Lost Fire in Prometheus

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2012)

"Prometheus", Director Ridley Scott's much anticipated "Alien" prequel that is not the prequel, is amazing for the first hour. I saw it in 3D IMAX—it is like nothing you have seen before. In the last half hour "Prometheus" collapses into manic action, suffering from the weaker story by Writers Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. Ominously, chillingly calm Charlize Theron as Weyland Corporate Lead Meredith Vickers warns her surprise passenger, "If you go down there, you're going to die." Theron and Michael Fassbender as duplicitous android David are awesome. However, given the vibrant promise of its beginnings and despite some logic glitches, "Prometheus" dismantles as a thriller, and disappointingly fails to answer captivating questions or ask compelling new ones.
In Greek mythology, Prometheus was the god who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to Man. For that Prometheus suffered eternal punishment. I think Scott's grand ambition in "Prometheus" was to search for the answer to "Where did we come from?" In the opening scene, Scott is inspired. Eons ago a pale skinned, bald, humanoid creature with a shredded body stands atop the majestic waterfall in the presence of an alien ship. The creature drinks a mysterious potion. Spaihts and Lindelof lead us to believe this event altered human life on Earth as we know it.
In 2089, archaeological scientists Elizabeth Shaw and her lover Charlie Holloway, played by Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green, uncover a pictograph star map in the caves in the Scottish Highlands. That in context with other pictographs sourced from distinct cultures, point to human life on Earth originating from the distant constellation of our creators, whom Shaw refers to as "Engineers". She enthusiastically says this is an "Invitation" to meet our creators. Paradoxically, Shaw has faith in God as she begins this journey, to discover answers she doesn't really want to hear. Given the masterful set up, I think "Prometheus" fails to honor the journey or elicits the transformed questions. This is too bad, because what remains is great.
After a 2 year journey, the spaceship Prometheus arrives at its destination on an Earth-like moon in a distant solar system. Elderly and charismatic Peter Weyland CEO of Weyland industries, played by solid and unrecognizable Guy Pearce, financed the trillion dollar venture to discover our origins. Perhaps dying Weyland has another agenda as well. Weyland's surrogate son is android David, played by Fassbender. Fassbender is powerful balancing David's trained humanity and deathly curiosity. That curiosity is perhaps his tragic flaw. While the rest of the crew is in bio-stasis, David studies being human from watching Peter O'Toole in "Lawrence of Arabia". Fassbender nails the eeriness. Theron is lean and fit with the icy stunning veneer covering Vickers's darker soul. Theron is spectacular in another evil turn as in "Snow White and the Huntsman". She and Fassbender have a powerful scene revealing their past bond. What is really going on with this mission?
Noomi Rapace may be miscast in "Prometheus". She is spirited and faithful. Rapace radiates intelligence and innocent curiosity. She is strong, particularly in a shocking self-surgery scene. I don't think she is enrolling in the transformation to hero. That may also be the result of Spaihts and Lindelof's nebulous dramatic arc.
Scott filmed some of "Prometheus" in Iceland, so the moon has an existential air with the spectacular lava rock and ice. The crew discovers amazing pyramids—remnants of the "Engineers". Scott creates Gothic images of dark caverns populated with metal modules, and gigantic stone statues. What happened to this god-like race? What is the deadly menacing force at bay? Here is perhaps the tie to "Alien". Somehow all the interesting questions are forsaken as "Prometheus" propels into action overdrive. David says, "Big things have small beginnings." I think Prometheus deserves a big ending as well, instead of just a loud one.