Prometheus

[ChrisMC]

See, this is why these staggered release dates suck, there's tons of reviews out harshing my mellow on this film!

[Rico]

Yes, as this is releasing earlier overseas, be extra careful about spoilers for the next several days please.  Thanks in advance!

[Bryancd]

Oh, no one here has said a peep but they are raging over on the RPF!

[Rico]

Oh, no one here has said a peep but they are raging over on the RPF!

Yep - I understand that.  Just my little pre-warning.  And I haven't read any of it on the RPF.  I want to go and make up my own mind anyway - like I always say people should do.

[Bryancd]

It's at 81% at Rotten Tomatoes, so the critical reaction is pretty good.

[Meds]

Just seen it, have some issues, looking forward to openly talking about it when we can. :D

[Bryancd]

Just seen it, have some issues, looking forward to openly talking about it when we can. :D

That's why we have Spoiler tags!

[Meds]

That is true so here goes (I will talk about film here so don't open if don't want to know about the film)

[spoiler] Right so went and saw it yesterday with my mate Ray. Kell had seen it in 3D two days before and gave that a thumbs down so I managed to see it in 2D (according to the cinema assistant all 2D showings were selling out 3D no where near which is becoming the norm here in the UK). Now as I saw it in 2D I can see where the 3D bits would come into show and you know what (easy Bry) I honestly think those sections would work. I'm sure the scene in which David watched the journey planner and all the worlds floating about would look awesome in 3D.
Anyway bar that usual debate on 3D which no one will ever agree on be ayse it's personal choice lets crack on with the review. The opening scene of the alien on a planet (this is Earth but honestly you wouldn't know) is amazing, great effect of his ship leaving him, the disintegration of DNA wonderful and all this to spark life in our waters. Then it jumps into our future only 70 odd years and I notice Berghaus is still in fashion, some archeology stuff. Nice nod to Dr Who here as Ridley is a huge fan, Dr Elizabeth Shaw was the third Doctors assistant. They find some cave paintings that match others and this is a sign they want us to find them. Frankly they're idiots because even I could tell it meant invasion but hey ho. Jump ahead another four years we're on the ship, great looking ship called Prometheus. David (you know where that nod comes from) is wandering around looking cool in his TH Lawrence hair style. Fassbender is the star of this film and David is modelled on the bods from Bladerunner) Vickers awakes from her two year snooze and she's a right bitch (though honestly I don't believe her portrayal and that's just because it's Charlize Theron, she originally wanted the role of Shaw but was delayed in another project).
They seek out the planet the aliens (known as engineers) and head down. The exploration scenes are excellent. Very claustrophobic, some classic characters all wonderfully played and yes all the way through you are one step ahead of all of them which can be a bit annoying in a good cinematic way. David is on a different mission being all sneaky which is what keeps you engrossed. The film dips a little in the middle and this where the tight thread unravels into a bit of a cliche mess. The return of Wayland played well by Guy Pirece made me just shake my head at his plan of wanting eternal life (well to live longer but really??). Shaws companion getting affected by having his drink contaminated was very well done (eyes!!!!) Davids almost child like facial acting is awesome especially when he is up to no good (by orders).
Towards the end the pace picks up and the reveal of the living engineer Is great, now although this is in a spoiler tag I'm not going to go into all the detail but what I will say if something is crashing behind you and it's bloody round don't run in a straight line, idiots you run to the right or left out if it's way...arghhhhhh. It's left sooo open for other films is obvious this is intended for follow ups and I hope there are. Is it as a good as Alien? No. Is it a classic Scott film? No, is it worth seeing more than once Yes. It's a very good film, it's great sci fi but I spent an hour in the diner bar afterwards with Ray saying why this? Why that? This didn't work? Are they dreaming? How cool is Fassbender.
I really want to read a full review from Bry and Al as I'm sure they will have a better Alien take on the film and even pick out more details. The actual engineer interior ship is classic  H.R Giger and when you see the huge alien wall mount you can't help but get excited.

Final thoughts it's well worth seeing, it's a dark film so I'd suggest 2D but I can see the 3D working for maybe two scenes. Fassbender steals the show, some great jump in your seat moments and Alien acid is still scary. 7.5 out of 10. I would see it again.

M   [/spoiler]

[Meds]

Apologies for any spelling, that review was wrote on my phone lol :)

[Bryancd]

That was terrific Meds, thanks for that! I am going with a local friend Friday at 1:00pm...2D at his request. :) I will go catch it in 3D for my second watch. Everyting you said is similar to other reviews I have read so far.

[Meds]

Thanks Bry :)  I've just had a 35 minute chat over the phone with kell, he saw it Saturday and questions and queries are still going on which for me shows this film is one to be thought about. Ideal. He went 3D and ended up taking the glasses off only because it's so dark he couldn't see the picture.

I'm now thinking its pretty clear that [spoiler]This is the first of two or maybe even three films leading up to the begining of Alien. [/spoiler]

Bry, really looking forward to your review and please, please do a podcast for Rico about it. :)

[Bryancd]

Thanks Bry :)  I've just had a 35 minute chat over the phone with kell, he saw it Saturday and questions and queries are still going on which for me shows this film is one to be thought about. Ideal. He went 3D and ended up taking the glasses off only because it's so dark he couldn't see the picture.

I'm now thinking its pretty clear that [spoiler]This is the first of two or maybe even three films leading up to the begining of Alien. [/spoiler]

Bry, really looking forward to your review and please, please do a podcast for Rico about it. :)

A comment from the writer Lindenhof that sheds some light on what you just asked, Meds.

[spoiler]"While excited about his collaboration with director Ridley Scott who makes his triumphant return to both sci-fi and the world of Alien, Damon Lindelof doesn't want to count his xenomorphs before they're hatched. The writer, who worked closely with Scott on the script, wanted to make sure that the story presented in Prometheus answers enough of the questions brought up in the new film while also leaving the possibility for a sequel.

"Ridley was very interested in talking about, 'What are the answers to the questions that Prometheus is posing that are not necessarily definitively spelled out in the body of Prometheus?'" the Lost co-creator told The Hollywood Reporter. "I said to him, we should be prepared for people to feel frustrated if we're going to be withholding, so we have to be very careful about what we're saving for later," he continues. "Because it's not a foregone conclusion that there are going to be sequels, and so if there isn't a sequel, just be comfortable with what we gave them in this movie."

Lindelof pointed out that the film will serve as the father of two sequels; one of them is obviously the already-existing Alien, but the other, at one point referred to as Paradise, would flow more directly from this film. "The audience is given a little more information than the characters in the movie have," he said. "And it's our hope that fires the imagination up enough for them to say, 'I might want to see Prometheus again' or 'I definitely want to see where this movie takes me.' Because this movie has two children: One of these children grows up to be Alien, but the other child is going to grow up, and God knows what happens to them. And that's what the sequel to Prometheus would be."[spoiler]

[Meds]

Oh that says a lot, thanks Bry.

[Jobydrone]

[spoiler]'What are the answers to the questions that Prometheus is posing that are not necessarily definitively spelled out in the body of Prometheus?'" the Lost co-creator told The Hollywood Reporter. "I said to him, we should be prepared for people to feel frustrated if we're going to be withholding, so we have to be very careful about what we're saving for later" [/spoiler]

I found this part of your quote very funny, Bryan.  If anyone knows about the pitfalls of angering fans of a franchise it's Lindelhof!  Sounds like he learned his lessons well.

[Bryancd]

[spoiler]‘What are the answers to the questions that Prometheus is posing that are not necessarily definitively spelled out in the body of Prometheus?’” the Lost co-creator told The Hollywood Reporter. “I said to him, we should be prepared for people to feel frustrated if we’re going to be withholding, so we have to be very careful about what we’re saving for later” [/spoiler]

I found this part of your quote very funny, Bryan.  If anyone knows about the pitfalls of angering fans of a franchise it's Lindelhof!  Sounds like he learned his lessons well.

I hope...but I am concerned by what I am hearing he hasn't. I had no idea so many people dislike him so much. I never got  into LOST, so that was all lost one me. :)