Ridley has his eyes on the prize, but they're too big for his stomach.

Rating: 6/10 (1 July 2012)

In the thirty-three years since Ridley Scott's suspense-filled masterclass Alien, the franchise has lent itself to all-out warfare in the hands of James Cameron, a misguided hark back to the original courtesy of David Fincher and a pair of lamentable crossovers with Arnie's pal. Now the man who spawned the series has returned with a standalone film occurring before the events of all others, attempting to shine a light on the origins of the creature, the man infatuated by it and humanity itself.
In the year 2089 archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and partner Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) have discovered a cave painting similar in design to many others found around the world. The pictures are interpreted as a star map, and an invitation to humans to venture forth into the depths of space and meet their maker. So that's exactly what the couple does. In the company of uptight mission director Meredith (Charlize Theron), android David (Michael Fassbender) and the elderly, mysterious Mr. Weyland (Guy Pierce), they board the good ship Prometheus. Upon arrival, the team has their perception of human history and spirituality rocked to its core.
Ridley Scott was right to make the clear distinction between 'prequel' and 'standalone' in this instance, as Prometheus most definitely falls into the latter category. Chestbursters, facehuggers and acid bleeding xenomorphs are, for the most part, replaced with ancestral beings and foreign substances. Simply put, suspense and thrills are put on the backburner, while typical traits of intelligent sci-fi (issues of spirituality, the presence of greater beings and man's insignificance in the grand scheme of the omega) form the crux of the plot.
With that said, Scott shows he has not lost his touch in delivering to fans of the original what they paid to see. Allusions to the franchise, both subtle and overt, are prevalent throughout, while the scene in which Dr. Shaw is forced to conduct some impromptu surgery matches any moment of his distinguished career in intensity and exhilaration, providing the film's inarguable highlight. Visually speaking, Prometheus astounds, as inspired settings and sweeping, immersive camera-work make it one of those rare films that actually incorporates 3D into the cinematography and not just as a cheap gimmick.
Whether intentional or not, the overriding theme that seems to come out in the wash is that there are some things man is not meant to know. For a film covering two and a half hours not much happens, and its attempt to answer some of the biggest questions posed to mankind gives the impression that it has bitten off more than it can chew, resulting in a cyclical narrative that reveals very little. Indeed, it may be the whole point of the film that an understanding of our purpose in life is so far beyond the realms of a human's mental capacity that to even try to comprehend such a universal semiotic would be the ultimate exercise in futility. And so, the criticism comes not from the film's ambiguity and inability to explain the unexplainable, but rather from the expectations it establishes for the viewer, only to meander around the big questions without directly addressing them.
Maybe we're being a little hasty. Maybe, in the midst of all the pre-release hype, we've overlooked the fact that this film has a very sequel- friendly ending, strongly implying that our discovery of how and why has just begun. And therein lies the conflicting nature of Prometheus. Some will call it pointless, some will hail it as the pinnacle of cinematic literature and some may just have to wait and see if this film really is the disjointed, identity-conflicted slice of science fiction it appears to be in its own vacuum, or merely the preface of a potentially epic series.
*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*