Pretentious drivel -- makes Prometheus look rational

Rating: 2/10 (13 March 2018)

The ideas, and even scenes, in this movie can be found in a whole list of SF novels and movies from Invasion of the Body Snatchers to Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse series), John Carpenter's The Thing, Alien, Avatar, The Astronaut's Wife, Blair Witch, Tarkovsky's Stalker & Solaris, and JG Ballard's The Crystal World. (In one scene I thought I was watching Ghostbusters.) It throws in some genetics jargon and wraps everything in pseudo-philosophical nonsense while adding nothing new.
The story makes no sense. Perhaps the most significant event in human history and the investigation team seems to have the budget and staffing of a small university chemistry department. Over the course of several years many research teams have entered the Shimmer, never to return (mostly). Surely, by now they'd have nuked it? But no, they do exactly the same thing again with a new team.
They go in with no back-up plan; in fact no plan at all. No protocols. Not even a bio-hazard suit? And apparently no paper and pencil for making notes, which would have been useful when they find themselves lost and with no memory of the previous 4 days. Really? They are supposed to be scientists.
The protagonists do all the stupid things people in horror movies always do: Just been attacked by a giant mutant alligator? Sure, let's take to the water in small boats. Attacked by a giant mutant bear? Sure, wander off in the jungle alone.
As with Garland's previous offering, Ex Machina, it's all style and no substance; nothing that hasn't been done before, better.