You know, I haven't seen
Prometheus yet. The trailer looked cool, and I was initially intrigued that director
Ridley Scott was supposedly returning to the
Alien universe, but the reviews and word-of-mouth really made me lose interest. I guess I'll wait and rent it from Netflix when it becomes available.What did you other Star Kids think?
I liked it. The visuals are stunning, and Ridley Scott creates an aura of dread and anticipation. There were a couple of scenes in there that gave me nightmares, which is a rare occurence these days.
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of talk about how some plot lines never get resolved... well, I kind of like having to think things through a little on my own without having it all laid out in front of me. A little mystery never killed anyone.
Plus, Michael Fassbender is awesome. His performance is worth the price of admission by itself. Go see it, Christopher.
Good call. It might benefit from being viewed on a big screen because of the visuals, but you'll be better off being able to pause it and walk away if you need to.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was atrocious. There may have been a few good bits or intriguing propositions but they were buried by bad storytelling and lousy characters. I think this is mostly an attempt to restart the "franchise" by appealing to peoples' memories of the original films while jettisoning any real connection to them, and trying to tell a new story that is just hackneyed and full of weak thrills. It's Phantom Menace all over again!
ReplyDeleteChristopher, I believe that this would be a good time for you to see it. Your expectations (like mine) will already be deflated from the word of mouth and reviews. A lot of my friends went to opening night, expecting to see the movie that was hyped in the trailers and on websites. It's definitely a different movie. Let all of that go and you will enjoy the flick for what it is. I went this past weekend, totally expecting to hate it, based on what other people told me. It's a flawed movie in many ways, but it's one that will (A) Leave you wanting more and (B) Have a great discussion with friends as you disect it. I think Ridley Scott created a movie that people will talk about for years down the road, whether there is a sequel or not. Michael Fassbender turned in a good performance as always, while Noomi Rapace and Charlize Theron were less thrilling. There wasn't a moment where I wanted to walk out of the theater (no fanboy rage here). It's a beautiful film, with lots of great visuals and fantastic sets. I loved the Prometheus ship and it fits right into the Alien universe, although it's less gritty and lived in. Go see the movie and judge for yourself -- ignore the naysayers and haters. The very fact that there are heated debates online tell me that Scott created something memorable and worth discussing.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better myself. I really enjoyed "Prometheus." Even though many things in it don't add up, it's still a helluva ride -- thrilling, compelling, visually stunning, and it attempts to unravel some pretty big issues and mysteries. I think it's a "must see" film for any sci-fi fans and really don't understand the haters feelings on this one. But, I think even if you end up not liking it it's still worth seeing. You may love it.
DeleteThirding this sentiment. I think the film's minor flaws would be immediately forgiven a lesser director. I don't understand their presence myself, but I don't let them control my opinion of an extraordinary piece of sci-fi horror (it's definitely on the horror side of my line, anyway).
DeleteAnd I love talking to people about it, which is an important measure of "my time & money's worth" when it comes to theatrical viewings.
its not the Aliens prequal every one wanted, but its still a good sifi movie, go i say!
ReplyDeleteOne word: LOVECRAFT.
ReplyDeleteFive more: AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS.
Tex
(two more: IN SPAAAAAACE)
plot holes you could drive an armoured column through. I wouldnt even bother getting it off Netflix. watch Alien in blu ray instead and remind yourself what a true classic looks like.
ReplyDeleteRidleys lucky the Queen doesn't revoke his "Sir" for the travesty that is Prometheus.............. AWFUL! Great production design though, terrible creatures and the worst old age make up in a movie...EVER!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed it. Stunning visuals, excellent performances by Fassbender and Rapace (plus Elba had the funniest lines), and no, it is not a DIRECT prequel to ALIEN, which is what a lot of people were expecting. Personally, I think a lot of the negative comments are from people who wanted one film but got another, and that's ticked them off--but again, this is just my POV.
ReplyDeleteChristopher, my advice--just see it and decide for yourself. Just drop the expectations and go in with an open mind, and don't let Rotten Tomatoes or an AICN Talkback forum decide what movies you should or should not see.
And one more thing: a lot of the negative reviews for PROMETHEUS are similar to the negative reviews BLADE RUNNER received 30 years ago. I guess the more things change....
@Tex: you say Lovecraft and ATMOM, and I agree, but I would also add that PROMETHEUS reminded me of Nigel Kneale's QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (aka FIVE MILLION YEARS TO EARTH).
I had the exact same reaction. Initial interest which quickly faded when I saw clips and reviews.
ReplyDeleteIt is weakest when it attempts to be an alien prequel, which is thankfully rarely. It is impressive as a cosmic science fiction story full of wonder and horror.
ReplyDeleteIf you can still see it at the cinema, I would recommend that.
As with all movies, only you can judge for yourself whether the film is good or not. But a film like Prometheus is meant to be seen on the big screen, regardless of opinion.
ReplyDeleteWhile the movie looks great it was nowhere near as good as I wanted it to be. The plot is pretty contrived. It was like someone watched a few episodes of Ancient Aliens and said to themselves "Hey, I think I can tie some of this to Ridley Scott's masterpiece Alien!" However, if you are going to see it I recomend that you see it on the big screen. On the big screen the visuals are enough to carry the movie to around a three star lever. Unfortunately, I don't think the movie will translate very well to in home viewing. On that level it will probably fall to around two or maybe ever one and a half stars. It is a shame because I was really hoping that this movie would jumpstart another Sci-Fi craze like the one we had in the mid to late 70's. I was even hoping for the possiblity that Starlog magazine might be able to make a come back as a result. Unfortunatley, that isn't going to happen:(
ReplyDeleteSee it in the theater in 3-D. I have NEVER recommended 3-D before, but Prometheus is gorgeous. Despite my recommendation, the script is awful and doesn't work on any level... The only character that succeeds at all is Michael Fassbender's David- he is the only one where not understanding motivation is a plus... If the storytelling had worked in any way I would have overlooked all the ridiculous details, but it didn't. I could go on and on... But I seriously recommend seeing it in the theater anyway because of the visuals...
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that most of the negative reviews are coming from 'Anonymous' posters. LOL
ReplyDeleteMarc is right though -- it reminded me a lot of Blade Runner, because of the same hot/cold responses and discussions. Love it or hate it, the movie has people talking.
I thought it was pretty incredible. I tried to stay away from any feedback so I could just walk in and enjoy on my own terms. The visuals were great, but I thought the tension building was too. I got shook up in one area of the film, something creeped me out, and it wasn't over the top gore or violence. I can't imagine seeing that in 3D.
ReplyDeleteI'll agree...it looks absolutely fantastic. And Charlize is just so gorgeous (to me at least) that it was almost distracting every time she was on the screen.
ReplyDeleteBut as for everything else...I had a headache, not from the 3D but from all the eye-rolling I did nearly every time a character said or did something. The best excuse I saw for all the stupidity on display was Charlize's character thinking the whole (multi-billion dollar) trip was a huge waste of time so she hired the laziest bunch of whackjobs she could find.
I've only seen Prometheus once, but whackjobs? Some were specialist in their fields, others seemed to be competent like the ship commander, etc. as well. Yes there were a few grunts in the mix with bad personalities, but no more that the characters played by Harry Stanton & Kotto in the first Alien film. It's interesting though everybody's take on the film.
ReplyDeleteI missed what came through so beautifully in the first two "ALIEN" films: fully rounded, believable characters that had identifiable motivations...most of whom weren't mostly portrayed by actors hired for their looks. There wasn't a single character in "Prometheus" I could identify with enough to root for.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's visually pleasing with a few touches of fanwank in the set designs. But other than that it felt empty.