"Prometheus” is an ambitious science fiction film marred by moments of inexplicably poor writing. Its visual scale is staggering, its themes are compelling and its mise-en-scène is transportive, but some of its characters do unforgivably foolish things, creating an uneven experience.
I wanted “Prometheus” to be wholly great, and advance word suggested it was. Director Ridley Scott (“Alien” and “Blade Runner”) and writer Damon Lindelof (“Lost”) had started with a question: Who was the big guy in the chair on the ship the crew in “Alien” discovered? Over the years, fans have come to call him the Space Jockey, and have speculated about who or what he was. From there, Scott and Lindelof decided to explore not just a distant moon but big ideas as well: From where did humans come? What is our purpose? Can we be saved?
Two central conceits are at odds in “Prometheus”: faith and science. The former is embodied in scientist Elizabeth Shaw, who wears a cross around her neck and even in the face of contradictory evidence chooses to believe in God. Her boyfriend, Charlie Holloway, is a die-hard Darwinian who rejects the idea of an almighty power creating the universe. Together, they discover a series of paintings and etchings containing the same image - giant beings pointing to five stars in the sky. The catch: vastly different cultures throughout history created the pieces. “It’s an invitation,” Shaw says.
Shaw convinces the wealthy Peter Weyland to finance a journey to the location to which the beings are pointing. Their goal: Find them and establish contact. Their hope: Discover the origins of mankind.
Jumps forward four years to the titular ship nearing a moon capable of sustaining life. The arrival and landing sequence, as viewed in 3D on an IMAX screen, is majestic, and exceeds “Avatar” in visual fidelity and scope. I love the contrast between the shots of a massive Prometheus approaching the moon and the subsequent shots of a tiny Prometheus skimming the surface of a canyon on the moon’s surface. How quickly the colossal alien landscape engulfed the ambitions of the crew. I could watch those few minutes over and over again and never tire of them.
The narrative begins to fall apart as the crew explores a massive hollow stone mound. Although there are many scenes in which Scott and Lindelof could have made better choices, an early example represents the level of frustration the movie generates. In the sequence, a biologist sees a worm-like creature rise out of an inky black goop in the mound and then watches as it unfolds like a cobra and hisses.
Do you: A) get as far away from the scary creature as you can, or B) lean in for a closer look? When the entire audience groans at the stupidity of a movie’s characters, you have to assume the filmmakers knew they were taking a risk and wonder why they didn’t take a different approach. To get to the same point in the story, the biologist could have stumbled backward in fear, tripped and a second creature could have attacked. Problem solved.
Despite its many issues, I hope you will see “Prometheus” in a theater. Scott struck the template for modern science fiction films in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s when he made “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” and he has lost none of his skill for creating spectacular imagery and awe-inspiring sets. What’s more, Noomi Rapace (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and Michael Fassbender (“Shame” and “X-Men: First Class) deliver first-rate performances - I expect the Academy will nominate Fassbender for an Oscar for his essay of the android David. And I liked who the Space Jockey was and watching Scott and Lindelof plant the seeds of the “Alien” movies, which take place at a later time. There are some wild, tense moments in “Prometheus.”
But above all, I like how “Prometheus” leaves some of the pondering to its viewers. When you see it, think about who survives and what that means.
Rated R for sci-fi violence and brief language. Visuals: Four stars out of four. Story: Two-and-a-half stars out of four. Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.