Nice Face Shame About the Plot

Rating: 5/10 (16 June 2012)

When we enter a Movie Theatre we buy into the collective suspension of disbelief required to enjoy a film not least because we've just parted with some 'hard earned' for a seat and overpriced popcorn/drink etc.
However in doing so we trust the director to treat us with respect and intelligence by taking care of all the details, both visual and narrative, to build a convincing and immersive experience and if this is done really well we forget we are watching flickering images and believe we have an all-seeing eye into another world. Two fantastic examples in the Sci-fi genre would be Alien and Blade Runner, the latter actually attaining the level of Art in my humble opinion, never mind a damn good sci-fi pic.
The thing is, these two movies were based on stories not written by Ridley Scott, unlike Prometheus, which was cooked up by the director aided by some colleagues... and here lies the problem.
An author, whose sole aim is to create a story/idea and develop it, of course, through the medium of the written word, would spend months - years even - perfecting the plot and characters whereas a film director is essentially a visual artist. You follow my drift.
Ridley is a great director and the visual scope of Prometheus displays his talent... but he ain't a writer and the Hollywood goons that pulled him down this path make movies with dollar signs in their otherwise blank eyes.
I'm thinking a build up to the mission with a nod to CONTACT and a journey with a wink to 2001 etc etc.
Ho hum, some neat ideas under-developed and fantastic visuals make this just about worth the entrance fee but get your popcorn/drink at the corner store on the way.