[Ape Gone Insane]

Some really interesting bits from interview about the plot for anyone who has seen the film:

For example, when they do the carbon gating on the dead engineer and realise he has been dead for 2000 years then you wonder about when, 2000 years ago, the Engineers decided to wipe us out. What happened 2000 years ago? Is there any correlation with what happened on the earth 2000 years ago and this decision that was already in motion? Could a sequel start in that time period and contextualize what we did to piss these beings off?

I think it’s a very interesting question to leave dangling. Is it a loose end? Yeah, probably. But it’s probably what sends you to the pub after the movie and has you arguing with your friends as to what you think it might mean.

I can definitely tell you that if a lot of people go to see this movie and there is a critical sense of people wanting there to be another one, the second movie would clearly answer the question of “what did we do to deserve this?”

If there was a sequel to Prometheus it wouldn’t be Alien. Because it’s moving off in it’s own direction.

[Q] One question about the science … The super-weapon that the engineers have been creating seems to me to be working in two different ways: you have the first way, which is what happens to Holloway, which is that he becomes mutated himself immediately. It’s that real-time altering of his genetic code. But then you’ve got what, in terms of science of the moment, seems the more credible way, which is the way that the mutations are passed down to Shaw’s “child”, this alien that she’s giving birth to. Was there meant to be that contrast between those two?

"Religion creates more problems for us than any other single thing"

[RS] No, not necessarily. The man at the beginning, the person at the beginning, if we are created by gods or monsters – there’s no gods, it’d be singular, there’d be one god, probably, because every religion today (which creates more problems for us today in the entire global system than any other single thing, is religion, right) they’re all actually worshiping one dude, really. I don’t give a damn whether it’s, y’know, muslim or you name it: it’s theoretically, in theory, one person. I believe that we were pre-visited. I think it’s entirely ridiculous to think that four billion years, nearly four billion…?

[DL] Since the Earth was created? Yes.

[RS] Nearly four billion years. I don’t know whether it was Updike or the other guy said, a great quote, we’ve been here four billion years, what happened? Why did it take so long? Nothing’s happened ’til until about 750,000, which… 750,000 years in four billion is a blink. I don’t really believe… well, there’s two rules of thought. You’re either going to believe in the fact that we’re by entirely genetic luck, so from day one where you have atomic storms – inconceivable storms that will go on in this nucleus, in which the dirt bowl will find some reason to start growth on everything – was that created? That may have been accidental, because I think there are many of those out there.

But then the idea that, is there a higher force in the universe, comes the question: is it god, or are there superior beings out there? You stand and look at the stars at night in the galaxy out there, it’s entirely ridiculous to believe that we are it. You mean this is it? We’re sitting in this room, I’ve got this f*cking cappuccino, and up there there’s no-one else? I don’t think so!

And therefore there’s two questions in the film: the guy at the beginning is simply donating himself, no stranger than the Aztecs or Incas would choose some poor bugger, at the beginning saying “right, you’re it, in the year you get all the girls you want, all the food you want, blah blah, and at the end of the year we’re going to take your heart, take it out, squeeze it, and we’re going to get jolly good crops and good weather next year.” It’s no more than that, he’s into a form of donation, except his DNA is so powerful, each molecule is like a timebomb. So, we only set our standards by what we know here, which makes us essentially naive. We don’t, we can’t conceive of galloping DNA: I release that on the desk, and in a second I’ve got a cotton wool ball going black. We can’t conceive that because it’s not in your frame of experience. So you’ve got to take your brain, put it on the side, and when you enter the movie just let yourself breath.

[DL] I think another version of your question could be interpreted as “What does the black goo do?”

[RS] Three things! Cleans your teeth…

[DL] [Laughing] Exactly! And I think that one of the things that I love about Ridley’s movies, and have loved long before I worked with him – and it’s very surreal to be on the inside of – thirty-some odd years after Blade Runner we’re all still talking about whether or not Deckard is a robot. So there’s a speculative part of it, so the question becomes “what does the black goo do?” That is the question that you’re supposed to be asking coming out of this movie. The movie demonstrates what it does in certain circumstances. So, here’s what it does if it gets on worms; here’s what it does if it gets on your face; here’s what it does if someone just puts a little bit of it in your drink. So, now we see that that lots of this is headed to Earth. Now, you used the word “weapon”, you’re extrapolating that based on the theory [Prometheus captain] Janek has, because it looks like a payload to him: all these ships are loaded with this stuff, and they’re headed for Earth. The intent has to be to wipe us out, or is it to evolve us, or is it for something else?

These are all hopefully questions and points of debate – frustrating for some – but ultimately the kind of science-fiction… why the two movies that Ridley did decades ago are still being discussed, is this idea that when you walk out of the theater that you have to go into community and start to discuss “well, wait a minute, this is what I think happened,” and you’re hopefully mirroring the conversation that the characters are having in the movie, and more importantly this is why Shaw says what she says at the end of the movie. Which is, “I’m not going back to Earth and calling it a day, I need to know a little bit more about what’s happening here.”

The ultimate goal of Prometheus, usually prequels, or movies that precede the original, close down the universe – so now we know everything we needed to know about Anakin Skywaker – we wanted Prometheus to open up the universe, so it’s not a prequel at all. It has two children, one of those children grows up to be Alien, and the other child is hopefully growing up in this other direction and, god willing, will grow up into an entirely different line of films.

http://www.slashgear.com/ridley-scot...ncut-02231334/

[EonBlueApocalypse]

(Original post by Ape Gone Insane)
Erm are you sure about that?

My point still stands, the film was cut before release and I want to see those scenes when the film comes out on DVD/Blu Ray.

[danielhere]

I saw the film yesterday and was deeply underwhelmed by it. The main issue was that there wasn't really a functioning narrative. The film was set in motion with some reasonably clear motivations for the protagonists. As soon as the plot developed and revelations were made then the character's behaviour began to become increasingly strange and unaccountable. By way of contrast, in Alien there was a well defined story and the motivation and actions of the Nostradamus crew were plausible so we could identify with their predicament. I'm inclined to blame Damon Lindelof as, from what I have heard of the TV series and film, this narrative failure could easily be a product of the Lost and Cowboys and Aliens writer being allowed near the script.

That is not to say that there are not things within the film which are great.

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The scene in the medical pod was really amazing and provided thematic consistency with Alien. There is an underlying theme about rape and corporeal violation in the original and to essentially have an abortion scene touched on the same fears.

Michael Fassbender is truly outstanding, and given how inconsistent every other character seems, the fact that David seems to a coherent identity really marks out the performance.

Some parts of the film however just demonstrated how impoverished the narrative is. Take for example

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the mutated Fifield attacking the ship. There was no real reason for the sequence other than demonstrating what they have found on the planet is definitely terrible. More infuriating is that there were no consequences to the whole incident. Crew members were brutally killed but no one really seemed to care. At no point was there a meeting where the situation was even reviewed. Alien was little other than meetings where the crew would plot the best course of action.

But the worst part surely had to be

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the chest bursting scene at the very end. The only reason for that scene was to shamelessly demand a sequel. So much of the movie seemed to be left open or unexplained and the narrative shortcomings feel like place holders for further films.

On a final note the film is visually incredible.

[Stirlo]

(Original post by danielhere)
But the worst part surely had to be

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the chest bursting scene at the very end. The only reason for that scene was to shamelessly demand a sequel. So much of the movie seemed to be left open or unexplained and the narrative shortcomings feel like place holders for further films.

On a final note the film is visually incredible.

I actually found that bit good tbh:

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Because it was kind of suggesting that was the starting of the Aliens for the Alien films. I thought the bit where Shaw tells David to take them to the creators home planet was definitely a set up for a sequel. For sequel(s) there's definitely Shaw and David going to the creators home planer and the alien being left on that planet with possible rescue ships arriving. Then it practically being a standard Alien film

[silent ninja]

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So did the aliens as we know them from the other movies, come about due to the black goo interacting with worms? Also it impregnated that superhuman/engineer who then gave birth to the black Aliens we all know. So perhaps this alien is the ultimate one that can't be stopped.

I don't get how the alien from the caesarian got so big. It was isolated and had nothing to eat, yet it was a giant in comparison.

[Stirlo]

(Original post by silent ninja)

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So did the aliens as we know them from the other movies, come about due to the black goo interacting with worms? Also it impregnated that superhuman/engineer who then gave birth to the black Aliens we all know. So perhaps this alien is the ultimate one that can't be stopped.

I don't get how the alien from the caesarian got so big. It was isolated and had nothing to eat, yet it was a giant in comparison.

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Maybe David stored that vase/jar/cannister of biological liquid in there? Only explanation I can think of

[hogso]

(Original post by silent ninja)

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I don't get how the alien from the caesarian got so big. It was isolated and had nothing to eat, yet it was a giant in comparison.

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It simply grew. We don't know how the Xenomorphs sustain themselves, it's something that has never been explained. They've been described as the perfect organism more than once in the series, so maybe they simply do not need to eat? We assume that they do not eat what they kill (or dont kill, as the case may be), from the past films.

So, yeh. It just got bigger. The chest burster in Alien got bigger without any food, for example. That went from a cute lil thing which emerged from John Hurt's chest to that big ol' mother which killed most of the crew of the Nostromo without food (unless you count any nutrients, etc. which it may have absorbed whilst growing inside it's host...which you might). So the fact that the uber face hugger squiddy majig grew for no apparent reason is not unusual in regards to the rest of the series. And obviously promoetheus should be considered canon

[calvinm]

It was going to be difficult for the film to live up to the massive hype generated by the advertising campaign and, not surprisingly, it didn't. While the film is the definition of spectacular, the characters are underdeveloped, the dialogue is clunky and it lacks subtlety where it matters.

The best part of the film was Michael Fassbinder as David, an obvious nod to Spielberg's A.I., who gave a terrifically chilling performance. Thematically, it is also similar to A.I. (and maybe a little bit of 2001: A Space Odyssey) in the way it concerns itself with

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the relationship between creators and their creations - the Engineers and humanity; the Engineers and the xenomorphs and humanity and androids

[silent ninja]

(Original post by hogso)

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It simply grew. We don't know how the Xenomorphs sustain themselves, it's something that has never been explained. They've been described as the perfect organism more than once in the series, so maybe they simply do not need to eat? We assume that they do not eat what they kill (or dont kill, as the case may be), from the past films.

So, yeh. It just got bigger. The chest burster in Alien got bigger without any food, for example. That went from a cute lil thing which emerged from John Hurt's chest to that big ol' mother which killed most of the crew of the Nostromo without food (unless you count any nutrients, etc. which it may have absorbed whilst growing inside it's host...which you might). So the fact that the uber face hugger squiddy majig grew for no apparent reason is not unusual in regards to the rest of the series. And obviously promoetheus should be considered canon

As perfect creatures, you then wonder why they need a host? They can survive and grow without one.

[The Baron]

Just seen it. It was alright. I like the Alien films but i'm not a super fan. From the trailers for the film I was relatively hyped for it but in the end I was a little underwhelmed.

One thing I didn't really get

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Why did David spike Holloway with the black substance? What was his motivation to do that? I feel I have missed something big here :s

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I thoroughly enjoyed the scene in which the captain asked Vickers if she was a robot . Also thought the last scene was a bit shoehorned in.

Theron, Fassbender and Rapace were all good. Always a pleasure seeing Idris Elba in anything.

[calvinm]

(Original post by The Baron)

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Why did David spike Holloway with the black substance? What was his motivation to do that? I feel I have missed something big here :s

From what I could make out

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he was told to by Weyland

but I'm not certain about the reason why.

[bakefrancis]

Very underwhelming I found prometheus. However, like a number of people, I'd highlight Fassbenders performance as excellent but this doesn't make up for the rest of the films shortcomings.

[Scienceisgood]

I am watching this tomorrow and sky have given the movie 5*.
Am so happy. =)

Link

[Serano]

Looking forward to watching this although it looks like it's going to be like marmite from the mixed reviews; you'll either love it or hate it!

[hogso]

(Original post by silent ninja)
As perfect creatures, you then wonder why they need a host? They can survive and grow without one.

Well, no, no they can't. They use their hosts DNA to become a more advanced Xenomorph. At least it seems that way. I can't remember if it was in this thread or the other Prometheus thread where I said this, but we simply don't know a whole lot about the Xeno's evolution, so we just have to guess. They don't seem to be very intelligent creatures, but are obviously very aggresive, and territorial, and driven by a need to reproduce, via hosts.

[Scienceisgood]

Saw it today. Was pretty decent, not great. Predictable and not really much if anything surprising but still good.
I would give a 6.5/10.

Possibly potential for a sequal but not much of one. You can predict what will happen throughout the film.

[mmmpie]

Saw it at the weekend. Generally I liked it, but there were some things which made me wonder if they were plot holes or if he was just fishing for a sequel.

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I really didn't get why tentacle-alien-infested-guy looked like he'd been dipped in acid, but splashed-with-goo-guy looked (and acted) possessed. Then again the two of them going off and wondering randomly around the structure strained plausibility, having fled because they had a bad feeling about what was happening just minutes before; you'd expect them to have found a quiet spot near the exit to wait out the storm. Also given the final scene, you'd expect tentacle-guy to have had a xenomorph - or something similar - burst out of him at some point.

The only thing that getting attacked by possessed guy achieved really was explaining why Charlie was so keen to get incinerated - if he could feel that happening to him.

Fassbender's performance was really good though. I thought Theron had her moments too, and the Captain was quite good.

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I didn't see the relationship between her and Weyland coming. Not that it was really consequential, but usually those things are foreshadowed so much they're obvious. Shame her ending was so ignominious, her character had lots of potential - I could have seen a sequel opening with her and Rapace's character each trying to persuade David which direction to go next.

I wasn't that impressed with Rapace until after her character's surgery, at which point she seemed to become much colder which I think suited her better. Noomi Rapace is good at playing functioning-but-post-traumatic characters.

The visuals were great

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I particularly liked the Space Jockey moment when the Engineer got in his control chair, that was cool

but the content was touch and go in places.

I guess there will probably be a sequel. I suspect it will be downhill from here, but you never know.


Oh also...

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I went with my boyfriend and we were both freaked out by the giant-toothy-vagina-squid at the end. Two of the girls from my flat went to see it yesterday and although they thought it was a bit gory, the bit that freaked them out was the surgery - which I thought was freaky but kinda cool.

So I'm thinking this is one film that will press different buttons for different people.

[I Persia I]

Am I the only one who thinks this looks ****e?

[Scienceisgood]

Hey guys;

Well, as you all know, the movie prometheus was released recently and I was just wondering, but, what is your rating of the movie? I have enclosed a poll going from 1* - 5* in half star intervals.

Please vote and maybe leave a comment about the movie?

[Nadin532]

Decent film, well above average, however being a prequel takes away a lot of the suspense as you know (if you have watched the alien films) what must be left at the end. If you haven't seen the alien films then it is a very god film in its own right