Prometheus - A bold, brave, and terrifying new direction for the Alien series.

Rating: 9/10 (10 June 2012)

Stop. Right now. Forget what you think know about the Alien franchise. Forget what you think you're about to see. You're all very, very wrong.
Prometheus returns Ridley Scott to the franchise, and arguably the genre, that he created and delivers something very special and spellbinding. It marks a true return to science fiction that the series has desperately needed, and will leave you with more questions that are unanswered than you may like. But isn't the point of good science fiction?
Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) have been discovering cave paintings all over the world. These exist among multiple cultures that have existed over time with no contact with each other. What is puzzling is that in each of these cave paintings is a common element. Man is worshiping larger than average humanoids, referred to as the Engineers, that are pointing to a unique set of celestial objects. What the scientists have discovered is that this actually is a solar system well beyond the boundaries of our universe, and that within this solar system is a moon that closely resembles Earth. Who are these creatures? Did they create us? Do they negate the idea of God? The Weyland-Yutani Company has decided these are important enough questions to answer, so they sponsor a trillion dollar effort to explore these possibilities.
In the truest essence of its science fiction roots, Prometheus provides us with some unique and complex characters. Shaw is a believer in God, but is still a scientist at heart and wants her own answers to our creation. Holloway however is a pure scientist: driven, and often reckless, in his pursuit to prove that science has truly won over religion. David, the android played by Michael Fassbender, is the care giver assigned with watching over the crew during their hyper sleep across the galaxy. He is fearlessly intrigued by the team's discovery, and may or may not have come along with his own hidden agenda. Fassbender really brings a calculated and nuanced disconnect with his human counterparts. He's programmed to protect them, but is just as much out for his own answers as anyone else. Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) is the company representative that is there to keep everyone in line and on mission. Rounding out the main cast is the ships captain Janek (Idris Elba). It could have been a really throw away kind of role. But Elba breathes life into him, especially as he starts to see the dangers add up and concludes what it could all mean for humanity.
I would highly recommend ponying up the premium to see this in IMAX 3D if it's available in your area. It's easily the best 3D since Avatar, if not better, and really does add to the immersion. Scott films most of the film practically, only relying on CGI when absolutely necessary. The planets and locations are all stunningly presented and fully realized, especially the alien relics that the crew explores. The final product feels familiar and foreign at the same time. The same can be said with the creature effects. I won't go into detail so as to avoid spoiling the fun, but rest assured they are as nightmarish as ever.
We walked out of the movie and spent the next two hours talking about it. The events in the finale and the nature of the Engineers are left purposefully enigmatic and open ended. Not in a lazy way by any means, which is the pitfall of many recent science fiction movies. The fundamental ideas and questions being posed are universal to humanity. The quest for the truth behind our existence is part of the human experience, and Prometheus is smart enough to slow down and ask these questions of the audience. It's also smart enough to not necessarily answer all of them for you.
If Prometheus is any indication of where Scott and screenwriter Damon Lindelof (of Lost fame) plan to take the Alien franchise, then I'm all aboard. As familiar as I am with the series, I can see the possibilities of where things can go from here and it's pretty exciting. The horror elements blend seamlessly with the science fiction and the action. Throughout the two-hour run time none of the elements feel under or over balanced, and they manage to coalesce into a haunting and thought provoking experience. The perfect amount of respect is paid to the original that started it all, with a brave new path being laid out for future installments. This is exactly the movie that fans of the Alien series have been waiting for.
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