With the infamous ‘chest-burster’ scene in 1979’s Alien, Ridley Scott set a standard for body horror that even David Cronenberg couldn’t top. There’s a scene about two thirds of the way through Prometheus that may strain credulity, but hot damn if it isn’t the most squirm-inducing moment of creative on-screen body trauma since John Hurt’s lunch turned on him.
It’s a great scene, but there’s plenty more to Prometheus, which has to be from certain angles the most anticipated movie of the year. Anyone expecting a re-tread of the 1979 film will find plenty of call-backs and reference points, but this film has a MUCH huger scope – one that I thoroughly relished witnessing unfold on screen.
The ‘Macguffin’ of Prometheus is nothing less than the origins of humanity, and how it ties into the Alien films that came before isn’t hugely important to this story. I found the questions posed (only some of which are answered) fascinating and ambitious.
There is a wide variety of well-drawn characters here, with Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender having the most fun as an ice queen and a robot, respectively.
The film contains no shortage of freaky and exciting set-pieces, but it was the implications that really made this special for me. I wish more films had this level of ambition, along with the artistry to execute it. As far as I’m concerned, Ridley Scott is doing some of the best work of his career here.
I find 3D annoying at the best of times, but there are some breath-taking compositions in here that make a very strong argument for the format.
