At first you think you are watching one of the most beautiful nature scenes ever captured on film, with images of large mountains and crystal waterfalls. Then you see the pale white figure on top of a cliff and you remember that you’re watching a science fiction film, not a documentary. That moment sums up the wonder of Ridley Scott’s latest work, Prometheus– a film that not only engages the eyes with breathtaking images at every moment, but does something even rarer: it constantly engages the mind, posing questions thanks to an inquisitive script that, much like the film’s protagonist Elizabeth Shaw ( Noomi Rapace), never stops asking questions, no matter how horrifying the answers may be.
For over 30 years, Ridley Scott’s name has been most associated with science fiction films that are more than just basic entertainment, but also films that delve into deep philosophical ideas while accompanied by Scott’s trademark visual mastery. The praise that Alien and Blade Runner have garnered is proof of that, and Prometheus continues the tradition of melding food for the eye with food for thought. Every shot seems to framed in a way that makes you want to hang it up on your wall as a poster, from the most dramatic shots of a ship exploding mid-air to even the most basic of conversational scenes. Scott is an expert, if not the expert, at manipulating the frame to get the perfect image. Be it the deserted and isolated landscape of an alien world, the plushness of the ship Prometheus, or the decrepit tombs beneath the surface of the planet, Scott gives every location their own identity and personality, with just as much life as the characters of the film, if not more. Even if there was no story, the film would be worth the money just to look at.
Fortunately though, the film does have a story, and one that works on multiple levels as well. While the script was not written by Scott (It was written by Damon Lindelof of Lost fame), it contains enough of Scott’s traditional philosophical underpinnings to comprise the curriculum of a philosophy seminar for years. The film deals with scientists from Earth going to a distant planet in order to find the aliens that they believe are responsible for creating mankind. The idea of God and our origins permeate the film on every level, from the alien Engineers building a mysterious statue (perhaps for worshipping of their own) to Elizabeth Shaw’s struggle between her scientific views on life and her religious beliefs. All the cast does a strong job with this weighty material, but Michael Fassbender’s David deserves the most praise. His character is an android built by the humans to serve them, and he is a personification of the film’s main themes of humanity and parentage. You are never sure if David is good or evil, and what he thinks of the humans he works with. He allows for the humans to compare themselves with the gods they are searching for, and for the audience to question the motives of creation itself. The character could easily have just been a confusing mess, but Fassbender gives the role such complexity that every moment that David is on screen allows for a new interpretation of his character’s motivations, each interpretation as valid as the last. However, if all the philosophy and self-exploration of the film sounds a bit tedious for you, worry not: there is plenty of action and suspense to go around. When the ship Prometheus lands on the mysterious alien planet, things are engrossing from start to finish, with lots of screams along the way. Scott is a master of horror and suspense as well as visuals, and if it seems that many scenes are lacking in scariness , it is only to build suspense for moments that will leave the audience paralyzed with fear beyond anything they have ever witnessed. One moment in particular stands out as what I can safely say is the most frightening moment I have ever witnessed on film (I won’t spoil it, but get ready to shriek when it happens). The plot also has lots of twists and surprises along the way, and if you go in simply looking for fear and excitement, you will be just as satisfied as if you come in looking for an exercise for your brain.
As wonderful as the film is, it is not perfect by any means. Ironically, one of the film’s most powerful strengths can
arguably be interpreted as the film’s greatest weakness. For all the questions it asks, the film does not answer many, leaving the audience to put the pieces together after the credits roll. While some may relish the task of playing detective, others may feel slighted by the lack of resolution, preferring answers to be given to them directly. The other issue with the film comes from it being a prequel to Scott’s 1979 Alien. Prometheus straddles the line between being a direct prequel and merely being set in the Alien universe– unfortunately to the point where it becomes extremely unclear how it relates to the classic horror film. There is enough evidence to show there is absolutely a connection between the two films, but not enough clarification on how the films connect, leaving the audience with some questions that Lindelof and Scott likely didn’t expect to be asked.
Prometheus is truly a feast for all the senses, perhaps a little more than some people would like. However, it is truly another film for Ridley Scott (and the extremely talented cast and crew) to be incredibly proud of, and a film that one should definitely take the two hours to see…and a few more hours to contemplate afterwards.
Rating: Like I said up top, a treat for the eyes and the mind (8.5/10)
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