Friday, June 08, 2012

PROMETHEUS



Directed by: Ridley Scott
Run time: 124 min

At last a 'decent' sci-fi in the summer that doesn't rely on comics, although still a prequel of a very famous Alien film in 1979 which means I still cringe on the lack of originality Hollywood has to offer. The latest release from Ridley Scott also doesn't shy on giving gore and thrill-gasm to the viewers.

In general, the plot is quite similar to Alien. A group of people in a ship arrived at some strange planet and meet strange stuff there. Then, creepy things happened. In the spotlight is Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) plus David (Michael Fassbender), an android inside the ship Prometheus.

The whole thing still cannot match the eeriness of Alien but it is a decent sci fi. If there's flaw is that the script seems to be a bit cliche, but Fassbender and Rapace saves the story by acting great. Fassbender as David is enigmatic and curios while Rapace as Shaw is typical of tough woman in the neighborhood that will not let anyone and anything mess with her. The rest is amazing, the scenery and the alien manages to grip the audience with it's creepiness (does such thing ever existed).

So what is Prometheus? According to Greek mythology he is a Titan who steal fire from the gods for the betterment of mankind and he is punished by Zeus. As a trickster Prometheus considered as hero of mankind, a symbol for improving human existence by reaching the unreachable.

Unlike 'just another alien monster that deep throats their subjects' this one ponders of the 'why are we here' question and if you want the answer to be revealed in the film it's just like expecting to understand philosophy just by watching movies. It is slightly thought provoking for those who wanted to think.

Is it a worthy addition to a franchise that has been unable to boast a genuinely satisfying entry in more than 25 years? That depends on what you're expecting. If you wanted a piece of The Avengers like action, you will be disappointed but if you expect a scary sci-fi, this is what you looking for.

As for the 3-D, it is magnificent and gives you a sense of depth since it is native 3-D not those craps converted into 3-D. It's crisp and clear and although most of the scenes are in the dark, it does not descent into chaotic darkness. Just like Avatar and Hugo, Scott really knows how to maximize the visual beauty of 3-D not to rape it to grab working people's money.