Cinema Review: Prometheus (2012)

In the months prior to the release of Prometheus, Ridley Scott has been trying his hardest to distance his new film from Alien, refusing to call it a prequel. All the early signs suggested a prequel is exactly what it is, and indeed, in the sense that it depicts events that take place before those in the 1979 classic, it fulfils the prequel brief to a tee. However, expectant viewers should retain Sir Rid's comments in their head before watching, because Prometheus certainly doesn't play the simple join-the-dots game that may have been anticipated. It really doesn't dovetail much into Alien, and provides few clear answers to any of the burning questions, such as, "where is the alien from?" or "how did the derelict spaceship full of eggs end up crashed on that planet?" If answers are what you're here for, prepare to be disappointed.

Prometheus, it turns out, has grander ambitions in mind than reproducing the haunted house scares of the original. After a mysteriously eerie pre-credits teaser and then an introductory scene at an archaeological dig on future Earth, we're thrust into space, and for a while the story follows very similar beats to Scott's original film: misfit crew of a space ship wake up from hypersleep, land on an alien planet (not the one from Alien, take note), explore some apparently abandoned ruins, and find more than they bargained for. However, it's around the halfway point that the two films diverge; where Alien becomes a nerve-shredding suspense piece, Prometheus is more philosophical. There are a few decent jumps and memorable moments of body horror, but Scott here is more interested in Big Questions, like the origins of life on Earth, than in replicating his earlier triumph.

Ambition, however, while contributing much to the successes of the film, proves at times to also be its undoing. The single-minded drive of Alien, to which it owed so much of its impact, is replaced by a wandering structure that never quite identifies its central point. It's a sprawling, entirely plot-driven affair that allows little time for character - not helped by the unnecessarily large cast - or natural build of suspense. The whole film needs more time to breathe; it hurtles onwards with scant regard for logic at times, giving the impression that some important bridging scenes have been cut. As is now a trend with Scott, it seems we have to wait for an extended version for the story to cohere properly (see Kingdom of Heaven or Robin Hood).

It's impossible to deny the flaws, then, but easier to overlook them, as the film is engaging throughout, its willingness to tackle complex ideas refreshing, even if the wheels slightly fall off in the last act. There are some truly memorable moments, especially the terrific, claustrophobic scene in which Noomi Rapace's Shaw has to perform emergency self-surgery, and there are instances of real awe and grandeur throughout. Rapace herself is a game lead, clearly positioned as the new Ripley but no less interesting for it; indeed the dichotomy between her character's religious faith and scientific knowledge provide an interesting, if barely touched upon, undercurrent. The other clear standout in the cast is Michael Fassbender, playing the android David, whose motivations have a sinister ambiguity.

The film's main achievements are in technical areas, though. Arthur Max's production design is reliably spectacular and Ridley Scott's eye for a visuals as evident as ever (and this is the first 3D film in a while where the effect - or lack thereof - hasn't actually pissed me off). It doesn't look much like Alien - the slick, shiny, CGI-enhanced visuals and spartan sets are far closer to Avatar - but, seen as a separate film that "shares certain DNA" with its forebear, it works on its own terms. Mostly.



Summary
Prometheus's narrative problems mount as it proceeds, but they are not ruinous. It's a film full of big ideas, great set-pieces and a commitment to make something new, rather than reheating old glories. It's daring and interesting to a fault.