Prometheus (2012)

[lolwut]

I was able to look past the flaws on the first viewing and enjoy the visual experience. On the second viewing, I liked it a whole lot less as my issues with the script/dialogue became more distracting.

[Monolithium]

Prometheus, like all films, should be judged on its own.

[Early Memphis]

Well, on first viewing, I can't say I was particularly impressed - and that has nothing to do with Alien. The visuals were nice and sometimes quite impressive - but for a film like this to work, there has to be a "hero", and I didn't give a damn about any of these characters (with the exception of the Captain and his two buds, but that was only at the end). Who were you supposed to "root" for - David? Vickers? Weyland? Those two idiot archaeologists?

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

Well, on first viewing, I can't say I was particularly impressed - and that has nothing to do with Alien. The visuals were nice and sometimes quite impressive - but for a film like this to work, there has to be a "hero", and I didn't give a damn about any of these characters (with the exception of the Captain and his two buds, but that was only at the end). Who were you supposed to "root" for - David? Vickers? Weyland? Those two idiot archaeologists?

I found myself connected to David, but not in the traditional sense of a protagonist or antagonist. I say this because he really falls under both categories.

[raygendreau]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

Well, on first viewing, I can't say I was particularly impressed - and that has nothing to do with Alien. The visuals were nice and sometimes quite impressive - but for a film like this to work, there has to be a "hero", and I didn't give a damn about any of these characters (with the exception of the Captain and his two buds, but that was only at the end). Who were you supposed to "root" for - David? Vickers? Weyland? Those two idiot archaeologists?

How about rooting for humanity. With all its demonstrated flaws, it persevered against all odds.

[blu-ray_girl_fan]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

Well, on first viewing, I can't say I was particularly impressed - and that has nothing to do with Alien. The visuals were nice and sometimes quite impressive - but for a film like this to work, there has to be a "hero", and I didn't give a damn about any of these characters (with the exception of the Captain and his two buds, but that was only at the end). Who were you supposed to "root" for - David? Vickers? Weyland? Those two idiot archaeologists?

I didn't need for the movie to have anyone to root for per se, but yeah, many of the characters behaved stupidly. The captain and Charlize Theron were the only two who behaved somewhat rationally and intelligently. I really like the scene where Theron torched Noomi Rapace's boyfriend; it shows how she is the only one who is thinking clearly amid the chaos.

[Early Memphis]

Isn't it almost like the scriptwriters wanted to make the point that everyone is fatally flawed - and isn't that a point better made in a philosophical treatise and not a Hollywood movie? David was "connectable" - until he went bizarro

[Show spoiler]on the couple and their "baby" (like earlier/later Ash

. I had no sympathy for the idiots in love - except when Rapace

[Show spoiler]aborted the creature - but then she's up and running like a track star minutes later (must've been some heavy duty stitches

. Theron was "rootable for" (and, yes, especially

[Show spoiler]when she burned Charlie

) - why am I using spoilers? - but she wasn't on much and when she was, she was cold as ice (

[Show spoiler]and then, in the end, she ran like a coward

. So, who you gonna root for - Weyland, the mercenaries, the misanthropic "Gods"? Again, for me, only the Captain (who only wanted to get laid ) and his two crewmates came off well as representatives of "humanity" - and they weren't on long enough to carry the film.

I remembers Bob Dylan saying (in Don't Look Back) "Who wants to go get whipped? And if you do want to go get whipped, aren’t you really being entertained? So do you think that anybody who comes to see me is coming for any other reason than entertainment?" Problem is, without a hook, I wasn't entertained. In Alien/s we had Ripley and the kid to root for. She symbolized humanity in a "rootable" form. In Predator/s, we had Arnie, Danny & Sanaa Lathan to root for/care about. I could list other examples, but suffice to say (for argumentative purposes), it's a necessary ingredient for these types of tales - purely for entertainment value.

All that said, I still plan to watch all the extras and, eventually, the movie itself again. Perhaps I'll find some overlooked hook and enjoy the experience - as a flick - more. I can live with Charlie taking his helmet off, because he was an idiot "true believer" and not a rational scientist. I can take all the fools who didn't react well around the "monsters", because they were only "red shirts" (wtf was with Millburn's idiot attraction to that "snake"? ). I can take all of that if you give me a protagonist to care about - but I just couldn't manage to care about any of these characters. However, it sure was purdy!

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

Isn't it almost like the scriptwriters wanted to make the point that everyone is fatally flawed - and isn't that a point better made in a philosophical treatise and not a Hollywood movie? David was "connectable" - until he went bizarro

[Show spoiler]on the couple and their "baby" (like earlier/later Ash

. I had no sympathy for the idiots in love - except when Rapace

[Show spoiler]aborted the creature - but then she's up and running like a track star minutes later (must've been some heavy duty stitches

. Theron was "rootable for" (and, yes, especially

[Show spoiler]when she burned Charlie

) - why am I using spoilers? - but she wasn't on much and when she was, she was cold as ice (

[Show spoiler]and then, in the end, she ran like a coward

. So, who you gonna root for - Weyland, the mercenaries, the misanthropic "Gods"? Again, for me, only the Captain (who only wanted to get laid ) and his two crewmates came off well as representatives of "humanity" - and they weren't on long enough to carry the film.

I remembers Bob Dylan saying (in Don't Look Back) "Who wants to go get whipped? And if you do want to go get whipped, aren’t you really being entertained? So do you think that anybody who comes to see me is coming for any other reason than entertainment?" Problem is, without a hook, I wasn't entertained. In Alien/s we had Ripley and the kid to root for. She symbolized humanity in a "rootable" form. In Predator/s, we had Arnie, Danny & Sanaa Lathan to root for/care about. I could list other examples, but suffice to say (for argumentative purposes), it's a necessary ingredient for these types of tales - purely for entertainment value.

All that said, I still plan to watch all the extras and, eventually, the movie itself again. Perhaps I'll find some overlooked hook and enjoy the experience - as a flick - more. I can live with Charlie taking his helmet off, because he was an idiot "true believer" and not a rational scientist. I can take all the fools who didn't react well around the "monsters", because they were only "red shirts" (wtf was with Millburn's idiot attraction to that "snake"? ). I can take all of that if you give me a protagonist to care about - but I just couldn't manage to care about any of these characters. However, it sure was purdy!

Wait. Youre defending Predators?! The first half was OK but it went rapidly downhill after that.

[beadelf]

Originally Posted by Early Memphis

Isn't it almost like the scriptwriters wanted to make the point that everyone is fatally flawed - and isn't that a point better made in a philosophical treatise and not a Hollywood movie? David was "connectable" - until he went bizarro

[Show spoiler]on the couple and their "baby" (like earlier/later Ash

. I had no sympathy for the idiots in love - except when Rapace

[Show spoiler]aborted the creature - but then she's up and running like a track star minutes later (must've been some heavy duty stitches

. Theron was "rootable for" (and, yes, especially

[Show spoiler]when she burned Charlie

) - why am I using spoilers? - but she wasn't on much and when she was, she was cold as ice (

[Show spoiler]and then, in the end, she ran like a coward

. So, who you gonna root for - Weyland, the mercenaries, the misanthropic "Gods"? Again, for me, only the Captain (who only wanted to get laid ) and his two crewmates came off well as representatives of "humanity" - and they weren't on long enough to carry the film.

I remembers Bob Dylan saying (in Don't Look Back) "Who wants to go get whipped? And if you do want to go get whipped, aren’t you really being entertained? So do you think that anybody who comes to see me is coming for any other reason than entertainment?" Problem is, without a hook, I wasn't entertained. In Alien/s we had Ripley and the kid to root for. She symbolized humanity in a "rootable" form. In Predator/s, we had Arnie, Danny & Sanaa Lathan to root for/care about. I could list other examples, but suffice to say (for argumentative purposes), it's a necessary ingredient for these types of tales - purely for entertainment value.

All that said, I still plan to watch all the extras and, eventually, the movie itself again. Perhaps I'll find some overlooked hook and enjoy the experience - as a flick - more. I can live with Charlie taking his helmet off, because he was an idiot "true believer" and not a rational scientist. I can take all the fools who didn't react well around the "monsters", because they were only "red shirts" (wtf was with Millburn's idiot attraction to that "snake"? ). I can take all of that if you give me a protagonist to care about - but I just couldn't manage to care about any of these characters. However, it sure was purdy!

well said! the blu is worth it for the documentary! the film however you look at it is terrible. its an apologists wet dream!!

[UNCMT9]

Loved this movie in theaters but somehow I only started watching The Furious Gods documentary yesterday. Wow. Easily my personal favorite blu ray of 2012. The extras alone are worth the $19.99 price tag!

[Early Memphis]

Originally Posted by JimDiGriz

Wait. Youre defending Predators?! The first half was OK but it went rapidly downhill after that.

No, my "shorthand" was bad. I was referring to Predator, Predator 2 & the first AVP. Predators ...

[jblank]

Originally Posted by beadelf

well said! the blu is worth it for the documentary! the film however you look at it is terrible. its an apologists wet dream!!

I've looked at it a lot of ways and watched it four times now, it is far from terrible (74% on RT, 7.2 at IMDB so the consensus is it is good) and I'll go so far as saying it is one of maybe 10 movies in my collection that I can watch multiple times and not only enjoy it, but glean something new from it every time (Sunshine being the best example).

[Reubania]

Originally Posted by jblank

I've looked at it a lot of ways and watched it four times now, it is far from terrible (74% on RT, 7.2 at IMDB so the consensus is it is good) and I'll go so far as saying it is one of maybe 10 movies in my collection that I can watch multiple times and not only enjoy it, but glean something new from it every time (Sunshine being the best example).

OK. OT: Sunshine. The first 3/4 of the movie was EXCELLENT. I was riveted at the slow pace, the thriller element. But then the obvious came and really took it away. It became a

[Show spoiler]horror/slasher/monster

movie and looked stupid. But I could see where they were going with this and instead of sticking with the mythology/psychology thriller element, they decided to "explain" what happens to the viewers and have a stronger ending. This movie would have been so much more fabulous/brilliant if they retained the element of mystery. Shame. Very disappointed.

[k_dog77803]

Originally Posted by Reubania

OK. OT: Sunshine. The first 3/4 of the movie was EXCELLENT. I was riveted at the slow pace, the thriller element. But then the obvious came and really took it away. It became a

[Show spoiler]horror/slasher/monster

movie and looked stupid. But I could see where they were going with this and instead of sticking with the mythology/psychology thriller element, they decided to "explain" what happens to the viewers and have a stronger ending. This movie would have been so much more fabulous/brilliant if they retained the element of mystery. Shame. Very disappointed.

Man I love "Sunshine" and I may be one of the few people who actually love the twist. The way I looked at it was that the closer to the sun they got the more it somehow altered their brains. It also could have altered the ship's AI. And Pinbacker himself could have been some strange vision and the crew turned on each other. Or he could have been real but it still works for me. I think Sunshine is very underrated!

[Reubania]

Originally Posted by k_dog77803

Man I love "Sunshine" and I may be one of the few people who actually love the twist. The way I looked at it was that the closer to the sun they got the more it somehow altered their brains. It also could have altered the ship's AI. And Pinbacker himself could have been some strange vision and the crew turned on each other. Or he could have been real but it still works for me. I think Sunshine is very underrated!

I agree with most of what you postulated. I think it would have been a far better movie if Pinbacker wasn't even featured in the movie. I understand that he could have been a figment of the crew's imagination, BUT it works so much better if the crew actually turned on each other (based on paranoia or effects of the sun's solar glare etc). Anyway, it was very underrated and I thoroughly enjoyed it up to the end.

[jblank]

Originally Posted by Reubania

OK. OT: Sunshine. The first 3/4 of the movie was EXCELLENT. I was riveted at the slow pace, the thriller element. But then the obvious came and really took it away. It became a

[Show spoiler]horror/slasher/monster

movie and looked stupid. But I could see where they were going with this and instead of sticking with the mythology/psychology thriller element, they decided to "explain" what happens to the viewers and have a stronger ending. This movie would have been so much more fabulous/brilliant if they retained the element of mystery. Shame. Very disappointed.

Well, we can just disagree, it's one of my favorite films with infinite re-watchability.

[jblank]

Originally Posted by k_dog77803

Man I love "Sunshine" and I may be one of the few people who actually love the twist. The way I looked at it was that the closer to the sun they got the more it somehow altered their brains. It also could have altered the ship's AI. And Pinbacker himself could have been some strange vision and the crew turned on each other. Or he could have been real but it still works for me. I think Sunshine is very underrated!

Outstanding post!

[s2mikey]

Originally Posted by blu-ray_girl_fan

I didn't need for the movie to have anyone to root for per se,

Its tough though for a film like Prometheus to succeed without a central character to connect with at least on some level. Alien and Aliens worked because of the very realistic crew and of course Ripley/Newt. If you take out characters for the sudience to either get behind or root against, you are travelling into very shaky territory as a film maker and are hoping to base the entire film on just visuals & concepts. Not easy to do at all.

Look at action films - they SUCK unless there are good characters in them. Die Hard is a perfect example. The chases and explosions MATTER because we want McLain to succeed and we want Gruber to fail. Take those two out of the film and replace them with "same old cardboard cutout" characters and that film becomes dull and hardly worth watching. There are numerous more examples but you get the idea. Action is BORING if we dont care about the context of the action.

Not saying every film has to follow the same formula but if you look at the greatest films ever(by consensus) there are very few that have no characters to hang your hat on.

[HD Goofnut]

Originally Posted by s2mikey

Its tough though for a film like Prometheus to succeed without a central character to connect with at least on some level. Alien and Aliens worked because of the very realistic crew and of course Ripley/Newt. If you take out characters for the sudience to either get behind or root against, you are travelling into very shaky territory as a film maker and are hoping to base the entire film on just visuals & concepts. Not easy to do at all.

Look at action films - they SUCK unless there are good characters in them. Die Hard is a perfect example. The chases and explosions MATTER because we want McLain to succeed and we want Gruber to fail. Take those two out of the film and replace them with "same old cardboard cutout" characters and that film becomes dull and hardly worth watching. There are numerous more examples but you get the idea. Action is BORING if we dont care about the context of the action.

Not saying every film has to follow the same formula but if you look at the greatest films ever(by consensus) there are very few that have no characters to hang your hat on.

I agree with this part. This is exactly why I will never own Sucker Punch or a Transformers film, but there are many more with the same issues.

[Reubania]

Originally Posted by HD Goofnut

I agree with this part. This is exactly why I will never own Sucker Punch or a Transformers film, but there are many more with the same issues.

Transformers is eye-candy fodder. You don't watch it for the plot or any storyline. You watch it for the fantastic action, special effects and weak characters. But it's fun and entertaining.

Sucker Punch on the other hand was the most depressing movie ever. What it could be a fantastic surrealistic movie with incredible action sequence was too bogged down with the character's torment, depression, angst and psychosis. It was too "full on" for me and didn't translate well in the cinema. I felt like I was watching a video game trailer.