Despite it's flaws, this film blew me away

Rating: 9/10 (23 April 2013)

I honestly don't know where to start with Prometheus, Ridley Scott's spiritual prequel to the much loved Sci-Fi horror classic, Alien. The whole film was a phenomenal trip from start to finish. First off, the visual team of Prometheus deserves a round of applause. Ridley Scott uses special effects professionally, but more over uses them judiciously.
Where some movies rely on too little visual flair, and some rely entirely on it, Prometheus hits that perfect sweet spot of exploring incredible, real life sets as well as exploring the imagination with stunning cgi. Ridley Scott is the best at using a dark hallway of a decrepit ship, as well as using his extreme attention to detail to produce gorgeous interstellar vistas and the incredible technology of the future. The amount of set usage is much more than most Sci-Fi films of late, which is a refreshing turn towards a genuine old school feel, obviously reminiscent of Alien. The acting is also as strong as the visuals, as each character has moments of glory, but the true shining star is Dr. Shaw, the self conflicted female protagonist of Prometheus. Her performance evolves as the film progresses, similar to Ripley's in Alien, and her end result is strong and intense. Dr. Shaw is a strong central character that truly evolves over the course of the film, both externally and internally.
Michael Fassbender also plays his role extremely well, and his performance is strong across the entirety of the film. The script and screenplay are also strong, peppered with one or two moments of comedy along a ton of metaphors, both visually and in the script. It's smart, deep, and extremely well told. And everything else that one would expect from an original Ridley Scott film is here: heart-pounding suspense, incredibly intense moments, many memorable scenes, and a haunting original score, reminiscent of the original Alien.
The only negatives that hamper Prometheus are the cliché's that sometimes get in the way of the brilliant and exciting storytelling. They are frustrating and totally disappointing. Don't worry, these are nitpicks that most average movie-goers won't notice, but these are the things that keep Prometheus from breaking through the atmosphere. And if you are a fan of Alien, the events at the end of the film will have you discussing theories, character interactions, and will undoubtedly leave fans begging for more.
A fantastic stand alone film, but even better as a prequel, Prometheus is excellent. It's so close to perfection that it hurts when some of the moments that hamper it occur. It's haunting and intense, suspenseful and gory, but most of all it is epic in every regard. It may only live on as a cult classic, and that is perfectly fine with me. Prometheus has landed, and its mission is a success.