.
The writing, however, is entirely another matter. Those who have read even a few of my reviews know I hate one thing above all else. Insulting the intelligence of the audience.
Prometheus, sadly, does this again and again.
Having been sent off into space on an expedition (which most of the crew and scientists don't even know the purpose of - how did they sell that to them? Sign on for this expedition without knowing what you're getting into!) our heroes are briefed on arrival in a scene that was almost a copy of the marines briefing from Aliens, right down to the barracking and disbelief of the listeners.
I don't know about you, but being told I might find the creators of our own species would get me excited, not lead to pour scorn on the speaker. But anyway, our scientist heroes duly land on the planet and find an alien structure. On going in and finding the air breathable, the first thing a supposed intelligent scientist does (on an alien world, remember.) is take their helmet off. FAIL!
After having mapped the majority of the structure remotely, two scientists then get lost on their way back to the ship and never once think to ask for directions, or call out for assistance, even though their comms devices are working just fine. EPIC FAIL!
Later on these two discover a small alien creature. Their first reaction. To go up and prod at it with their hands. DARWIN AWARD FAIL!
You see where I'm going with this? All of the above takes place within forty minutes or so. And it doesn't get much better for the rest of the film.
Remember, these aren't clueless freighter jocks as in Alien. They aren't dumb grunts as in Aliens. They aren't dumb-enough-to-get-caught criminals as in Alien 3 and they aren't gung-ho pseudo-mercs as in Alien Resurrection. They are supposed to be intelligent scientists.
I'm not saying the writing is bad. I'm saying it is pitiful! It's like when you watch a horror movie of the slasher variety. You know the characters are going to do dumb-ass stuff like this. But you don't expect it in a scifi movie to this extent. Especially not one helmed by Ridley Scott.
It's a shame, because everything else about the film is beautifully done. But the writing is inept and insulting, forcing characters to do ridiculous actions for the sake of the plot. Here's an idea Damon Lindelof.... how about you write the plot around the actions of the characters, and not the other way around! Thanks for taking a somewhat off-the-wall franchise and tarring it mercilessly with the Hollywood action-blockbuster brush of sloppiness! As far as the franchise goes, I'd actually rate this below both Alien 3 AND AVP, though not below AVP2, which remains the shitty mud at the bottom of the celluloid rain-barrel.
In short then, a wasted opportunity ruined by abysmal writing and characterization. Watch it for the pretties and try REALLY hard not to think about it too much.
Oh well, more hopes dashed.
First, the good things. The cinematography, acting, special effects and everything to do with the film-making process are all better than average or excellent.
The writing, however, is entirely another matter. Those who have read even a few of my reviews know I hate one thing above all else. Insulting the intelligence of the audience.
Prometheus, sadly, does this again and again.
Having been sent off into space on an expedition (which most of the crew and scientists don't even know the purpose of - how did they sell that to them? Sign on for this expedition without knowing what you're getting into!) our heroes are briefed on arrival in a scene that was almost a copy of the marines briefing from Aliens, right down to the barracking and disbelief of the listeners.
I don't know about you, but being told I might find the creators of our own species would get me excited, not lead to pour scorn on the speaker. But anyway, our scientist heroes duly land on the planet and find an alien structure. On going in and finding the air breathable, the first thing a supposed intelligent scientist does (on an alien world, remember.) is take their helmet off. FAIL!
After having mapped the majority of the structure remotely, two scientists then get lost on their way back to the ship and never once think to ask for directions, or call out for assistance, even though their comms devices are working just fine. EPIC FAIL!
Later on these two discover a small alien creature. Their first reaction. To go up and prod at it with their hands. DARWIN AWARD FAIL!
You see where I'm going with this? All of the above takes place within forty minutes or so. And it doesn't get much better for the rest of the film.
Remember, these aren't clueless freighter jocks as in Alien. They aren't dumb grunts as in Aliens. They aren't dumb-enough-to-get-caught criminals as in Alien 3 and they aren't gung-ho pseudo-mercs as in Alien Resurrection. They are supposed to be intelligent scientists.
I'm not saying the writing is bad. I'm saying it is pitiful! It's like when you watch a horror movie of the slasher variety. You know the characters are going to do dumb-ass stuff like this. But you don't expect it in a scifi movie to this extent. Especially not one helmed by Ridley Scott.
It's a shame, because everything else about the film is beautifully done. But the writing is inept and insulting, forcing characters to do ridiculous actions for the sake of the plot. Here's an idea Damon Lindelof.... how about you write the plot around the actions of the characters, and not the other way around! Thanks for taking a somewhat off-the-wall franchise and tarring it mercilessly with the Hollywood action-blockbuster brush of sloppiness! As far as the franchise goes, I'd actually rate this below both Alien 3 AND AVP, though not below AVP2, which remains the shitty mud at the bottom of the celluloid rain-barrel.
In short then, a wasted opportunity ruined by abysmal writing and characterization. Watch it for the pretties and try REALLY hard not to think about it too much.