Visually captivating and riveting with thoughtful ambition, Prometheus is a triumphant science-fiction endeavor

Rating: 8/10 (26 May 2017)

The Alien franchise boasted a promising start in 1979 when the first film was debuted by Ridley Scott. But that promise only seemed to move just a few step forward when James Cameron came into the picture to unleash the powerful follow-up in 1986. Since then, the once mighty sci-fi/horror franchise seems to have fallen in the ruts with a series of unappetizing sequels. Ridley Scott however, makes a triumphant return to the franchise with this quasi-prequel to the original film, delivering a visually striking and intellectually rich origin story of the franchise's chronology. Drifting away from familiar elements and venturing into fresh new territory, Scott serves the mastermind behind science-fiction thriller; tackling on thoughtful ideas including creationism and evolution of human life, while operating on a gripping narrative scope. Set in 2093, this film follows a crew of scientists aboard a spaceship known as Prometheus, who set out to a distant planet to discover artifacts that will open doors to the discover of the origins of mankind. Consisting of Captain Janek (played by Idris Alba), archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw (played by Noomi Repace), human-like android David (played by Michael Fassbender), Shaw's love interest Charlie Holloway (played by Logan-Marshall Green), and corporate CEO Peter Weyland (played by Guy Pearce), the crew conducted by mission commander Meredith Vickers (played by Charlize Theron) soon make a sinister to threatens the lives of not only themselves but all the human race.
The film does not come without its problems, particularly when examining the script by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof. But arguably the bigger flaw plaguing the thrilling experience is the film concluding with more unanswered questions than desired. There are some significant moments that are bound to leave viewers scratching their heads, hungry of explanations. Nevertheless, Ridley Scott makes an effective comeback to the franchise by not only introducing a new route but also experimenting with much more intellectual ideas than what we were used to in the past. As this is a Ridley Scott picture, the film shines with a gorgeous visual style from the interior of the spaceship Prometheus, to the nifty production design of otherworldly planet. Shall I mention the costume designs worn by the crew? The plot on the other hand, marks the film's biggest strength along with its biggest weakness. Focusing on a story premature to the franchise's familiar timeline, the primary concern here is a team of scientists venturing to an another world to discovering the foundation of the human race, unaware of the ugly forces that await them. This concept open doors to some thought- provoking discussions of creationism and evolution, with the characters tackling on the perplexing philosophy of extraterrestrial being the founders of mankind as opposed to the idea of creationism which is widely favored by the Christian community. Sure, it is a concept that God believers are likely to take offense. Nonetheless, it is hard to argue the ambition behind the story's intellectual heft. Beneath it all, there are some scary and even gory moments sprinkled throughout the pictured. One of which involves a surgical precedure that can be tough to watch if you developed a weak stomach for the chest-bursting scene in 'Alien'.
Surround the slickly paced and alluring atmosphere is an all-star cast who all manage to bring their A-game in their roles. Acquiring the most screen time in the predictably large cast is Noomi Repace. Like many of Ridley Scott's films, there is always room for a strong female character. Playing Elizabeth Shaw, an archaeologist who happens to be a believer in God and is skeptical about the whole mind-boggling idea of aliens being mankind's birthgiver, Repace absorbs the role with a great amount of fortitude and humanity. If there is anything she earns that the nearly the rest of the cast doesn't, it is a more powerful character development. While her character never levels up beyond a two-dimensional state, she manages to stand out among the crowd of the underdeveloped figures. Idris Alba, the captain of the crew, makes good use of his role. Charlize Theron, playing mission commander Meredith Vickers, boasts a fair amount of compulsion. Guy Pearce and Logan-Marshall Green are fine, but nothing that leaves a strong impact. Michael Fassbender on the other hand, delivers an incredible portrayal as David, the android. His stoic delivery including his facial expression firmly match the robotic nature of his underwritten character.
Prometheus is a visually captivating sci-fi endeavor, riveting with thoughtful concepts and an ambitious direction by visionary Ridley Scott. And most importantly, it stands as an applauding return for the blemished Alien franchise. While the film excels on both a narrative and visual scope along with serving as an admirable relative to the Alien films, it is critical for moviegoers who are expecting a carbon copy of the previous entries to go in low expectations to avoid sheer disappointment.