Since Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror/sci-fi hit Alien, the eponymous wet black creature inspired by H. R. Giger’s psycho-sexual artwork has spawned three proper sequels, a couple spin-offs vs. another movie alien (Predator), not to mention comics, videogames and a secure spot alongside film history’s greatest movie monsters. Scott finally returns to the Alien universe with Prometheus, a prequel to his original tale of corporate greed set against the backdrop of a haunted house in space.
Strangely, Prometheus is the first in the series to actually be a true science-fiction flick (more on that later). The movie begins on earth in the late 21st century where archeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) discover an ancient cave painting that could point to the origin of the human species in a constellation too far from the earth to be seen by early humans. The film picks up years later, with a crew in cryogenic sleep aboard the spaceship Prometheus while the android David (Fassbender) acts as caretaker. When they reach their destination, their discoveries lead to horrifying revelations on the origin of their species (and the alien’s), as well as further philosophical questions about the morality of a search for one’s maker.
Good works of science fiction should raise these kinds of queries. Co-writer Damon Lindelof developed a knack for developing a good mystery while writing for TV’s Lost, but like that show, the answers can be more infuriating than the questions, and often raise even more questions than we started with. Lindelof is alright with the big picture, but the small picture sci-fi elements can be somewhat baffling. With such sophisticated mapping and communications technology, no one should get lost. No one.
The film’s strong-suits far outweigh some of these concerns, however. With Scott at the helm, no Alien movie has ever looked this good. From the set to the aliens to the environment design, Prometheus can be both beautiful and terrifying, often in the same shot. And Fassbender’s performance as an existential android makes for the most complex, human and creepy character on a ship full of one-note, who-will-die-next types, much like Prometheus amidst the swath of inferior sequels since Scott’s original classic.
