- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
I don't know what's happening to that guy's face ... but it's not looking pleasent.
Prometheus
- Thread starter Lain
- 64 comments
- 5,020 views
CodeRedR51
Premium
- 55,319
- United States
His space helmet is melting onto his face. Yummy.
- 1,326
- SC
Awe-some
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
Unfortuantely, some of the early reviews suggest that PROMETHEUS is a bit of a flop. One of the major criticisms is that there is almost no tension in it, while other reviewers have gone on to suggest that the film does not bother to address some of its biggest plot points, and instead takes the lazy approach of assuming a sequel will be made, dealing with the issues then.
- 10,838
- Belgium
- bramturismo
I don't know what to think of this movie. I'm just so fed up with all these "Humans and planet Earth must be destroyed" movies. I'll try and be patient, but after having watched AVP: Requiem last weekend I'm just getting so fed up of these type of movies. Either some monster arrives at our planet and decides to kill us all, or we go somewhere else and we all die there.
- 4,797
- Antarctica
- 10,373
- Manchester
- Ardius_
<SPOILERS>
Better than another Alien film and by far better than another ridiculous AVP film. But pretty lacking otherwise.
Liked the expensive CGI and some sections and bits of the film but that was about it. Kind of liked the <lets chuck together 3 important action sequences at once in 5 minutes> as it put across a nice chaotic scenario - rather than a drawn-out scenario as per usual in most films..even if it was pretty confusing.
The major problem with this film is that it just happens. Nothing is really revealed, no points are made and nothing really significant really happens. Or rather, the significant things that happen are barely questioned by any of the characters.
Like its never even discussed what this weapons-ship-thingy is. We learn that it is a weapon and that the characters presume the "engineers" want to destroy humans. But we never genuinely learn what anything means, only what the characters briefly suggest. While I can appreciate this is perhaps more realistic in this scenario - there is barely any time for discussion - for the purposes of a film that I'm meant to be getting into and enjoying it just leaves me feeling like nothing has happened.
It feels like I can summarise this film in a paragraph and not even miss the point. There is no point made!
While there was some nice little details here and there, this film is pretty sparse on detail plot wise, character wise...really its just pretty plain.
The stupid thing is, it could get away with all this lack of explanation and depth by being a decent horror film. But it doesn't even try that properly. I guess I can only describe it as a drama - stuff happens - not much of it really means anything.
There were moments where I thought they might suddenly reveal all - and clearly this was the intention to give this expectation. But then they just resort to people shooting and fighting instead. Which ok, its different in that they are avoiding a stereotype of "now we get to hear all the answers in a long scene" but its just leaves you wondering why you are bothing to watch.
I feel this film is attempting to force the audience to use their imagination and to get them asking questions and wondering. This is fine if you give some carrot. But seeing as this film fails to give the audience any information beyond "Aliens" "Earth" "Destroy" it fails spectacularly.
And I'm sick to death of this Weyland crap. Before it used to be a semi-background detail that was just a nice little link. Now its become a major plot point lately for no apparent reason. I got the sense in Alien and Aliens that humanity overall was dark as ever with corporations in general being willing to sacrafic people for their goals. It didn't seem like it was being specific to just one company/person. But as we get more and more films they've now built it into basically the real villain being Weyland and the Aliens/everything else just being a distraction or tool. This film would been much better instantly if Weyland wasn't involved at all. Sure you would lose that 3rd angle of not just humans vs aliens but humans vs corporation vs aliens but in this film it just felt like a stop-gap to fill-in the missing plot.
I liked the film generally but its by no means a great and it really produced great potential and delivered barely any of it. The overall picture of the "Engineers" is quite good though and its interesting to see where they go with it. I liked the suggestion they aren't all hell-bent on destruction with the opening scene but about it really.
Better than another Alien film and by far better than another ridiculous AVP film. But pretty lacking otherwise.
Liked the expensive CGI and some sections and bits of the film but that was about it. Kind of liked the <lets chuck together 3 important action sequences at once in 5 minutes> as it put across a nice chaotic scenario - rather than a drawn-out scenario as per usual in most films..even if it was pretty confusing.
The major problem with this film is that it just happens. Nothing is really revealed, no points are made and nothing really significant really happens. Or rather, the significant things that happen are barely questioned by any of the characters.
Like its never even discussed what this weapons-ship-thingy is. We learn that it is a weapon and that the characters presume the "engineers" want to destroy humans. But we never genuinely learn what anything means, only what the characters briefly suggest. While I can appreciate this is perhaps more realistic in this scenario - there is barely any time for discussion - for the purposes of a film that I'm meant to be getting into and enjoying it just leaves me feeling like nothing has happened.
It feels like I can summarise this film in a paragraph and not even miss the point. There is no point made!
While there was some nice little details here and there, this film is pretty sparse on detail plot wise, character wise...really its just pretty plain.
The stupid thing is, it could get away with all this lack of explanation and depth by being a decent horror film. But it doesn't even try that properly. I guess I can only describe it as a drama - stuff happens - not much of it really means anything.
There were moments where I thought they might suddenly reveal all - and clearly this was the intention to give this expectation. But then they just resort to people shooting and fighting instead. Which ok, its different in that they are avoiding a stereotype of "now we get to hear all the answers in a long scene" but its just leaves you wondering why you are bothing to watch.
I feel this film is attempting to force the audience to use their imagination and to get them asking questions and wondering. This is fine if you give some carrot. But seeing as this film fails to give the audience any information beyond "Aliens" "Earth" "Destroy" it fails spectacularly.
And I'm sick to death of this Weyland crap. Before it used to be a semi-background detail that was just a nice little link. Now its become a major plot point lately for no apparent reason. I got the sense in Alien and Aliens that humanity overall was dark as ever with corporations in general being willing to sacrafic people for their goals. It didn't seem like it was being specific to just one company/person. But as we get more and more films they've now built it into basically the real villain being Weyland and the Aliens/everything else just being a distraction or tool. This film would been much better instantly if Weyland wasn't involved at all. Sure you would lose that 3rd angle of not just humans vs aliens but humans vs corporation vs aliens but in this film it just felt like a stop-gap to fill-in the missing plot.
I liked the film generally but its by no means a great and it really produced great potential and delivered barely any of it. The overall picture of the "Engineers" is quite good though and its interesting to see where they go with it. I liked the suggestion they aren't all hell-bent on destruction with the opening scene but about it really.
- 5,249
- Gothenburg
- jaco_bin
Saw it today, decent film, don't really know what to say about it... But I'll summarize it as "enjoyable, but not a film you have to see". 7/10 would probably be my rating.
I'd pretty much agree with that, it sums it up pretty nicely.
Interesting end though, seeing how the "Alien" as we know it was created, and the whole recreation of the engineers' process of aiming the warship at Earth was a nice scene.
I'd pretty much agree with that, it sums it up pretty nicely.
Last edited:
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
I get that the producers want to make a trilogy out of this. It's got some interesting ideas, and I don't think it is something that could be confined to one film. But I hate the way they've gone about doing it. By all means, leave a few loose strands for a sequel to follow - but don't just give up halfway through. This was the biggest problem that "Lost" faced, and I'm disappointed the problem showed itself in PROMETHEUS, because films can't rely on the episodic nature of television story-telling.
The one thing the format has going for it is that it can easily pick up where it left off in a sequel. There won't be any need to establish things too extensively.
The one thing the format has going for it is that it can easily pick up where it left off in a sequel. There won't be any need to establish things too extensively.
I could see the sequel starting with a salvage crew sent to surveil the wreckage of PROMETHEUS - Weyland did spend a trillion dollars on it, and would no doubt want to keep track of it - and finding Noomi Rapace and/or David.
As for why the Engineers were planning to attack earth, I'd probably build on Janek's suggestion that the Engineers lost control of their weapons, the xenomorphs. Knowing that humankind bore a lot of resemblance to them, they left messages on earth inviting humans to visit. As soon as humans discovered it and followed them, it would be the sign that humanity has achieved interstellar flight and would pose a danger to the rest of the galaxy because they would be ideal hosts for the xenomorphs. So the Engineers attack earth to protect the rest of the galaxy.
As for why the Engineers were planning to attack earth, I'd probably build on Janek's suggestion that the Engineers lost control of their weapons, the xenomorphs. Knowing that humankind bore a lot of resemblance to them, they left messages on earth inviting humans to visit. As soon as humans discovered it and followed them, it would be the sign that humanity has achieved interstellar flight and would pose a danger to the rest of the galaxy because they would be ideal hosts for the xenomorphs. So the Engineers attack earth to protect the rest of the galaxy.
- 437
- Bathurst
- Froudeybrand
I have googled and looked and watched youtube clips but how in the blue hell is this movie a prequel to aliens?
- 5,249
- Gothenburg
- jaco_bin
Prisonermonkeys - nice theory, sounds very plausible indeed. 👍
Well, just... without spoiling too much, it just is. I can't really summarize the first half of the film in a good way, but one thing the film does is thatit provides a scene which expands on the background of the "xenomorph" as we know it. Or, that's pretty much a side-effect of the whole last half of the film. But one particular scene tells ut about the... "creation" of the "alien" that we know from Alien to Alien: Resurrection.
And I have to say, that was one thing I feel that the film did well, since the the lack of answers to questions that were asked, was among the worst things with the film. The whole execution of making this a credible expansion to the history before "Alien" was something that I, atleast, didn't notice too much issues with.
Hope this is somewhat understandable.
Well, just... without spoiling too much, it just is. I can't really summarize the first half of the film in a good way, but one thing the film does is that
And I have to say, that was one thing I feel that the film did well, since the the lack of answers to questions that were asked, was among the worst things with the film. The whole execution of making this a credible expansion to the history before "Alien" was something that I, atleast, didn't notice too much issues with.
Hope this is somewhat understandable.
Last edited:
- 1,411
- Shaggy_Alonso
Went to see it today, much to my embarrassment I felt pretty sick at one scene. SPOILER AHEAD DON'T READ IF YOU'VE NOT SEEN THE FILM:
So yes, that scene where the two scientists meet their grisly end - ugh there was just something about it - the alien breaking his arm was mucho gross, then just moments later this was followed up with the scene of holloway discovering what looked like a worm in his eye, euuugh. Incidentally, I found this far, far worse than the 'caesarian'. Anyone else find this or was it just my wimpish self?
So yes, that scene where the two scientists meet their grisly end - ugh there was just something about it - the alien breaking his arm was mucho gross, then just moments later this was followed up with the scene of holloway discovering what looked like a worm in his eye, euuugh. Incidentally, I found this far, far worse than the 'caesarian'. Anyone else find this or was it just my wimpish self?
- 10,373
- Manchester
- Ardius_
Prequel in stupid science fiction backstory sense. Not a prequel in any other sense. It bares no resemblance to the Alien films at all. To be fair though, a lot of modern filming techniques and special effects change the look and feel of films. Part of what makes Alien and Aliens look nice and gritty is that they were filmed in the 70s/early 80s with much cheaper effects.
The very shiny and flash human space ship (well actually..even the "Engineer" ships are pretty clean and polished) seems a far cry from the dark and dirty ships from Alien and Aliens.
In a way the difference to me is like the difference between Star Trek and Warhammer 40,000 though perhaps not that extreme - but the contrast is similar.
- 3,279
- UK
- GTP_VEXD
Saw this last night.
I am seriously hoping that what I saw was NOT the "Director's cut".
Though I am not a massive Aliens films fan, and couldn't even tell you who was in which and what happened, I do know that in general if Ridley Scott is involved, then I should make an effort to get to a cinema and see the film there.
I had intended to make that effort with another film: Avengers Assemble, but somehow I never made it.
However, I watched Prometheus last night, and was a bit grossed out by the 5 minute surgery, but aside from that was just left in a state of anti-climax by the time the credits rolled.
Some very large bits of film are missing IMO.
I'd like some more back-story, some more emotion between characters, some more fleshing-out of character history, and some questions answered.
That's why I'm in this thread, because I thought I'd find them in here.......
THIS MAY SPOIL SOMETHING FOR SOME, BUT I DOUBT IT:::::
I find it hard to swallow the fact that someone can sleep for 2 years on the cusp of fiinding the greatest discovery ever, wake up, be alive for 4 days, find that discovery with their partner/lover/friend/more by their side, then watch their partner/lover/friend/more die heinously at someone else's hand 6 feet away; and by a few hours later, not really give a toss about it.
That's a little harsh, but it was the cynical view I cast over the edge of my 3D glasses that makes me glad to know that I didn't pay for the "premier" option and spend £20 watching this film sat in my own sofa with nachos at the cinema house.
I reckon there are large parts missing, and I expect to see them released in the following year or so.
Damn I should've gone to see Avengers......
👍
I am seriously hoping that what I saw was NOT the "Director's cut".
Though I am not a massive Aliens films fan, and couldn't even tell you who was in which and what happened, I do know that in general if Ridley Scott is involved, then I should make an effort to get to a cinema and see the film there.
I had intended to make that effort with another film: Avengers Assemble, but somehow I never made it.
However, I watched Prometheus last night, and was a bit grossed out by the 5 minute surgery, but aside from that was just left in a state of anti-climax by the time the credits rolled.
Some very large bits of film are missing IMO.
I'd like some more back-story, some more emotion between characters, some more fleshing-out of character history, and some questions answered.
That's why I'm in this thread, because I thought I'd find them in here.......
THIS MAY SPOIL SOMETHING FOR SOME, BUT I DOUBT IT:::::
I find it hard to swallow the fact that someone can sleep for 2 years on the cusp of fiinding the greatest discovery ever, wake up, be alive for 4 days, find that discovery with their partner/lover/friend/more by their side, then watch their partner/lover/friend/more die heinously at someone else's hand 6 feet away; and by a few hours later, not really give a toss about it.
That's a little harsh, but it was the cynical view I cast over the edge of my 3D glasses that makes me glad to know that I didn't pay for the "premier" option and spend £20 watching this film sat in my own sofa with nachos at the cinema house.
I reckon there are large parts missing, and I expect to see them released in the following year or so.
Damn I should've gone to see Avengers......
👍
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
I'm pretty sure it is the director's cut. Ever since the BLADE RUNNER debacle, with Ridley Scott disowning the film after the studio forced changes on him that he didn't like, studios generally know that what Scott wants, Scott gets.
Nope. Damon Lindelhof has said that the decision to leave the ending of the film relatively unresolved was not his choice, but it was made early in the development cycle and he worked with it, so there are no re-shoots or cut footage that wraps everything up. It appears that PROMETHEUS was not simply conceived as the first part of a duology or a trilogy, but was approved to be the first part, with sequels guaranteed to be made.
- 3,279
- UK
- GTP_VEXD
Damn.
I can take the ending being the ending. No problem with that.
I just felt they spent a long time with the footage and a pair of scissors and a memo that said "make it 2 hours shorter"......
I think the ending was satisfactory.
I just want more back story, character fleshing etc.
Anyway.... I spose I'll wait and see what comes next, but I will wait and see what comes next at the rental store, rather than the cinema.
👍
- 10,373
- Manchester
- Ardius_
I think one of the many reasons I really dislike the plot in this film is due to the characters being so ridiculously dumb and short-sighted - especially the biologist and geologist getting lost. How did they get lost when have all this fancy mapping technology as well as cameras and radios! They just seemed to wander off and everyone else forgot about them until they did a headcount. Seemed a little too unlikely.
I think the film would have been better with a bit wiser and intelligent characters. I think the fact they are stupid and do stupid things makes it less of an impact when they all get killed off. When I look back at Alien and The Thing - these films had great characters who weren't stupid but had various issues which led to the events. In Prometheus nearly all of the characters seem to lack any concept of being in hazardous environment with competely unknown dangers. It feels more like a bunch of students on a trip in the countryside, not a science team.
And yeah like VEXD says, the archeologist woman seems to have a 5-second memory. Although equally no one else on the ship questions what on earth is wrong with her massive wound! Nor does she warn anyone about the tentacle alien thing she just left on the operation-table thing! I guess she just thought someone would clean it up for her?
I'm just assuming that Weyland hired a bunch of morons so that they wouldn't get in his way and that maybe sleeping for 2 years left them a bit dosey in the head.
I think the film would have been better with a bit wiser and intelligent characters. I think the fact they are stupid and do stupid things makes it less of an impact when they all get killed off. When I look back at Alien and The Thing - these films had great characters who weren't stupid but had various issues which led to the events. In Prometheus nearly all of the characters seem to lack any concept of being in hazardous environment with competely unknown dangers. It feels more like a bunch of students on a trip in the countryside, not a science team.
And yeah like VEXD says, the archeologist woman seems to have a 5-second memory. Although equally no one else on the ship questions what on earth is wrong with her massive wound! Nor does she warn anyone about the tentacle alien thing she just left on the operation-table thing! I guess she just thought someone would clean it up for her?
I'm just assuming that Weyland hired a bunch of morons so that they wouldn't get in his way and that maybe sleeping for 2 years left them a bit dosey in the head.
- 929
- United States
I wonder how Ridley Scott feels about making a movie that manages to be inferior in every way to Alien Resurrection. I think it might be time for the once amazing director to call it quits after this mess.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
The most telling problem with PROMETHEUS is the black liquid.
- When Fifield is exposed to it, it kills him. It then mutates and reanimates his corpse.
- When Holloway is exposed to it, he becomes ill to the point where he asks the other to kill him.
- When Shaw is exposed to it, she is impregnated with an alien.
No explanation is given for how or why the dark liquid reacts differently in these cases. It's storytelling at its laziest.
- When Fifield is exposed to it, it kills him. It then mutates and reanimates his corpse.
- When Holloway is exposed to it, he becomes ill to the point where he asks the other to kill him.
- When Shaw is exposed to it, she is impregnated with an alien.
No explanation is given for how or why the dark liquid reacts differently in these cases. It's storytelling at its laziest.
- 289
Dont forget in the beginning when the engineer who is basically Prometheus gets punished for creating life so he commits suicide with the liquid, life begins to form ( Humans ).
SuperShouden
(Banned)
- 7,542
- SuperShouden
There were a lot of questions left unanswered, as well. I fully agree with VEXD about Shaw being all "NO! We've gotta get off this planet! We need to LEAVE NOW!" After watching her lover get killed and then going "We need to stay here and find out that these "Engineers" want to kill us, despite the fact we ALREADY KNOW THAT, and I was just telling everyone that we need to leave three minutes prior to this."
The never REALLY give a good explanation as to WHY everyone else besides the two main scientists are there, either. Everyone thinks they're idiots and crazy and yet, they agreed to come along anyway? Really? And why spend trillions of dollars on a project NO ONE believes in? Because some half-dead geezer says to?
How did the face hugger get so big once it was out of Shaw's stomach?
The pregnancy was kinda...pointless as Shaw very quickly took care of it. But the creature went from a little thing to a giant face hugger in about half an hour? Really? Apparently the sterilization spray is alien Miracle Grow.
And having David watch Shaw's dreams at the beginning was pointless. Later when he mentions her father died (not her mother like in the dream) and she asks him how he knows that and he calmly goes, "I watched your dreams." That's creepy as hell, which is what they were going for and that scene makes the scene showing him ACTUALLY watching her dreams rather pointless. I'd rather have him SAY he watched her dreams without actually showing it. It makes all that more creepy. And what was with the Creepy Android? Half-way through the movie, you're expecting him to kill everyone on board except Shaw and keep her as his personal sex slave or something. He was like Hannibal Bot.
And WHY was SHAW so special? WHY? WHY did EVERYTHING and EVERYONE WANT her? Why her? There's no explanation for that. Also, how come the two scientists get killed...and then the entire area became harmless. Did the little face huggers have their fill? And some of the ways people died were like, "Oh yeah, everyone's dead at the beginning of Alien, huh? I guess these idiots have to die. Let's see. I know, let's have the aliens turn one of the scientists into a zombie and kill all of the no-name people. Why? Because we can."
Anyway, it wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't a good movie either.
The never REALLY give a good explanation as to WHY everyone else besides the two main scientists are there, either. Everyone thinks they're idiots and crazy and yet, they agreed to come along anyway? Really? And why spend trillions of dollars on a project NO ONE believes in? Because some half-dead geezer says to?
How did the face hugger get so big once it was out of Shaw's stomach?
The pregnancy was kinda...pointless as Shaw very quickly took care of it. But the creature went from a little thing to a giant face hugger in about half an hour? Really? Apparently the sterilization spray is alien Miracle Grow.
And having David watch Shaw's dreams at the beginning was pointless. Later when he mentions her father died (not her mother like in the dream) and she asks him how he knows that and he calmly goes, "I watched your dreams." That's creepy as hell, which is what they were going for and that scene makes the scene showing him ACTUALLY watching her dreams rather pointless. I'd rather have him SAY he watched her dreams without actually showing it. It makes all that more creepy. And what was with the Creepy Android? Half-way through the movie, you're expecting him to kill everyone on board except Shaw and keep her as his personal sex slave or something. He was like Hannibal Bot.
And WHY was SHAW so special? WHY? WHY did EVERYTHING and EVERYONE WANT her? Why her? There's no explanation for that. Also, how come the two scientists get killed...and then the entire area became harmless. Did the little face huggers have their fill? And some of the ways people died were like, "Oh yeah, everyone's dead at the beginning of Alien, huh? I guess these idiots have to die. Let's see. I know, let's have the aliens turn one of the scientists into a zombie and kill all of the no-name people. Why? Because we can."
Anyway, it wasn't a bad movie, but it wasn't a good movie either.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
How did the alien in ALIEN grow so quickly? It was about the size of a fist when it first appeared and then somehow grew seven feet very quickly.
- 3,323
- GTP_Mark
- Mark T33
- 1,326
- SC
I am an overly sceptical movie critic because I dont get to go out to the theater very often. Having said that, after reading about the negative criticism of the plot regarding this movie, I wasnt expecting to be pulled as far into it as I was. In fact, in the last scene where the final creature reveals itself for the first time (sorry Im trying not to spoil it) I actually got a big smile on my face when I realized what it was. This movie greatly exceeded my expectations and I would recommend it to ANY sci-fi fan!
Syntax error
Staff Emeritus
- 3,438
- Melbourne
- Fett_up
- totallyfettup
I think you might be miss interpreting what the black liquid actually is. It's a catalyst for evolution.
-We see Holloway changing. Into what? We never know as he asks to be killed.
-Fifield is indeed reanimated by it, but not killed by it. The worms that have been exposed to the liquid evolved into the xenomorph like slugs. He cuts one of them with a knife at which point his helmet gets hit with a spray of blood (which is safe to assume exactly like the xenomorph blood we are used to in the other movies from the Alien franchise).
-Yet again, Shaw who is barren becomes fertile from the being exposed to it by Holloway.
- The start of the movie shows the engineer drink the liquid, to kick off the evolutionary cycle on earth.
Obviously it requires some suspension of disbelief, being the it's a sci-fi movie, and it would have worked for the most part if it wasn't for the fact that the crew are so darn stupid. commence sarcastic tone* Let's not take weapons with us when exploring. Let's operate an alien head without bio-hazard suits or at the very least some face protection. Lets split up when exploring. Why should we do a head count when we need to go back to the shuttle as a big storm is coming. It's not important for anyone to monitor the giant 3D map outlining exactly where everyone is located when ensuring everyone is evacuating the ruins. I will continue to run straight in the same direction as the ship is falling instead of turning left or right. /sarcasm
Those bits of the movie are what really pulled me out of what could well have been a true masterpiece. The overarching story, the mystery and pieces you have to connect yourself show that Ridley Scott still got what it takes to make a good sci-fi, but there are those really silly moments that I'm disappointed in.
- 1,326
- SC
But you say all that (which I was okay with personally) and give no mention to the one truely non-believable part in the story where the humanoid that gets beheaded is still completely funtional indefinately. I guess he had batteries in his head and his torso somehow that werent affected by a disconnect at the spinal column. They should have just killed him when the alien pulled his head off. Him continuing on fully functional was when I said-"what?!!"
Syntax error
Staff Emeritus
- 3,438
- Melbourne
- Fett_up
- totallyfettup
It's not the first time we've seen a severely damaged android continue to function. Bishop is torn in half in Aliens yet continues to function. To be honest, that didn't bother me so much. I had bigger issues of believability with the "rockstar" attitude of the geologist.
- 33,155
- Hammerhead Garage
But this is never explained. I'm not misinterpreting it, I'm simply pointing out that three different people are exposed to it under different circumstances, and all three experience different results with no explanation as to why those results are different.
