Australian Penthouse

Directors: Ridley Scott
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce
20^th Century Fox

RIDLEY Scott’s return to the sci-fi genre that made him a household name with the likes of Alien and Blade Runner is already proving to be divisive with critics and moviegoers alike. While there’s certainly no denying that Prometheus is overflowing with beautiful (and sometimes haunting) imagery and brimming with intriguing sci-fi ideas, there are some core problems with the film.

First, the good stuff. The $150-million budget is visually evident in every frame of film. From stunning set and costume design, to the look of the hostile alien world, it’s a visual teat; the inclusion of native 3D (i.e. not 2D film that’s converted to 3D in post-production) adds to the experience in a way that harkens back to the technology’s effective use in Avatar. This really is the vision of a master storyteller.

Ironically, that’s the biggest problem with Prometheus: the story. From the outset, it sets up some big questions about human belief and the origin of our species; fantastic themes for exploration in a sci-fi backdrop. But as the intrepid team of scientists follows an ancient invitation to a desolate alien world, the narrative begins to suffer. The cast is too big, so certain secondary characters are cardboard cutouts whose only onscreen purpose is provide expositional dialogue or add to the potential body count when their exploration turns into a fight for survival.

There’s more than a fair share of illogical behaviour from apparently intelligent minds, while certain actions make no sense whatsoever. For every scene-stealing performance from the brilliant Michael Fassbender, there’s an unnecessary scene or pointless action that stands as a stark contrast to the exploration of mature ideas. Worse still, by the time the credits roll, the film hasn’t answered (or, arguably, attempted to answer) the core questions of the film; questions that are overtly repeated by one of the main characters during the climax.

Prometheus is a divisive film because its brilliance—the core themes, Fassbender’s performance and beautiful cinematography—is interspersed with lazy storytelling and inauthentic characterisation. It’s not a terrible film; it’s just damn disappointing for anyone expecting Ridley Scott to make a triumphant return to the cinema sci-fi genre that he helped to create. Avoid the trailers, promotional material and even some of the spoiler-laden posters, and you’ll have a better chance of appreciating the beauty and avoiding the disappointment.

PROMETHEUS is in cinemas now.

Review: Nathan Lawrence