Prometheus: A Blockbuster Epic That Transcends Its Flaws
Shedding its technical constraints and escaping its former confinement, “Prometheus” (2012) doesn’t exactly soar to new heights. Instead, it transplants its familiar themes into the loud, chaotic, and spectacular genre of the summer blockbuster, where the plot must adhere to a set of mandatory rules, inevitably leading to some script imperfections.
On a distant planet in a galaxy far, far away, a white, humanoid alien gazes from a cliff at a departing ship before consuming a poisonous concoction…
The year is 2093. An Earth research vessel enters orbit around a distant planet. A curious android with a hairstyle reminiscent of Lawrence of Arabia awakens the diverse crew from cryosleep. Among them are: a stern corporate supervisor (Charlize Theron); a laid-back, good-natured captain (Idris Elba); a friendly biologist; a reserved geologist; and, most importantly, a pair of archaeologists who are the driving force behind the entire mission. Years earlier, they discovered evidence in a Scottish cave suggesting that thousands of years ago, humanity worshipped alien giants. In addition to their patrons, the ancients also depicted a map of the starry sky in their drawings. Using this map, the scientists were able to pinpoint the location of the planet from which these celestial giants came to Earth. And it is to this planet – for a rendezvous with their supposed forefathers – that their expedition is now headed.
A Familiar Formula
In reality, the majority of the research and command staff will ultimately meet their forefathers. Ridley Scott not only places all the events within the “universe” of the original “Alien,” but also largely adheres to its classic tenets. In other words, no matter how form-fitting the elastic spacesuits may be, the main character will still be running around the spaceship in her signature white underwear.
But that, as they say, is at the very end. At the beginning, Scott lands his doomed crew on a cold, post-apocalyptic-looking planet, where they immediately stumble upon a giant, hollow structure that holds a wealth of answers to various intriguing questions – including the coveted one about the origin of humanity. Fans of the original film series (“Prometheus” serves as a kind of prologue to it), however, need not worry. In addition to archaeological secrets, the catacombs also conceal fascinating fauna – moreover, the final shots of the film were clearly designed to elicit applause from the entire audience. But that, again, is at the very end. Until then, Ridley Scott allows himself to fully enjoy all the new technical capabilities, the absence of which probably hampered him during the time of the very first “Alien.” In other words, he finally conducts a full orchestra playing the successful melody he composed more than thirty years ago. The epic scope is evident from the very first shots, when the virtual camera flies over the cold landscapes of a distant planet. Yes, a person without a spacesuit wouldn’t survive here for even two minutes, but the tone is set, and it’s immediately clear that “Prometheus” will not be confined to the perimeter of a single spaceship, as was the case in the first “Alien” and “Aliens.”
High-Tech Horror
By the way, the ship itself is equipped with “the latest technology,” making all the chrome handles shine much brighter than in 1979 (and the scene with the automated operating unit is particularly impressive). However, Scott truly indulges himself, of course, with the furnishing and equipping of the alien complex, where holograms constantly run and special scanning probes (“puppies,” as the geologist lovingly calls them) fly around. In general, it’s a feast for the eyes, and if it weren’t for the suspicious slime on the walls, one could almost forget why everyone gathered.
Meanwhile, the story itself ventures “beyond the perimeter.” While the main task of the heroes remains the same (not to bring any infection home), it is now overshadowed by a global conflict between creator and creation. A private illustration of this is Fassbender’s cyborg, who engages in theosophical conversations with his human creators and takes offense when they remind him of his own inhumanity. Moreover, his moral ambivalence, almost childlike curiosity, and fascination with old cinema make his character almost the most memorable, overshadowing even the athletic archaeologist Noomi Rapace. And yet, it is her character who is meant to embody all the best in humanity, she doesn’t remove her Catholic cross even when the ungodly origin of humans becomes more or less obvious.
A Blockbuster with Ambition
However, it cannot be said that Scott is really trying to draw the viewer into a serious conversation about the creator, faith, and the relevance of the three laws of robotics. Having gotten rid of technical constraints and escaping its former confinement, “Prometheus” doesn’t exactly soar to new heights – no, it rather transfers the previous themes into a loud, chaotic, and spectacular genre of the summer blockbuster, where the plot must follow a number of mandatory laws, and therefore the script is not without flaws.
And yet, the only real complaint that can be made against Scott is a grievance akin to the one experienced by Rapace’s character when she learns the whole truth about her creators and their plans for humanity. But here it turns out like in the joke. Sometimes the point is simply to convey the essence.