Disappointing

Rating: 6/10 (22 August 2012)

Prometheus wants to be a prequel (or at least connect) to the "Alien" saga, including the stories narrated in the two "Alien vs Predator" movies, so the story, in a way, has to fit the bill.
Prometheus also wants to move away and go beyond those movies to create a saga and mythological world in which all the stories are included and embedded, but it has its own autonomy.
Prometheus also wants to pose some philosophical, theological and ethical queries about human nature, the soul of androids, and the origin of life, very much in connection with many of the themes explored in "Blade Runner".
Prometheus wants to provide the viewer with a science-fiction teleological mythology infused with philosophical and metaphysical queries... it sounds pretentious. Well, it is pretentious.
I love action movies, but if you want to mix action with metaphysics, you better work hard on putting together a story that links well all the elements, create engaging characters that have an emotional background, are well connected, and have a purpose within the story. Most importantly, show respect to the viewer who is willing to believe anything if it has inner logic and makes sense.
The film is very sleek, and some of the scenes are wonderful and unforgettable, grandiose and spectacular, as well as the special effects, especially those filmed inside the departure chamber, utterly gorgeously, if that can be said. The blue, golden brown and white-ish tones of the film are perfect for the story and create the right mood, from warmth to cold, both physical and emotional. The photography, mostly shot in Iceland and Spain, is beautiful, and the landscapes chosen really look out-this-world. On the contrary, I did not find Marc Streitenfeld's original soundtrack especially inspired, and it sounds like hundred other science fiction movies soundtracks.
The male and female characters are unevenly treated by the story and the result is that the actors who play them, shine or not depending on it. Naomi Rapace is completely wasted as Elizabeth Shaw. She does her best at doing what is requested of her naive passionate and a-scientific scientist character - no acting would have saved it. The same can be said of Charlize Theron, whose talent is wasted in her role of Meredith Vickers, the intriguing ice-cold beautiful manager of the expedition; not much is demanded of her, beyond wearing styling super-tight clothes and moving like a supermodel on a catwalk.
On the contrary, Michael Fassbender is brilliant as the quirky witty android David. David is the best drawn character in the movie because it has a sense of purpose, a background, an inner logic, and a well-defined "psyche" and a soul that is missing from the human characters. Fassbender really brings his character to life, and gives him both mechanical and human color in movement, facial expression and performance. What a great actor he is.
Guy Pearce is good and almost unrecognizable in his role as Peter Weylan, the patron and sponsor of the expedition. The rest of the supporting actors are just OK in their respective roles. They do what is requested from their roles, which is not much at times.
Prometheus is a super-production that does not deliver what it promises. This is an action movie with amazing visuals and interesting premises that gets lost in itself. It is hedonistic at times, superficial and preposterous most of the times. The movie feels like a blockbuster made to utter wows; yet, the wows are never uttered because there was no previous thinking, the story and characters are just sketched, and the viewer is expected to disregard ridiculous events, completely unscientific behavior by scientists, and even the laws of Physics. Furthermore, Prometheus seems anchored in old philosophical queries that, despite still being valid. are presented as if the world had not changed much since the 1980s, science and technology were far less developed, and their impact on Society were less profound, and new queries were needed to be present for the film feel contemporary in that regard. There is a lack of focus in the project, and the result is a chaotic film, that is enjoyable at times, ridiculous and stupid others. Visuals and style are never enough to make of a movie a good one.
The movie ends with unanswered questions, on purpose, as a sequel has to follow. Oh dear.