- Classification: MA15+
- Directed by Ridley Scott
- Starring Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba & Guy Pearce
- Runtime 124 minutes
SO is Ridley Scott (American Gangster, Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, Thelma & Louise, Blade Runner) loosing his touch? Only time will tell but at 75, how much time has he really got left? As a prequel to his 1979 movie Alien, Prometheus is unimaginative, lacks suspense, excitement, character development and a better script would have helped. While the visuals and special effects are brilliant, but aren’t the always these days, technology in the rights hand helps. And will be enough to get its target audience into cinemas to watch it, but those outside its audience of teenagers to the possibly mid 30 something’s, will find it too long and a bit of a bore.
Written by Jon Spaihts (The Darkest Hour) and Damon Lindelof (Cowboys and Aliens), two second time screenplay writers, like their previous work, this is unfortunately overloaded with clichés. Directed by Ridley Scott, who goes back to the future, by returning to the past. While he had the benefit of a fine cast, the script and the storyline never seems to take us far away from earth, when we are supposed to be in the outer universe on another planet which even has an oxygen based atmosphere.
When Dr Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and her colleague Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) make an interesting discovery. After studying many early cave paintings and artistic works of ancient civilisations, they find that they contain similar imprints. Concluding that these imprints are a message about the creation of human beings on earth. Financed by Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) an ageing billionaire, a team of scientists are dispatched in investigate Alien life forms in the universe.
Boarding the spaceship Prometheus under the command of Janek (Idris Elba), his number two Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and Peter Weyland’s son David (Michael Fassbender) who for some reason is immortal, the mission heads into the universe. Landing on a remote planet the scientists lead by Dr Shaw soon find themselves in what looks like an underground railway tunnel, which takes them into a cavernous chamber with signs of an ancient civilisation. When the infertile Dr Shaw become pregnant after being intimate with Charlie Holloway, what is she carrying? Later when they find themselves stranded in an Alien world, they start to loose control, and the Alien world takes action to counteract their intrusion. As they struggle to survive it becomes clear that the horrors they experience are not just a threat to themselves, but to all of mankind.
Prometheus is in cinemas June 7
The Movie Hound’s Picks
- The Duel [M] (Four Stars – in cinemas June 7)
This adaptation of Anton Chekov’s play is set in summer in a seaside resort in the Caucasus where the wealthy holiday. The lazy good for nothing Laevsky (Andrew Scott) lives with his mistress, Nadya (Fiona Glascott) the wife of a wealthy man. Laevsky convinced Nadya to leave her husband for him, but he now wants to abandon her, having learnt of her husband’s death. He doesn’t want to take on the responsibility of marrying her now she’s no longer has the money to keep him in the manner he’s become accustomed too. Visually beautiful, great photography, fine acting, delicious Chekhovian dialogue and gorgeously rich production design, make this a pleasurable and stimulating event.
- Men in Black III (3-D) (Three and a Half Stars – in cinemas now)
Agent J (Will Smith) travels back in time to MIB’s early years in the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) and changing history. Director Barry Sonnenfeld perfectly captures a real understanding of MIB, a movie which never takes itself too serious by injecting into it doses with ironic humour, memories of the 1960s and a sense of fun. A great performance by Josh Brolin as a younger agent K.
- What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Two Stars – in cinemas now)
A look at love through the eyes of five couples who know each other experience the joys, problems and surprises of pregnancy. All coming to understand the truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected. This is very much a women’s movie, so I am in no position to really comment on it. Other than to say, just gathering a clutch of Hollywood’s well known female stars does not make a movie, especially about pregnancy. Well some might like this, but most will find if a failed attempt to make a humorous romantic comedy.
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