Alright, let’s be serious. Who, when they heard Ridley Scott was directing a prequel to Alien didn’t scream inside their head, “Shut the front door?” Then, our hands started to tremble more feverishly as the cast was announced: Theron, Pearce, Fassbender and, that the studio CEO (20th Century FOX) was giving Scott full latitude to create the film however he saw fit regardless of rating. It all seemed too much, too good to be true. The feeling of dread, that no attempt at approaching the sacred ground of one of the holiest films in the cannon of cinema could live up to the expectations set for it. I’m afraid to tell you, Prometheus does.
It’s hard to be a fan of film and not to be a fan of Alien. Alien is idolized, iconic, and irreverent; sacred cinema ground. Everything about the film is done with care and deliberate respect, in fact, the film drips with respect for the craft of filmmaking like goo from a xenomorph’s mouth.
Now for the finer points; the story (without spoilers) answers (without overindulging) questions that echo from the original film. What and who is the Weyland Corporation? What was the original mission? What is the origin of the Xenomorph, the Space Jockey, the derelict ship? If you’re reading this review, you’ve seen the trailer, and if you’ve seen the trailer you already know that cave painting star maps are what lead our ill-fated crew to the outer reaches of the galaxy. Other than that, you’ll have to seen the film to learn the rest.
Exiting the theater, a few criticisms echoed in the voices of people and I strongly, perhaps willfully disagree with the two major “faults” the film is accused of. Executed with scalpel-like precision: 1) That the film is slow. I’m sorry, no. There is a difference between a film being slow, having pacing problems that cause your mind to leave the world of the film, and a film being deliberately patient. This film, under the veteran hand of one of cinema’s greatest masters, is executed with such scalpel-like prevision which is does not mean slow. The film is “allowed” to develop before you rather than being forced into your eyeballs by greedy less-talented Hollywood wannabes. 2) That Fassbender’s character seems undeveloped through the first half of the film. This one makes me want to smack people. Let me get this straight, you though that Fassbender was “undeveloped” in playing … a robot? The truth is, every player in this ensemble is nearly pitch perfect.
Now for the important part: Aliens!!! Creepy, slithery, slime-gushing, body infesting, eyeball bursting, bone-crushing, murderous aliens!!! This film dares to tread on the hallowed grounds of Alien/Aliens and succeeds with every frame. You owe it to yourself to see it, you owe it to an industry which would have the courage to approach this project with integrity, and you owe it to your friends to bring them with you.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34cEo0VhfGE&feature=youtu.be
Rating: Creepy, slithery, slime-gushing, body infesting, eyeball bursting, bone-crushing, murderous aliens!!! (10/10)
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