Another Scott Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (21 June 2014)

I remember going to the theaters to see "Alien" when I was a kid. I was scared witless at this xenomorph from another planet.
Thirty-three years later, Sir Ridley Scott has created another fascinating world in his prequel "Prometheus". I have read many hateful messages and reviews directed at this film because "it doesn't answer questions". Why can't people just enjoy this film on its own merits, of which there are many?
The cast is stellar. I frankly never heard of Noomi Rapace before this film, but her performance was spot on. Michael Fassbender steals the show as the android David. I can't believe this is the same actor who was in "Inglorious Basterds". David knows all about his shipmates for while they were all in cryosleep during the arduous voyage, he was watching their dreams. He is especially infatuated with Dr. Shaw's (Rapace) dreams and with her unshakable belief in God. Later in the film he cons her into taking off the cross. Does David have religious prejudices too? Is he able to be insulted as when Logan Marshall-Green calls him "boy"? David exacts revenge later in the film on Green, but was it David's idea or someone else's? Without going into too much detail, the part that will have everyone on the edge of his seat is the machine performed emergency operation on Dr. Shaw. This is one of the most squirm-inducing scenes I have ever seen in recent years.
The rest of the cast are wonderful: Idris Elba, Guy Pearce and Charlize Theron. Theron does a great job as the leader of the expedition. She slinks around the ship in such an eerie way you might think she was another android.
This is the most visually stunning film in recent memory, especially in HD. This reminds me of the original "Star Wars" in that the special effects were used to underscore the action, not replace the actors with a bunch of CGI which is what happened in the "Star Wars" prequels. I think this is one of the best science fiction films of all time, right up there with "2001", "Star Wars" and "Alien". Another great job from Sir Ridley Scott!