Big-name sequels always garner the
majority of attention leading into the Summer Movie Season, and while the same
can largely be said of summer 2012, one science fiction standalone was
generating massive amounts of buzz. When
audiences first caught wind of Prometheus,
there was a great deal of mystery surrounding the central plot and characters,
but once director Ridley Scott and plot hints of an Alien prequel were mentioned in the same breath, pre-release tracking
went through the roof. Early trailers
showcased an epic alien world, more than enough to pique the interest of any
cinematic geek; but for me, the biggest selling-point of Prometheus was the rising-star cast. Now, I’ve mentioned repeatedly that I will
see anything featuring Charlize Theron, but add-in Idris Elba (Takers), Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class), and Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows), and
it looked like the next generation of the Hollywood A-list would be delivering
the next epic blockbuster. Granted, the
science fiction-horror genre isn’t exactly one of my favorites, but marketing
tactics had definitely left me curious, so I was willing to give Prometheus a chance.
Overall
Recommendation: Medium
While it isn’t exactly the
cinematic ground-breaker that many were expecting, Prometheus does offer plenty of strong elements; but for every
accolade, there is an almost parallel weakness that keeps overall quality decidedly
in the middle of the road. While the
actors do deliver strong performances, the two standouts being Fassbender and
Rapace, their efforts are hindered by incomplete and questionable character
development. And while the visuals,
special effects, and set designs are all awe-inducing, they cannot overshadow
the fact that the narrative generates far more questions than it ever attempts
to answer. Prometheus makes several assertions that would have massive
implications for both theological and evolutionary theory…IF the plot had taken
the time to fully explore those elements.
Instead, answers are ultimately left for an assumed sequel. So, while I was surprised by how much I
enjoyed the cinematic world generated by Prometheus,
I cannot help but be a little disappointed over the fact that the film ultimately
failed to fully capitalize on its considerable potential.
