Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

[Scott]

Anybody see in it 3D IMAX yet? Is it worth the extra $$$?

I'm in line for the noon showing at IMAX, do I'll let you know.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

I also felt that

Spoiler

all the big epic scenes were immediately forgotten by the characters. Oh look, its Shaw. Remember when we killed her husband and then she went and took the alien out of her stomach? Well we are all friends now. Oh wait there is Weyland, he is alive. Run! Now save me and lets fly away...end credits.

I just like the first Alien film so much because it was simple. I realize this is more sci-fi then monster film but it seemed like there was just way too much going on for my tastes.

Completely agree with your assessment.

Spoiler

Overall, I thought that the progression through the story and the actions and behaviors or the characters were just strange and unrealistic. You mentioned Shaw and how absurd it is that her husband gets torched, she suddenly finds out about the squid monster in her, removes it amidst sheer terror and gore, and then she is just cool with everyone and wants to find answers. David is too predictably evil. I would have liked to see more dimensions from him.

Also, the scene where the two guys stuck in the pyramid get attacked by the snake monster—their reactions are almost like slapstick comedic while they are getting killed. Everything just seemed "off" and silly. I thought showing off the Engineers at the very beginning was a poor choice as well. Would have preferred the face to be revealed when they removed the space jockey mask.

Even how often they simply remove their helmets when in the pyramid. All of the characters seem incredibly haphazard about the expedition. Couldn't their be a pathogen in the air? Maybe there is some aspect of the atmosphere that could be toxic and not able to be measured by the instruments? Even David wearing a suit and being questioned by another crew member before explaining that it is for the visual benefit of the crew? That is just bad writing. Not a fan of Lindeloff.

The whole thing is supposed to be a trillion dollar operation and they just send a few scientists into the pyramid? One would think for such an important mission they would have far more extensive procedures to secure the area than just sending a few scientists into a dark cave on a far away planet. I liked the look and feel of everything but the writing was uneven and the way characters took part in the story's events came of as a bit too silly and unnatural.

[CMH]

Completely agree with your assessment.

Spoiler

Overall, I thought that the progression through the story and the actions and behaviors or the characters were just strange and unrealistic. You mentioned Shaw and how absurd it is that her husband gets torched, she suddenly finds out about the squid monster in her, removes it amidst sheer terror and gore, and then she is just cool with everyone and wants to find answers. David is too predictably evil. I would have liked to see more dimensions from him.

Also, the scene where the two guys stuck in the pyramid get attacked by the snake monster—their reactions are almost like slapstick comedic while they are getting killed. Everything just seemed "off" and silly. I thought showing off the Engineers at the very beginning was a poor choice as well. Would have preferred the face to be revealed when they removed the space jockey mask.

Even how often they simply remove their helmets when in the pyramid. All of the characters seem incredibly haphazard about the expedition. Couldn't their be a pathogen in the air? Maybe there is some aspect of the atmosphere that could be toxic and not able to be measured by the instruments? Even David wearing a suit and being questioned by another crew member before explaining that it is for the visual benefit of the crew? That is just bad writing. Not a fan of Lindeloff.

The whole thing is supposed to be a trillion dollar operation and they just send a few scientists into the pyramid? One would think for such an important mission they would have far more extensive procedures to secure the area than just sending a few scientists into a dark cave on a far away planet. I liked the look and feel of everything but the writing was uneven and the way characters took part in the story's events came of as a bit too silly and unnatural.

Your spoiler is the same thing critics are saying.

Too bad.


Sent from my mobile device.

[MachoMyers]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Completely agree with your assessment.

Spoiler

Overall, I thought that the progression through the story and the actions and behaviors or the characters were just strange and unrealistic. You mentioned Shaw and how absurd it is that her husband gets torched, she suddenly finds out about the squid monster in her, removes it amidst sheer terror and gore, and then she is just cool with everyone and wants to find answers. David is too predictably evil. I would have liked to see more dimensions from him.

Also, the scene where the two guys stuck in the pyramid get attacked by the snake monster—their reactions are almost like slapstick comedic while they are getting killed. Everything just seemed "off" and silly. I thought showing off the Engineers at the very beginning was a poor choice as well. Would have preferred the face to be revealed when they removed the space jockey mask.

Even how often they simply remove their helmets when in the pyramid. All of the characters seem incredibly haphazard about the expedition. Couldn't their be a pathogen in the air? Maybe there is some aspect of the atmosphere that could be toxic and not able to be measured by the instruments? Even David wearing a suit and being questioned by another crew member before explaining that it is for the visual benefit of the crew? That is just bad writing. Not a fan of Lindeloff.

The whole thing is supposed to be a trillion dollar operation and they just send a few scientists into the pyramid? One would think for such an important mission they would have far more extensive procedures to secure the area than just sending a few scientists into a dark cave on a far away planet. I liked the look and feel of everything but the writing was uneven and the way characters took part in the story's events came of as a bit too silly and unnatural.

Spoiler

Good explanation of those points and I do agree with you. After being totally into the movie for the first hour and gasping when Shaw was in 'surgery' I couldn't help but joke with my wife as she would meet up with everyone, share a joke with David about "having it in her" and then every few minutes remember to hold her stomach to be in pain. It was like a pro wrestler remembering to have a bad leg during a match.

A friend less into the series was asking me about it and I compared it to The Hurt Locker. Most of the Hurt Locker is about the soldiers trying to cope with the horror they have witnessed. Well the horror Shaw experiences in a 6 day span (I think it was Christmas when they land and they leave on New Years) would make a person at least stop and think "this is messed up". Hell Ripley in Aliens just can't seem to get it together after what she went through.

Also don't get me started on the Zombie scientist who couldn't be killed.

[Scott]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Anybody see in it 3D IMAX yet? Is it worth the extra $$$?

The 3D in IMAX was pretty cool, it was the first movie I saw in 3D at IMAX. Pretty good movie, some good action scenes.

[bad_philanthropy]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Spoiler

Good explanation of those points and I do agree with you. After being totally into the movie for the first hour and gasping when Shaw was in 'surgery' I couldn't help but joke with my wife as she would meet up with everyone, share a joke with David about "having it in her" and then every few minutes remember to hold her stomach to be in pain. It was like a pro wrestler remembering to have a bad leg during a match.

A friend less into the series was asking me about it and I compared it to The Hurt Locker. Most of the Hurt Locker is about the soldiers trying to cope with the horror they have witnessed. Well the horror Shaw experiences in a 6 day span (I think it was Christmas when they land and they leave on New Years) would make a person at least stop and think "this is messed up". Hell Ripley in Aliens just can't seem to get it together after what she went through.

Also don't get me started on the Zombie scientist who couldn't be killed.

I guess I was disappointed by how the players in Prometheus' story didn't seem to convey any sense of unbelievable terror like in Alien or Aliens.

I was really impressed by the visual and art component of the movie though. No complaints about that.

Spoiler

In Alien, when the Nostromo finds the derelict ship there is a sense of awe and fear that I feel is well demonstrated by the actions of the crew. They are cautious and well aware of the fact that they are in an extremely creepy situation. You also get the sense they really are just a blue collar freighter crew responding to a distress call and stumbling into something truly remarkable and terrifying. The dynamic felt really authentic despite the fact that it was a completely fantastical scenario.

In Aliens we get a cocksure group of marine grunts who slowly get broken down by the terror and the formidable presence of an enemy they underestimated. In Prometheus it felt like the crew were less susceptible to fear and awe over their at least equally dramatic and challenging situation than the marines in Aliens were.

Like you said. Ripley appeared utterly traumatized in the first three Alien films, whereas Shaw just seems to be able to shrug multiple horrific events off one after another.

[Sandman42]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Agree with the thoughts in this thread so far. The movie looked amazing visually, but some weird writing and it lacking the tension of Alien/Aliens holds it back.

Spoiler

There was nothing anywhere near as tense as the xenomorph in Alien. The scene with the 2 miners and the "facehugger" was not tense as much as it was 2 guys seeing who could outscream the other. As much as the movie tried to hit on all the Alien notes it lacked the drawn out conflict that Ripley and the xenomorph had in Alien.

Everything seemed to wrap up too quickly. Her husband gets infected, but before anything happens he gets torched and all of a sudden they forget about him. The one guy (Fifield?) comes back to the ship all mutated and while he kills half the crew he gets offed fairly quickly. Even the final battle with the alien/human ends in seconds as Shaw opens the med bay and lets the alien kill it. The only moderately tense scene was when Shaw had to perform surgery to remove the alien from her.

[gez20]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Like I told my friends after the movie, it felt like it went a little bit too long.

Spoiler

I'm not sure why at the end of the movie she decides to go to the engineer's planet. Did she not see the way that engineer reacted when he saw humans? Dude went f'ng ballistic and she's going to a whole planet full of them? How could that possibly end well?

[marshallfever]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

I'm actually very angry i just spent my time watching this.. I was so pumped to go see this movie. I had high expectations and boy those fell flat. The special effects and overall tone of the movie were superb but the script fell flat on it's head.

It's funny cause I was on my way to see it when i saw my friend's face-book post which said:

Before prometheus I was like "hmm... I wonder wat this movie is about?"
after watching prometheus I was like "hmmm... I wonder wat that movie was about?"

That's exactly how i felt when i walked out. I saw it with my girl and my brother and they were flat out like "WTF" just happened. I usually love movies like this but nothing was answered at all.

Spoiler

How is it that the captain of the ship is the one that revealed the actual story of the film when he said it was a military base where they created weapons of mass destruction.

The Freaking captain who wasn't even in the ruins exploring the "ship" nor has the degree to compete with the main actress is the one who breaks down the exact story of the movie.

In the beginning of the movie when we're shown the "engineers" and the chemical compound it ate......what was that suppose to mean and how did that relate to anything? Was it just to tell us that compound was harmful???

Also wtf was with the thing the main actress gutted out of her stomach. I see that the connection to "Alien" and everything.....but is this where that franchise is suppose to start. That thing she gutted out was the birth of the queen.......and it needed the "engineers" body to formulate the first "Alien?"

I just hate that it barely answered any of the questions it asked in the beginning and then added a crap ton more questions at the end.

It was a fine movie, but I probably would of had a better time watching "Snow White and the Huntsman"

[SkinsBoYee]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Really interesting take on the movie and the theology of it. Very heavy spoiler laden, and only read if you have seen the movie.

http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html#cutid1

Ridley loves the symbolism stuff, and can't help but agree with a lot of this guy's thoughts. I think it was a pretty solid flick. A lot left to interpretation, which in Ridley's world I think would be better suited to be seen on screen! Which is why we go to the movies, is it not? But still think this was a solid 1st step which what I hope in a new and from the looks of it, trilogy by Scott.

[marshallfever]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Really interesting take on the movie and the theology of it. Very heavy spoiler laden, and only read if you have seen the movie.

http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html#cutid1

Ridley loves the symbolism stuff, and can't help but agree with a lot of this guy's thoughts. I think it was a pretty solid flick. A lot left to interpretation, which in Ridley's world I think would be better suited to be seen on screen! Which is why we go to the movies, is it not? But still think this was a solid 1st step which what I hope in a new and from the looks of it, trilogy by Scott.

That helped out a bit, makes more sense slightly lol

[Altimus]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Saw it last night in IMAX 3D and I liked it. Wouldn't say I loved it but it was an enjoyable movie.

And yes, I do want me some:

[sportsdude]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Really interesting take on the movie and the theology of it. Very heavy spoiler laden, and only read if you have seen the movie.

http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html#cutid1

Ridley loves the symbolism stuff, and can't help but agree with a lot of this guy's thoughts. I think it was a pretty solid flick. A lot left to interpretation, which in Ridley's world I think would be better suited to be seen on screen! Which is why we go to the movies, is it not? But still think this was a solid 1st step which what I hope in a new and from the looks of it, trilogy by Scott.

After reading that it certainly does make more sense. My immediate reaction after the film was that I've got to see it again because I know there's a lot of stuff I didn't pick up on. I also figured that this is a movie a lot of people simply won't "get" and because of that they will dislike it.

Aside from the guy sitting in my row that couldn't stop talking throughout the entire movie, I liked the film.

[DueceDiggla]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Can someone explain why they just didn't cast an actual real old man instead of a guy in horrible makeup? I felt like I was watching Johnny Knoville and his balls were going to sag out of his shorts.

Spoiler

POS movie!

[Sandman42]

Re: Alien Prequel Now "Prometheus"

Can someone explain why they just didn't cast an actual real old man instead of a guy in horrible makeup? I felt like I was watching Johnny Knoville and his balls were going to sag out of his shorts.

Spoiler

POS movie!

I had the exact same thought.