This was one of the most disappointing movies this year. The promises and the hype were enormous, but all we got is a cliched plot and characters.
The movie, though ambitious, contained the narrative, which could be called one big giant monstrosity, most of the questions raised in the film were left for a sequel, abandoned or made no sense at all. The science team was really out of place, stupid and careless. There is a religious tone in this movie, but the problem is, that we never discuss about it, there's only "I choose in what I believe" which is a huge cop-out. There was really nothing smart about this movie. It sometimes seen that Riddley Scott never did his homework before writing the script.
There were so many opportunities to make this movie intellectual, and every chance was abandoned. No serious debate about science vs. religion, no serious discussions about the origins of mankind or they creators, or the reason for invitation, everything these "scientist" assume are just wild speculations and plot hangs on it. The engineers motives seemed dumb too.
The only redeeming quality was the visuals and the performance of the actor who played the android. That's it. There's nothing good about this movie on the narrative sense. Ambitious, but bad movie.… Expand

The whole movie was like the first chapter or an introduction to a bog si-fi book . So in a way the plot does sucks big time . There was no answer what so ever . all they did is made more and more question . And that's not a very good way to end a movie . Its like we have to wait 2/3 years to find out whether we like this movie or not .
Acting was quiet impressive . And the effects were the best of this year . Music was good though mixing wasn't perfect .
Hope the sequel wont waste our time by creating more and more questions !… Expand

Not because they say that this movie is bad, I thought it was good as far as it goes. The bad thing about this movie is that they do not explain much of alien species emerging. However, the effects of the movie are very good.

Don't you even try to go watching it thinking you'll understand everything immediately: go watch Prometheus like if it was an old fashioned sci-fi film, where some questions are intentionally left unanswered in order to make the audience wonder and think about it.
The day after I left the theatre embittered I looked for the explanation of some scenes on the Internet, which seemed to have a symbolical meaning: I found plenty of videos explaining the film metaphorically and symbolically.Thus, I thought Prometheus is a good film.
The acting is not that awesome but David, the android played by Michael Fassbender, is astonishingly great.Visually speaking, Prometheus is magnificent: the visual FX (charmingly) surround the excellent framing work Ridley Scott did.
For God' Sake: if you are watching it in a theatre, make sure you are watching the film in 3D.
The Official SoundTrack gave me goosebumps: please note that the HD version of the original Alien's main theme made me giggle in Happiness.
It is not a perfect film, though… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I did not know, until I was in the theater and saw it unfold before me, that Prometheus is a prequel to Alien. Somehow that part of the marketing scheme didn't reach me. I thought, oh, that's strange. Ridley Scott is making another space movie that looks remarkably similar to Alien, and he's even using the same lettering. He must be desperate. Oops. My bad. It's a prequel. But it's also not. You see, Prometheus takes place in the same universe as Alien, before the events in Alien. It heavily references Alien, and its main plot is related to an alien race that is encountered in Alien, but not the chest-popping dude with the cool second jaw. That's where it strays from prequel status: Ridley Scott is attempting to develop an original story here, only very loosely related to Alien.

It is the story of human beginnings, one of the most enticing questions in the history of the world. It is not a true story, of course; don't be fooled by the really cool special effects. It is a story that, at the end of Prometheus, is not over. Scott has announced that he intended from the beginning for this to be a series, and not a standalone film. We do not yet know how many sequels there will be, but I am expecting at least one.

I liked it, more than I thought I would. I am usually a fan of Ridley Scott, as Gladiator and Alien are two of my favorite films, so I suppose I should not be surprised. If there is a sequel, will I see it? Yes, of course. There are some things about this movie that are really far-fetched, and other things that are definitely not possible with any sort of technology. So that's weird. But for the most part, the story drew me in and kept me interested. The acting held up, and the visuals were really cool. There isn't much to say for character development or hidden themes, though. It's just a story. Enjoy it for what it is, and don't expect it to stack up to Alien.

A lot of the reviewers on IMDb really hate this movie. I think they must have been expecting something as good as Alien, so they were pissed off at what they got. But it's not a bad movie, folks. I don't need to tell you that the haters are full of **** judging by the fact that most of them gave the movie a 1/10, which is unreal - I mean come on.

I'm a little disappointed by Charlize Theron in her role, which surprises me, but I'll blame it on her character. I don't feel that Meredith Vickers has a lot of depth, and her little twist is really obvious. I just think she's weird. Michael Fassbender, though... let's talk about him. This guy greatly impressed me in Inglourious Basterds, but his role was so minor that he didn't have a chance to really shine. Now he plays David, the android, in Prometheus, and it's nothing short of splendid. His sparkle is somehow very artificial, his body language just slightly inhuman. He provides the appearance of possessing superhuman intelligence, and the look in his eyes is one of incredible cunning, but also great curiosity, especially toward living things. This is certainly the most compelling depiction of an android yet, and much more impressive than [I won't spoil the surprise] in Alien or Lance Henriksen in Aliens (or, of course, Arnold in Terminator). In the defense of those Alien(s) guys, though, Fassbender's character is much more prominent in the story of Prometheus.

I also feel that Noomi Rapace does a great job in her lead role; she manages not to allow Fassbender to eclipse her, which is impressive. Her performance is very believable, even if some of her character's actions are far-fetched (more on that in the viewers-only section). The rest of the cast is primarily unknown, but they make a relatively good ensemble. I could do without the goofy guys that get lost, but I can't fault the actors for that; they do their job well. I will note that Idris Elba, who plays the ship's captain in this film, is better known to some of us as Stringer Bell from HBO's The Wire. For those of you who don't know, Stringer is one of the most enthralling characters I have ever seen in film or television, and Elba is absolutely amazing in that role. Since that time, I have seen him in a couple of minor roles, including this one, and I personally wish he had quit acting after The Wire. While his performances are nowhere near poor, I cannot help but think of him as Stringer Bell.

For a much more lengthy and in-depth review, see my blog at kofdrops.blogspot.com.… Expand

A group of scientists discover a map that leads them to the place where they believe that we are the creators, but this trip will take them to a distant world, where they must fight to survive and to find out why they were created. Prometheus is not the masterpiece that everyone expected, but it certainly is the best science fiction film of the year (at least for me). Meanwhile, I have to say that for many points of view looks just like Alien (due to certain situations and scenes that do not tell you not to spoil) and really great actors including the best that surprised me most was Michael Fassbender in the role the droid. There are also excellent special effects very well made and also the extraordinary scenery. Especially good atmosphere of the film that is full of suspense and mystery. A movie to watch.… Expand

I thought this movie was fantastic. There is alot of thought provoking material within the film unfortunately it is often just glossed over and it could have been explained a little stronger. The character development is handicapped too but having seen alot of the deleted material that will be put
in the soon to be released DVD/Blu Ray, its nice to see some of the characters explained a little better. It's a confusing film at times and offers more questions that answers and I think that frustrates some people. I found it absolutely intriguing. Visually the movie is stunning. A top notch film from a top notch film maker.… Expand

It always amazes me how movies and television portray scientists as complete and total buffoons who do all the things a scientists are NOT supposed to do. This movie has that in spades. I just don't understand why Earth would send a bunch of misfits into space who don't know each other on something so incredibly important. Beautiful movie - just stupid and predictable.

As someone who loves the alien/predator series, even I have to admit this is the worst film in the series and probably one of the worst films I have ever seen. The production values may be great,, but the story is weak and every single character in the film is stereotyped, selfish, stupid, ineffectual and dislikable. Their mission appears to have no unifying aim, they show no teamwork, and they have no purpose other than to pose and/or panic until their predictable demises. More like a teen slasher flick than quality sci fi. Very very disappointing. Worth watching once for the Alien backstory elements, but thats it.… Expand

"They went looking for our beginning - What they found could be our end" Prometheus is a sophisticated, beautiful and very promising science fiction film which really makes you wonder what would have happened if it were real. I am a fan of science fiction and alien films and Prometheus is a classic science fiction that I would remember forever. I have been seeing a lot of negative criticism from fans and it just makes me laugh because I don't get what else they were expecting this film to be. So, it's a lot easier for me to say that this film proved to be much, much better than my expectations because I really wasn't expecting it to be good, or even great. Ridley Scott kept this film separate from previous Alien films and that is prodigious. He delivered it wonderfully and deliberately left so many questions unanswered to keep the viewers wondering and let their thoughts go beyond the imagination. The plot might seem a bit typical and predictable sometimes but it has been executed and incorporated in the direction in an amazing way that is really worth watching. Hats off to Scott's direction and Damon Lindelof and Jon Spaihts' writing. Production design is brilliant, and so is the cinematography. Visual effects are up to the par and seem really good and believable and somehow a bit genuine (especially those blue-ish blurry ones, they were really good). Outstanding performances by Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw, Michael Fassbender as David and Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers. I liked Rapace's performance so much because of her little bit resemblance to Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley and also because she continued to shine like she did as Lisbeth Salander in the Millenium series. Overall, it is a really great film, which gives you a wonderful experience.… Expand

This film was a huge letdown. Story wise is an absolute mess. Full of uninspired, clueless, dumb characters following a concatenation of events that can hardly be called a "plot".
You might be hoping for some cool action or thrill but you would be disappointed anyway. The only good thing about this movie is the spaceship CGI. Very cool design. That said you don't want to spend money on this train wreck… Expand

It's a gorgeous movie but that's literally all it has going for it. The scenes are long and drawn out, the horror is utterly predictable and impossible and the characters are thoughtlessly one-dimensional throughout. If an early revelation that evolution is false and we were created by some far away aliens, independent of the other species on this planet, might bother you, steer very clear of this movie. It's a mockery of science, filmmaking and religion all in one.

Thanks, metacritic, for littering my review with a bunch of backslashes. Time to move away from the PHP, fools.… Expand

Prometheus is a truly odd thriller/odyssey. The main character, flying camera shots, makes a number of strong appearances. Unfortunately the human co stars make much less of an impression. Most of Prometheus' predictably rag tag crew range from completely forgettable to utterly useless (Does he REALLY need co-pilots, are those dart guns, should you really touch that Alien). Theron's character has a lot of dialogue but does almost nothing. David (the robot) is played terrifically by Michael Fassbender but suffers from a convoluted and confusing last few scenes where he goes from curious scientist to aloof murderer to possible savior all in the space of about 15 minutes. Shaw is presumably the protagonist although you wouldn't guess it or even want it. I watched the whole thing yesterday, went to bed content and woke up irritated. Basically, don't over think this one.… Expand

An average action flick that raises plenty of questions about the alien universe and answers as few of them as possible, filled to the brim with unlikable and obviously expendable characters with one note personalities. But the biggest disappointment and quite frankly insulting part of the movie, the big superior race? Turns out when confronted just hulk smash and grunt like a b-movie swamp monster. I guess I enjoyed it when Pretending it had nothing to do with the alien mythos at all but that's not really praise.… Expand

A movie that caters to an audience who believes that scientists are incapable of telling the difference between "combust" and "explode". Fancy visuals, decent acting but a script that written by someone who either knows exactly how to cater to a modern audience or who hasn't read a news report in over 30 years, I'm still not sure which one it is. Not recommended viewing unless you're looking for a B-quality sci-fi movie with A-quality effects.… Expand

The movie with the most exhilarating trailer of the year didn't quite live up to expectations. Prometheus, like many good science fiction films, poses great philosophical questions concerning the origin of our existence (which deserves applause), but it unfortunately goes absolutely no where with it. Each scene set up ideas but there's no payoff. Some scenes set up new ideas and story threads out of sheer convenience, and there's still no payoff. This movie felt like one big set up, with an intended sequel in mind, which simply wasn't doing it for me. Director, Ridley Scott isn't necessarily the one we should blame here, but the Screenwriter deserves some smack, for writing a script with more plot holes and loose end than you could imagine. Despite these flaws the movie was ripe with entertainment; and good performances abound, the best of which came from Michael Fassbender as our shady android, David and Idris Elba as the cool captain of the Prometheus. And while Scott… Expand

I' am a huge sci-fi and Alien movie geek. So when I heard Ridley Scott was making a new sci-fi movie, you can guess my excitement. I never go into movies expecting it to be flawed or the next Godfather. It is a great futuristic thriller. A story of a group of scientist on a quest to meeting humanity's makers that goes terribly wrong. Noomi Rapace does a great job as the leading role which has a great resemblance to Sigourney Weaver's role. Micheal Fassbender is just perfect as the android we all know. Charlize Theron gives a great performance as the heartless illusive antagonist of the movie. These three lead characters give the only worth while performances. The rest, I could care less about because obviously they where put as "extras" to be killed with no character development at all. The story seemed very interesting which is the key objective for me. The story has plot holes but so did 1979's Alien and those were eventually explain. Overall I enjoyed watching this film, Definitely worth seeing.… Expand

An incredible complement of the Alien's saga, which explains all the mysteries that the Alien universe lend us. A film that don't use a lot of digital effects but amazing sets, with an incredible performance of Michael Fassbender that musts win the Oscar this year. This film mixes the elegance and the science fiction in a perfect combination, showing again that this genre is capable to make true masterpieces.… Expand

Fantastic film and a great return to science fiction from Ridley Scott however the film brings with it several flaws which is disappointing as the film has so much going for it from the performances to the stunning visuals one thing is for sure though is that the first hour is amazing and sets the tone perfectly.

Prometheus is not perfect. There are too many characters with too little dialogue and it's far too short. Ridley Scott should know that a film of this scale needs a bit more down time in which to breathe properly (directors cut, please!). That said, Prometheus presents a visually stunning sci-fi feast which offers more questions than answers. That's exactly the way sci-fi should be; mysterious and intriguing. It's a film that begs to be re-watched and debated about. As a movie in the Alien franchise, it doesn't make it into the same league as Alien or Aliens but it is far, far superior to any of the others.… Expand

Would be an awesome movie... if the characters weren't completely unlikeable and idiotic. I mean, if humanity finds a hint of the origins of life on an extraterrestrial planet, they would send a team of highly trained astronauts, not a ex-convict in it for money, or a lazy captain.

This is one of the best science fiction movies I have ever seen! Visually stunning, mysterious, haunting and with an ambitious story, and all elements blend together perfectly. The greatest part however is that Ridley Scott leaves a lot of space for the audience to fill with their own fantasy instead of breastfeeding them. What a perfect movie!

A grand and brilliant spin-off to ALIEN, PROMETHEUS provides great performances and impressive visuals, it is also a must see for fans of the ALIEN series. I loved this movie.

Total rubbish basically. Mysterious things in a story are supposed to be compelling, but Prometheus has nothing to draw you in. Nothing to keep you on the edge of your seat. Zero atmosphere. Weird stuff happening for no reason is not good story telling. The space jesus angle, as some say the symbolism alludes to, is too preposterous to even consider taking seriously. Prometheus is by far the most disappointing film I've ever had the misfortune to watch.… Expand

Ridley loses Mojo

Never thought I would say it about Scott, but once you take the special effects away what you are left with is a really, really poor "B" movie. Poor in imagination, poor in dialog, poor in science and poor in execution.

The gaping holes in the plot cannot be filled by even the best Blarney you may hear from the likes of Lindenhof. Fassbender, an actor who I have a tremendous amount of respect for and is probably the best actor of his generation, did a lot of Scott arse kissing in the marketing lead up to this movie... well, it is was all for naught, his head ends up in a bag in a scene reminiscent of a really bad school play.

Great talent is lost through complacency. Let's hope Scott can find his Mojo and stop believing his own hype... starting with a better script would be an idea.… Expand

This is the best film I have seen this year. It is a big heavy picture. The ship, planet and aliens have weight and texture. You can feel their footsteps and feel their sweat and pain. Noomi Rapace is fantastic as are all the supporting characters. Certainly, all questions are not answered at the end, but that's okay. If I see a better picture this year, I will be pleasantly surprised.

From the beginning of this movie where clues of an ancient civilization were found, to the ending where the prometheus space ship crashes into the other alien space ship, this movie kept me on the edge of my seat. This is a movie you wouldn't want to miss.

It's unbelievable that Ridley Scott would actually take credit for directing this turkey. I was expecting at least something to challenge my mind. Not at all - dumb stereotype dialogue and characters, and plot that was telegraphed a mile away. The screenplay, other than the initial interesting idea, is a total ripoff / replay of everything from the original "Alien." Also (spoiler alert!), another evil unpredictable robot, wasted acting by Charlize Theron and Guy Pearce, pointless violence, and a mindless any inexplicable ending. "Alien" will remain a classic. This will be forgotten within a year. I felt cheated out of my money and two hours.… Expand

Talk about a letdown. While Prometheus has some great visuals, they aren't enough to make up for the uninteresting story, boring and sometimes stupid characters, and lack of tension of any kind. There's one cringe inducing scene that I found pretty effective, but that was pretty much the highlight of this mediocre movie.

As an Alien quasi-prequel, the elements that make this a prequel does feel like it's hurting the movie. The visuals are amazing. Fassbender great as always. But like Damon Lindelof's other infamous show (Lost), this film has a lot of big mysterious that not a lot have been pulled out unsatisfyingly.

Gaping plot holes aside, "Prometheus" is grand in every sense of the word, as it's visually stunning, expertly acted, and raises interesting questions about the importance (or lack thereof) of life. Fassbender and Theron deliver impressive performances from a script ripe with metaphors and interesting juxtapositions.

I liked this movie. There are some loop holes in the story but this is also Sci-fi and therefore they dont have to play by the rules. Thats the whole point. The characters are rough and kinda cheesily written in some parts. Lets face it though have you ever herd of an alien movie winning an oscar for best writing or acting. Its an entertaining Sci-fi ride with great visuals and some stuff to send chills down your spine. See it for what it is and you will enjoy this movie.… Expand

Basically, the theatre experience of Prometheus is like a date with a stereotypically dumb 'hot blonde' . A visual treat, fun while it lasts, but not something you think about fondly. ...And yes, I am that shallow ... but sadly, so is this film.

Una película hecha únicamente con la intención de recaudar dinero.
Desde el poco respeto hacia la saga hasta los numerosos "bichos" hechos de un plástico blanco, que da toda la impresión que es de alguna sobra de una película de los 90, esta película solo hace que te desesperes. Que te retuerzas en tu asiento de agonía por un final que nunca llega.
Grandes cantidades de incoherencias y nulidad de respuestas, aunque se anunciara como lo contrario.
En fin, no merece la pena gastar tiempo y dinero por "esto".
Reflexión: ¿Donde queda el alienigena fosilizado con un agujero en el pecho, desde donde se supone que salio un alien, de la película Alien de 1979?… Expand

Amazing, simply put. Director Ridley Scott does it again with Prometheus. just to say one thing, if you think this is a movie about aliens, It's NOT. This is a new chapter in the world of Alien, granted Ridley Scott does give us some suprises from Alien, this is not a derivitive of Alien. People have been complaining that this movie has alot of unanswered questions. The reason is that Ridley Scott wants you to use your imagination! This movie was beautiful, the acting was off the charts, David played by Michael Fassbender was incredible, the visuals were amazing, and the story was beautiful. It was a great movie. It was everything I had hoped for and more.… Expand

First of all, the movie is not scary but mandatory to see in cinema. It is hard to say what it wants to be. I appreciate that it takes itself seriosly for a picture. Right after I finished watching, I was satisfied that it began and ended in a simple way, not like any of the silly action flicks nowadays where you don`t even know what is going on. There is a start and an end to this story. I also liked the fact that the story is 1st here, characters are close 2nd. It is mandatory to mention than without Michael Fassbender`s and Charlize Theron`s exceptional performance, this movie would have ended a six out of ten. Also, for a fan of the Alien movies, this one is not in any way a pastiche nore does it interfere which the series. On the contrary - Prometheus answers some of the questions from the original Alien and mentions it in a subtle way. The story gives a pleasant feeling although one feels that answering few of the questions set over 30 years ago is the single and only purpose for this movie`s creation. I find the monsters well, silly. The action scenes are mediocre with the exception of the last one where the Prometheus takes off for the last time. Even though the suspense is probably the only thing of a thriller here, in my opinion it placed 3rd right after Aliens and Alien, because it is much better than Alien 3 and 4. It is memorable but not as nearly as the first two parts it prequels.… Expand

The first hour is strong, there is a great sense of foreboding and mounting threat. However, the characters are poorly realised and fail to convince the viewer that they are worth investing any emotional engagement. After the relatively strong first hour, these flaws become more evident as the cast are bumped off, but that failure to care about them denies Prometheus the powerful ending it tries so hard to create. Disappointing, this could, and should, have been so much better.… Expand

Don't understand to people who rate low this movie. This is simple amazing, you can't move from your sit while you are watching this movie, and when it ends you have the feeling or the needing of more...

Wonderful visuals with an extremely interesting premise ruined by a terrible script, awful characters and a severe lack of tension. Prometheus poses some interesting questions and much of what is presented is left open to interpretation which is always appreciated, but the overall presentation of these ideas is disappointingly weak and I left the cinema feeling rather let down by what I saw.

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The dialogue doesn't seem to come from an organic place. It's the subtlest breaking of the fourth wall. The non-sequitir, delivered by the father, who in that instant, perhaps, temporally serves in the capacity of a ventriloquist's dummy playing, for dialectical purposes, the devil's advocate, could be the linchpin of understanding the abounding vagaries in Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, the 2011 award-winning film that, as a result, was misinterpreted by literal-minded moviegoers who wanted the film to align perfectly with other Christian-minded ilk, most of which account for, without any provocation from an ancillary voice abetting a polar ideology, the existence of God. In a diner, the filmmaker interjects on the father's behalf(Mr. O'Brien has the filmic spirit), when after having just harassed the waitress about her slow service, he asks his boys: "Subjective point-of-view, you know the difference?" It's a rhetorical question, of course. Jack, in particular, knows better not to speak while his father is pontificating. "Subjective," the failed musician explains, "means it comes from your mind. It can't be proven." It's Malick himself, not Jack's dad, who pontificates against the film's seemingly didactic perspective that God created the universe. Consider the signs and syntax. Rendered in Kubrick's film language, with a start, we realize how the whispered petitioning of the mother and her eldest son to God could, in fact, be in complete discordance with the cosmic imagery. Are they speaking to the void? After all, 2001: A Space Odyssey, advocated science. Unmistakably atheist, the "Dawn of Man" sequence featured monkeys, our progenitors, as an afirmation of evolution, a theory first put forward by Charles Darwin. The absence of monkeys from the timeline in The Tree of Life would seem to be promoting a creationist take on man's origins, especially if you factor in the illustrated monkeys from the storybook(read: evolution is made-up) that the mother delivers to her three malleable sons. And yet, the 1968 sci-fi classic gets slyly evoked in the violent actions of a boy, the neighborhood gang's ringleader, who like the monkey that employs an antelope bone in order to smash things, also refashions a found object as a weapon, some piece of wood, which he brings down repeatedly on a garbage can. Science fiction(which, here, would later become science fact) is addressed more directly in the next scene, when Jack, galvanized by the potential for space exploration through the covert reading at night of a Jack Coogan and Fletcher Pratt book, helps launch a frog into the air via rocket, killing this proto-astronaut, and God, in the process. Although By Spaceship to the Moon precludes alien life forms, speculative fiction, as a general rule, is thematically secular, which begs the question: Is there a God in The Tree of Life? For sure, his holiness, has no hand in The Exploding Chest of Life(aka Alien). "Oh, God!" cries Lambert, the bloodied chief navigator of the Nostromo, as the xenomorph comes bursting through Kane's pulmonary cavity. Even if her lament was more than the mere cursing of an atheist, like Jack's mother, whose similarly phrased entreaty concerning her dead son goes unanswered, Lambert would come to realize that nobody can hear you scream. Heaven isn't listening. Vasquez(from Aliens), presumably, a Christian, because of the cross she wears around her neck, can afford to be religious, since the butchy-looking soldier's compeers are mercenaries like herself, not scientists. The private dies in a self-triggered air shaft blast, alongside Lt. Golman, no doubt comforted by the reassuring concept of ascension. As it turns out, in Prometheus, the sideways sequel to the original, we learn that the fighting between man and alien throughout the series is a sort of civil war. Vasquez's faith never gets tested. The soldier never learns that she had a hand in gunning down her maker's children, the mutated ancestors of mankind. In Prometheus, despite the fact that a startling series of events conclusively proves both the theologians and the evolutionists wrong, Elizabeth retrieves her cross from David, even though the relic lost its original meaning. She tells the android, "It's what I choose to believe," subjectivist words that sound naive, since the diegetic world of Prometheus lacks the fluidity innate in The Tree of Life filmscape, where God and science duke it out for adherents. Science, arguably, wins in the final sequence. Jack, by all appearances, works in a building more exciting than the one in Being John Malkovich. Instead of finding a portal that leads to the seat of the famous actor's consciousness, Jack, while riding the elevator, gets sucked into a wormhole, where he is reunited with his family, tricked out as their younger selves. Only as a young woman, can the mother let go of her maternal pain. Like Elizabeth, she invents a heaven.… Expand

This movie surprised me in its depth of character, acting, and effects. Rapace, Theoren, and Fassbender performed their roles to perfection. However, despite several choice scenes, there are long stretches of little action or suspense. The long running time also makes this movie less enjoyable than it would be if some of the repetitive scenes were trimmed into a shorter cut. That being said, it is still a fairly good film with many positives and serves as a good prequel to the Alien film series.… Expand

I never could quite understood what it was going for. It was just a case of being a hybrid that didn't contain substance from either of its parent genres.

A technically well done movie filled with very stupid characters. Explored themes and brilliant ideas could have made this movie one of the best of the last ten years in the sci-fi genre, unfortunately, it was handled frivolously. The union of the talented Ridley Scott with the overestimated Lindelof just give an awkward result.

This move is a major disappointment. I expected more from the acclaimed director of Blade Runner and the original Alien. This is just a rehash of every SciFi cliche, form 2001 Space Odyssey to the Thing, and sadly the previously mentioned classics. The story is like bad fan fiction, full of plot holes and inconsistencies and wooden acting. Really bad. Save your money.

If you just had one word to describe Prometheus, it would be inconsistent. Ridley Scott's return to the genre that made his name is far from the triumphant one we all hoped for. It's undeniably visually spectacular, and there are occasional glimmers of Scott's past glory, but for the most part it's an uninspired piece of filmmaking. Michael Fassbender is excellent as the android David, and entertainingly channels Peter O'Toole in his performance, but his character's motivations are never really made clear. Noomi Rapace is decent as the film's primary protagonist, the God-fearing archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw, and thankfully doesn't try to imitate Ripley. The rest of the cast are unfortunately made up of under-performing A-listers (Theron, Elba, Pierce) and TV actors who were doubtlessly hired because they were cheap. You do get a few good sci-fi horror moments, though they pale in comparison to, and lack the expert use of tension in Alien, despite the fact that these scenes are essentially paying homage to Scott's original work. In the end, the most disappointing aspect of Prometheus is its story. After an excellent setup, it meanders and plods between set-pieces, and provokes more new questions about the origins of the Alien film franchise than it answers. Aside from Fassbender and Rapace, the odd moment of wonder and beauty (Prometheus' stunning initial descent onto the planet, David admiring the colossal glistening holographic star map that surrounds him) and a few knowing winks in reference to Scott's original sci-fi undertaking, Prometheus leaves a lot to be desired. The big ideas are there, but are not handled with enough insight, intelligence or creativity, which results in a diverting, but not particularly satisfying film. A sequel might be on the way, so let's hope that next time Ridley Scott endeavours to be braver, more original and more exciting in his creative vision.… Expand

It's so stupid I hardly managed to survive till the end. It's pretty though, nice 3D - if it's what's you're looking for, this one is for you. My problem was that every single dialogue, every single decision, almost every move of the characters is completely stupid, it makes no sense at all. Waste of time :(

Very disappointed. All of the good reviews here (so many 10's, even Mr. Ebert?) just talk about how interested they were in the plot. The characters, with the exception of Fassbinder, were so neglected over plot that the movie was uninvolving for me. Huge character motivation holes. Really important things happen that don't seem to faze the characters or change their behavior at all. And for such an important mission, they seem to have sent the cast of Jersey Shore to accomplish it...… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Prometheus was a much anticipated movie. I was charmed by the visuals the trailers offered and the answers it promised. However, I found it very disappointing in several ways, mainly for its stupidity, characters and plot :

❶This is the stupidest movie ever. I'm a student in engineering and way smarter than ANY characters in the movie! The movie is filled with stupidity, often achieved by (top) scientists. This is the world's greatest expedition and they send a bunch of idiots, drunk, deranged and retarded people that don't even know why they are here until they've arrived! WTF is that? How can anyone consent going to a life-threatening mission without even knowing what they're going into or why? How can they properly prepare themselves with the right equipment? They also have no mean of defense and a non-existent security system with no quarantine. They ignore any scientific or safety measures while exploring the alien planet, to the point where they take off their helmets and expose themselves willingly to alien lifeforms! Did I mention that the only way they can visually communicate with the ship is with the helmets? The suits they use are inefficient, it cannot withstand acid nor fire. If I was the expedition leader, I would only send robots while staying safely inside the ship. The ship's captain alerts only 5 min before that a gigantic storm is on the way and that he'll leave them behind if they don't move their asses. They decide to take an alien head to the ship in a quad that can't even contain it properly. After it drops out the heroin decides to risk her life and the entire crew's to save the alien head from the storm, which they blow up 5min later while experimenting on it because they're to stupid to use they're own equipment properly. While this happens, one scientist decides to get drunk and gets poisoned by the robot with alien lifeforms (on behalf of the supposedly dead millionaire), exposing thusly the entire crew and the millionaire to certain and painful death. While two of their fellow companions managed to get lost with a 3D gps at their disposal, the captain and the expedition leader also have sex. It so happens that meanwhile the lost guys, who were scared to death to meet aliens 2min ago, actually do meet aliens, remove their helmets and treat them like home pets! No wonder they die but no one pays attention and they have no means to alert the ship's crew! THIS IS ONLY THE FIRST 15 MINUTES! This goes on for the rest of the movie, I'm not saying that the scenarists should look into every scientific details but most of the time all it needs is plain common sense, something that every character in Prometheus fails to adopt.

❷ Characters are the second major failure of Prometheus. Apart from being stupid and mentally retarded, the characters have no depth. This is probably why all the characters are so stereotyped : all the scientists are white, the horny doesn't-give-a-rat's-ass-about-science captain is black, the money-hungry expedition leader is a blonde **** the **** that eventually starts killing everyone is a deranged punk... etc. The only two characters that they bothered giving a somewhat personality are the heroin and the robot (who is not supposed to have any), they are also the only two survivalists. Apparently the other characters were just here to die, so why give them a personality? The thing is it's harder to feel anything towards them. Basically, the characters that rise above humanity's vanities (money, sex, alcohol, eternal life) or that have some kind of … Expand

Sloppy script, flat characters, and a forgettable score. There are so many plot-holes and questionable actions taken by the characters you wonder if Ridley Scott even saw the script before he began shooting. I felt like my intelligence had been insulted by this film. However, Michael Fassbender, despite the pointless actions of his character, did an amazing job as David. The CGI was also top notch, but that's not really something out of the ordinary in today's films.… Expand

Prometheus was slow and dull. It was predictable and I felt myself wishing the long-drawn out affair would be over. It had little of the intensity of Alien and really lacked drive. On a more positive note, I thought the visuals were very good and I enjoyed the 3D effects. There weren't any obvious moments where Scott had pushed something towards the camera etc. to get the best use of 3D technology but it was more subtle.… Expand

First off, I think most people were upset with this movie because they thought it was going to be an Alien movie, which even I knew before it came out that it wasn't. I came into this having only watching Alien vs Predator and not the original Alien movies. I found this to be one of the best movies I have watched in a long time. The CGI is top notch and might be the best I have ever seen in a movie. People who said the plot was confusing really must have not been paying attention. The plot was very engaging and kept you wondering what was gonna happen next. There are some unanswered questions, the most of which being the opening scene. However, the ending was set up perfectly for a sequel, which I hope they make. After watching it, I went and watched the original alien movies. I still found Prometheus to be one of the best prequels to a movie ever made. It showed how the Alien came to be and did it perfectly.… Expand

Ever since 2002, when Ridley Scott and James Cameron approached FOX about making an ALIEN 5, i was just wishing for it to happen. So when Ridley confirmed a few years ago that he was going back to Sci-Fi and to the ALIEN franchise i was totally jazzed. Then when the teasers and trailers started popping up it mesmerised me and i just wanted to see this movie ASAP, it was by far the one film that i most wanted to see this year.

So to my actual thoughts on the film, it starts off great and it… Expand

Production values do not make a film, as this facet is a given in high budget movies. Adequate actors do not make a film excellent if the script is good - in this case, mediocre- and screenplay is interesting premise - good development - drawn out - rushed ending - great cliffhanger. Allusions to stand alone classics and mythology do not make a film if they do little to nothing in contribution to the film in its entirety.

People have lauded this film as if it is some avant-garde, incredible work of art for in the least its name being a reference to the Greek myth where Man is made, given the ability to make fire, metaphysical overtones, and the obvious reference to the story of the birth of Christ does little to actually help the film. If anything, these allusions are made to make the film seem deeper than it is. Again, the premise is the best part, and while I was enjoying it so much as I am a huge fan of science fiction, there came a time in the film when I was struggling to come up with warrants to justify why the film was good. I am capable to logic and reasoning- people complain at how analytical I am at times - yet, hopefully not to sound cyclical, it was when the film started to drag on that I, in retrospect, should have walked out. I have never walked out on a film before (except for the second installment of Lord of the Rings, due to the fact I couldn't stand the directing). At least I got to watch that movie for free. I regret having spent $9 to see this movie. It had some good scenes though and I know not to watch this as if it is an Alien film, but treat it more like a separate sci fi film (given the ending, t is impossible to - I will say no more).

To describe this film, only word word is required. Terrible.… Expand

Prometheus has two faces. On one hand, it offers stunning 3D visuals (quite a compliment from a person who hates 3D movies), great music, very good photography and locations, not to mention good performance of the top two actors (Fassbender and Theron). On the other hand, the return to Alien universe is marked by complicated plot with too many loose elements (even dull towards the end), treated in a hasty and pretentious, new-age-ish way, which is quite a shame for a picture with a tonn of small resemblances with the genre's classics (think of 2001: Space Odyssey, Blade Runner or, more recently, Mission to Mars etc.) and books (In the Mountain of Madness, some hints at King Lear's parental drama). It seems to me that after 30 years of absence from sci-fi universe Ridley Scott wanted to tell us everything, ending with telling us nothing in specific. 6/10 for the plot, boosted to 7/10 due to great technical elements.… Expand

Name a better 'people travel out to space and discover aliens' movie than this one since the alien trilogy. Okay, it's not too related to aliens, but so what? that wasn't the point. This is a great sci fi movie alltogether. Performances were spot-on, spec eff great, and there was just enough meaning to give me the goose bumps. Contemplating the origin of man is always great, except that we all kinda suck. Well, maybe we'll see the light in "Prometheus 2: People Suck".… Collapse

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What I thought of Prometheus (I wish I had the energy to write a full-length review), posted elsewhere: Well, I'll be the contrarian about Prometheus - I loved it. I thought the opening moments of the film were provocative and mysterious. I got what it meant but did it really mean what I thought it did? There are no answers in this film, though the lead female scientist (Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw) becomes dogged about getting some. We are left to come up with our own. It sort of combined the naivete and passion for exploration of the early episodes of Scott Bakula's Star Trek: Enterprise with an ever-growing sense of dread. The goofiness of Rapace and Marshall-Green as Elizabeth & Charlie, the "love you baby" science couple is the innocent/naive quotient. And the moment you meet David, the android who has a penchant for looking/sounding like Peter O'Toole, you know this can't end well, knowing the history of androids in the Alien films. But the best thing about the film, beyond being beautiful to look at (I did not see it in 3-D and it was gorgeous) and intriguing enough for me to shuffle through the hallways of my mind re the earlier films, was to take that "ET phone home" nonsense about our space seed fathers being benign, loving aliens and turning it 180. I take it that most of the criticism directed at the film is by fan boys (sorry, I know y'all are passionate folks) who wanted another "Alien" horror film. While there are some extremely tense scenes (it's rated R for a reason), this film is also grand and filled with wonder in the old-style sense of what science fiction films used to be. And that's what did it for me. I would have given it a 10 but shaving off 1 point for somewhat weak character development (particularly of the supporting variety).… Expand

Even though I have never seen "Alien", I can honestly say that "Prometheus" is one of my favorite thrillers. The film was always interesting, mysterious, and suspenseful in such a way that I couldn't take my eyes off of the screen. Although the film may settle for some subliminal pseudo-philosophical messages, as far as the craft goes, it's genius.

Ultimately, Prometheus fails to reach the dizzying heights that I had expected (and I think that can go without saying) but it contains striking, seamless visuals and a trump card in the form of Michael Fassbender, which still deems it a good movie-going experience. The plot comes off very standard and predictable, which is the only thing I really was hoping to be stunned by. The characters, well, we don't really care, 'cept for David. But the film does stand as a part of the incredible Alien franchise and after having accepted the films' effect on the Alien universe, it is still a pretty good movie. There is a scene involving Noomi Rapace in a growth-removal surgery that is gut-wrenching, but there aren't all to many genuine horrifying moments throughout. Still recommendable, though.… Expand

I had to make an account here when I saw all the negative reviews. To really understand the movie's subtle plot points, you have to be a fan of the Alien film series. First, the scientists taking off their helmets: these guys have just discovered the people who created them. They are really not thinking rationally, they just want to get answers, no matter the cost.
The guy petting the alien snake: he was seriously stoned at the time. Seriously, he was smoking weed in his suit mere minutes before.
The pod being designed for males: it was built specifically for Weyland. Putting it in Vickers' room was a cover.
Shaw running minutes after surgery: it is clearly shown that she is in great pain while doing this, but she is managing to power through because she knows that if she doesn't , everything will go to hell. Add in that medical technology has significantly advanced in the future, and it makes sense.
Vickers running forward from the ship instead of left or right: well, OK, that was a stupid move.
Finally, the connection to Alien: the ships in the film were the same model, but not the same ship. The ship in Prometheus was carrying canisters of a black fluid to be used as a biological weapon. The fluid, when ingested, causes two things: it affects the host's mind and body negatively, and it causes a larva called a Trilobite to form. Dr. Holloway ingested the fluid, and while he was having sex with Shaw, the larva transferred itself from Holloway to Shaw. Shaw removes the Trilobite with the pod, and decontaminates it, putting it into a state of paralysis that she mistakes for death. Meanwhile, it grows to a huge size because it was designed to, being the product of a bioweapon. Once Shaw and the Engineer came to the shuttle it was trapped in, it broke out and facehugged the Engineer; the Trilobite is the ancestor of the Facehuggers. Once the Proto-Xenomorph bursts out (it looks different because it came from an Engineer), it presumably goes on to become the first Queen, spawning new Xenomorphs. This probably gained the attention of the other Engineers, who collected a bunch of eggs and put them in a ship to use as weapons. One of the eggs hatched, all hell broke loose, the ship crashed, and then the Nostromo found it in Alien.
See, it makes sense if you use your brain a bit.… Expand

This film's much lauded visuals are a combination of drab and video game CGI. The audio was totally forgettable other than sounding vaguely like some other films. The "plot" had more holes than a movie of that length should conceivably be able to contain. Characters were the kind you want to forget and probably will. The 'deep thought provoking open ended questions' that are lazily tacked on at the beginning and given minimal followup rank right up there with "Ancient Aliens" started Thanksgiving.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Despite some minor flaws, this got to be one of the best recent movies from Ridley Scott and a good welcome-back for the director to the science-fiction genre. It felt like a big puzzle for me, each piece being shown during the movie and only in the end (with a very clear reference to one of his previous movies) it falls in place. There are a few details missing which I expect to see addressed in the sequel.
The important things you must know about this movie:
1- You have to pay close attention to the movie, otherwise you'll miss several links in the plot.
2- There's a central theme on this movie which you can only recognise if you're well aware of what Evolution truly means.
3- Not absolutely necessary to watch Alien trilogy, but I recommend it. Particularly the first movie.… Expand

This was a pretty good film. Obviously not as good as Alien or Aliens, but still better than the franchise's other installments. It started off pretty slow, but then got exciting and tense when they started conflict with the aliens. I don't think that it necessarily lived up to all of its expectations, but it was a good film nonetheless.

One of the best sci-fi movies of all time warrants a score in the mid-60s? Sorry, but that one is far too low. In a gripping tale of a 2001 - A Space Odyssey adventure, characters and cinematography meet in a great yarn about the source of life.

Admittedly, this is not original material. One can see monsters, android and space ship seat from Alien to the degree that one must ask if the owners of the rights to those movies either licensed their art or are preparing a suit against everyone involved in this movie unless they are all owed by the same people.

But the scenes continue to mark new territory as Ridley Scott certainly knows how to get under your skin and make the whole thing plausible. In the end, you leave happy to have spent your money, especially if seen in 3D iMax.

Highly recommended.… Expand

Prometheus, unlike what many say, is insanely awesome (especially in the effects department). It was one of the most 'fun' movies of this year so far to watch and is aesthetically pleasing in almost every aspect. Too add to that, Michael Fassbender kicked ass in the movie and whenever he was on screen the movie was always that much better. I recommend watching it as well as ignoring the mixed reviews about the movie because it willl be a fun and entertaining experience (plus its much better then spending your money on watching the amazing spiderman).… Expand

Prometheus, the (almost) prequel to the Alien trilogy, is great. Damon Lindelof, co-creator, producer, and writer for Lost, wrote a great movie, really brought to life by the cast and Ridley Scott. Noomi Rapace is just FANTASTIC as Shaw, the protagonist, and the supporting cast does a great job too, including Michael Fassbender as the artificially maniacal David, Idris Elba as the womanizing and reassuringly sane Captain Janek, and Charlize Theron as the self-serving and all around b-word Meredith Vickers. While it may be a bit complex and convoluted at times, it is really enjoyable, and like Alien, has an edge-of-your-seat freakiness. Aside from the various excellent superhero offerings 2012 has to offer, Prometheus is this year's best Sci-fi flick yet.… Expand

Best I've gone to this year, and really one of the best movies of all time. In 3D, I witnessed the best visuals I've ever seen in a movie, far exceeding Avatar. The mix of action, suspense, intrigue, amazing technology, sexy female butts, and being related to and expanding upon the Alien series is the full package. Furthermore, it provokes viewers to constantly think about their beliefs of our origin, our knowledge of the universe, and the ultimate questions of what reality even is. I cannot wait to see the sequels, which will have even more action and full scale warfare (like Alien vs Aliens). Loved it!!… Expand

Director Ridley Scott is back to the sci-fi genre after a good 20 years or so. What makes Ridley Scott stand out to me is that when he uses visual effects they

FANTASTIC! I was 7 when alien came out! I stayed deep in the country and there was nothing out there but dark starry nights. I loved STAR WARS, who didnt! It was sooo exciting and made me really believe thatthat there was something fantastic going on out there in space. Im no trekky,although I did and do love star trek. But when ALIEN came to the movies in my lil town it was the most talked about thing amongst the older kids. I had to see it cause I thought that I would be taken to fun exciting adventure.BOY WAS I WRONG! It seemed so real because the actors were normal people doing normal things. But it was dark and more scarier than my imagination has ever gone! The Alien was TRAUMATIZING! I couldnt sleep for 3 years! But when my cousins finally explained to me that by the alien being blown into space and space had killed it and that it wasnt gonna fall to earth I was ok. NOT! Then I started to wonder where did they come from and what was that other alien doing driving a space ship? Im 39 now and for all those years RIDLEY MADE MY DREAM COME TRUE! I just dont wanna have to wait 30 more yrs to REALLY KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM!!!! Thank u for introducing them to me RID OLE BOY! U R TRULY A VISISIONARY! NO OTHER SPACE MOVIES HAVE EVER CAME CLOSE!!!!!… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Read the other negatives... this is as bad as serious movies can get, and I enjoyed the red reviews more. There are so many plot holes that it is not even worth analysing them. People seem to make excuses by looking for depth, depth which just isn't there. The symbolism can be summed up in two sentences, or a one word title, which is about the best thing in the film. The dialogue is just mind-bogglingly bad. The beauty of Alien was it's naturalism. People talked like where they were and who they were. This film tries to replicate that, by some pointless bickering between unimportant characters, and some portentous dross from other side characters. You end up wanting to rip everyone's head off to see if they're a robot.

The other excuse people raise is that it looks good. It doesn't. It looks like Armageddon crossed with Dune for 2012... and I mean that in a bad way. Throw in Biff from BTTF (were no actual old people available for the role?), suicidal space jockeys, zombies, attack snakes... and some holograms. Seriously don't start me on the holograms, I can imagine the script session: "We need to move the plot along"
"How about some holograms of people running away from something?"
"Won't people notice that makes no sense at all?"
"Probably not... don't overestimate your audience."
"Cool, what about learning to start the alien ship?"
"No problem, we'll use the holograms to show the alien controlling his ship with a flute."
"You are da man!"

I think my main problem was that I wanted to take it seriously. Had I known going in it was "Alien know what you did last summer" I would have sat back and enjoyed the laughs.… Expand

This is a movie that makes you think! These are the type of movies that I absolutely love! It's rare these days when we get a movie in the box office that actually presents a true and moral dilemma. In the case of, "Prometheus," it's the question of human existence. We follow a group of explorers, scientists, soldiers, and business folk. They have their different agendas, but have to know to work together. Making a tremendous discovery, it's nothing that they could have ever imagined. Special effects, acting, cinematography, and plot. It's all there! You need to see this movie!… Expand

Maybe not as good as the hype, with their seeming to not be a clear beginning and middle, many anti-climaxes and doesn

This was the dumbest movie I've seen in years. The characters all seem to suffer from severe brain damage, and the plot is needlessly complicated and nonsensical with many, many holes. Like Avatar, it's nothing but a sequence of pretty pictures (to be honest, they are very pretty pictures) that make little sense when put together into a story. Watch it if you want two hours of nice environments, but don't expect anything intellectual out of it.… Expand

Prometheus is a good film and a definate prequel that deserve to be in Ridley Scott's universe. Perhaps the best aspect of Pormetheus would have to be the special effects and art direction, it is very well made from the aliens to the landscapes explored, it is just marvelous. The acting is top-notch especially Michael Fassbender's android character and it easily and enjoyable (albeit at times disgusting) movie. The movie isn't too much reliant on scares but that is alright because the movie is still gripping. The main problem I had with the movie was the fact that it raised several intriguing questions yet the movie never answers them and you are left trying to figure it all out without a good conclusion. But all in all, Prometheus was a good movie that was definately worth watching. Score: 7.0 out of 10.… Expand

"Prometheus" is picturesque and inspired, albeit a bit too awkward to be more than a good-to-great picture. What fails the product is a script that allows for an equal measure of wonderful things to every fault, as well as the later-life dissidence Ridley Scott has apparently developed with the slow-burn drama, often causing him to opt for a quick barrage of information instead of the languid technique of his prime. Otherwise, all negative slants aside, the performances were good for the most part and the special effects were especially strong for Twentieth Century Fox, perhaps due to the continued residence of the specialised team brought in for work on "Avatar." Nevertheless, I don… Expand

This movie lost me at the very beginning-there i NO explanation or evidence of anything that would lead to space mission.Why that planet?Looking at cave pictures is atrociously poor reason.It's juvenile writing.I can't comprehend what mind can go with it after starting point that weak.Its degrading SF genre intellectually to a 1950s SF uneducated mainstream mentality regarding everything.It's offensive and scary to think that an average consumer has sink that low.Are people really have such a short attention span and are that stupid?It terrifies me. I could go on about plot holes,other "science" facepalm moments,bad characterization,fact that none of the questions are answered by the end of a movie...but why bother?If you use brain to think this is 0,if you like CGI and lived under a rock for last 10 years you will love this movie and find its theories interesting.… Expand

For me, this movie was the most colossal disappointment I've had in a long time. I had super high expectations, but man, I really just thought it was bad. Charlize Theron's character is unbearable, tons of redundancies in the writing, and a it wasn't even tense. To sum up my opinion of it, I would say it's like the paper that someone wrote for school, where they put a ton of work into the extra credit, but totally forgot to do the rest of the paper until the last second.… Expand

A sublime sci-fi adventure ahead of its time. The only real fault with this film is not over-reaching, but reaching in too many directions all at once. A flawed gem, but a valiant step forward for the genre. Leaves many unanswered questions which will frustrate the impatient, but lays the foundation for a promising continuation of its own, which will captivate the imaginative.

This movie was excellent - I watched the alien series before watching Prometheus and I have to say this movie at least matched the tension of the first 2 alien movies. I have to warn you though, this movie is not for the weak of stomach - I completely understand if you hated this movie (I feel most love it or hate it). The last 3/4 of the movie are extremely tense throughout, with viewers constantly on the edge of their seats. And although the tension is what the movie rides on, the movie also poses some deeper philosophical questions about the origin and point of life. The acting was superb, especially Michael Fassbender's portrayal of an android, and the special effects were great. For the sci-fi genre, Prometheus is simply epic.… Expand

The problem with Prometheus is that it isnt a horror movie, thriller, or an action flick. Its just a slow sci fi movie that asks a lot of questions and leaves them unanswered. You will walk out of Prometheus wondering what was going on, why things happened, and what was the meaning behind different events. I didnt walk out thinking I wasted my money, but I wasnt completely satisfied.

First off HUGE fan of the Alien series. I was immensely excited with Scott coming back to the franchise (we all know its been lacking since Alien 3). I was expecting to be blown away, but It was slowing becoming more and more disappointing as the movie dragged on. The cast of the movie only has a few that stand out, Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender (David), and Idris Elba. The rest were pretty much red shirts to me. The alien designs looked cool but eventually impractical to me. David the robot killed close to half the people on the ship (intentionally, unintentionally) which surprised me, but what surprised me more was that no one was really at all mad with him. The didn't even give him the cold shoulder. The movie ended up just flopping at about the hour and a half mark and I really felt that the movie would have been much better if it had ended there, but instead they drag the movie out another 30 minutes. The CGI in this movie was very good, except for the alien surgery part, you would have thought that part of her stomach was made of play-dough it looked so bad. This movie is a totally let down, but for some of the mindless movie goers of the 21 century they'll probably praise the movie. Please don't be one of them, avoid this.… Expand

This is a symbolist movie of Manichaean horror in outer space. It is about finally facing off with a corrupt Demiurge that created mankind in a corrupt state using stolen tools, stolen fire--yet still the spark of the divine resides within us (Shaw will soon discover this). This is the kind of film where you take away from it exactly what you bring to it. A complete understanding requires some particular mythological knowledge, that of ancient Babylon, Zoroastrianism, and the Persian flavor of Gnostic Christianity called Manichaeism that was popular at the height of Rome. If you have read in these subjects, the meaning of the film is illuminated plainly. Prometheus is brilliant, unexpected, and nearly perfect in every aspect save one: accessibility. This film is a nut to crack. It is not Transformers or Battleship. It is art. And it is amazing.… Expand

Ridley has his eyes on the prize, but they're too big for his stomach.

In the thirty-three years since Ridley Scott's suspense-filled masterclass Alien, the franchise has lent itself to all-out warfare in the hands of James Cameron, a misguided hark back to the original courtesy of David Fincher and a pair of lamentable crossovers with Arnie's pal. Now the man who spawned the series has returned with a standalone film occurring before the events of all others, attempting to shine a light on the origins of the creature, the man infatuated by it and humanity itself.

In the year 2089 archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and partner Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) have discovered a cave painting similar in design to many others found around the world. The pictures are interpreted as a star map, and an invitation to humans to venture forth into the depths of space and meet their maker. So that's exactly what the couple does. In the company of uptight mission director Meredith (Charlize Theron), android David (Michael Fassbender) and the elderly, mysterious Mr. Weyland (Guy Pierce), they board the good ship Prometheus. Upon arrival, the team has their perception of human history and spirituality rocked to its core.

Ridley Scott was right to make the clear distinction between 'prequel' and 'standalone' in this instance, as Prometheus most definitely falls into the latter category. Chestbursters, facehuggers and acid bleeding xenomorphs are, for the most part, replaced with ancestral beings and foreign substances. Simply put, suspense and thrills are put on the backburner, while typical traits of intelligent sci-fi (issues of spirituality, the presence of greater beings and man's insignificance in the grand scheme of the omega) form the crux of the plot.

With that said, Scott shows he has not lost his touch in delivering to fans of the original what they paid to see. Allusions to the franchise, both subtle and overt, are prevalent throughout, while the scene in which Dr. Shaw is forced to conduct some impromptu surgery matches any moment of his distinguished career in intensity and exhilaration, providing the film's inarguable highlight. Visually speaking, Prometheus astounds, as inspired settings and sweeping, immersive camera-work make it one of those rare films that actually incorporates 3D into the cinematography and not just as a cheap gimmick.

Whether intentional or not, the overriding theme that seems to come out in the wash is that there are some things man is not meant to know. For a film covering two and a half hours not much happens, and its attempt to answer some of the biggest questions posed to mankind gives the impression that it has bitten off more than it can chew, resulting in a cyclical narrative that reveals very little. Indeed, it may be the whole point of the film that an understanding of our purpose in life is so far beyond the realms of a human's mental capacity that to even try to comprehend such a universal semiotic would be the ultimate exercise in futility. And so, the criticism comes not from the film's ambiguity and inability to explain the unexplainable, but rather from the expectations it establishes for the viewer, only to meander around the big questions without directly addressing them.

Maybe we're being a little hasty. Maybe, in the midst of all the pre-release hype, we've overlooked the fact that this film has a very sequel- friendly ending, strongly implying that our discovery of how and why has just begun. And therein lies the conflicting nature of Prometheus. Some will call it pointless, some will hail it as the pinnacle of cinematic literature and some may just have to wait and see if this film really is the disjointed, identity-conflicted slice of science fiction it appears to be in its own vacuum, or merely the preface of a potentially epic series.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Charleze Theron was totally wasted here. The movie aspires to be great, but just ends up over the top. The focus on the cross was absurd and unnecessary, but typical of a lot of sci-fi these days. Too much religious fantasy, not enough sci-fi substance. Great f/x, sound, and music though.… Expand

I enjoyed this movie more the second time round, having been a big fan since number 2 in the series, Aliens. I was initially (on my first viewing) disappointed, but thought the attention to detail on sets and tech was typical of Ridley Scott. Parts of the of the plot were left unanswered or stumbled upon just before the end of the movie.

Loved it, left more questions than answers, despite formulaic sequencing from the original Alien and some heavy handed characterizations it was a great ride.

My review is mostly a response to the negative reviews for the film , which I find really shocking. I want to adress the criticisms. One common complaint is that there is poor character development, which leads us to not care when crew members die. But considering there are 17 members on board, while alien had a crew of maybe 7 or so, it would be impossible to develop all 17 characters in 2 hours while still focusing on the main plot of the film. The rest of the crew is as expendable to the plot as they were to the weyland corperation who employed them. The main focus of the film, IMO, was to expand upon te mythology hinted at in the first alien film, while creating new questions as well. I don't see people complaining about the unanswered questions in Ridleys original alien film, so why all the complaints about "plot holes and unanswered questions" here? It seems pretty obvious that this Mbps intentionally created new questions aout the space jockey race, and expanded the universe, rather than just throwing a bunch of xenomorphs on screen and making an obvious alien prequel, which would have been a lot easier and certainly less risky from a creative standpoint. Another complaint I have seen is that the crew was "too dumb" to be scientists and that their behavior was absurd or not realistic in some way. Well guess what, humans are typically dumb, fearful, and weak. Just look at the history of our world and it becomes obvious. The plot wanted to emphasize that even though humans have developed and advanced in terms of technology, our minds are just as primitive as ever, which our creators, the space jockeys, definitely realized. Why should it be surprising that these people would behave irrationally when xonfronted with unknown species on a brand new planet? Some of the people criticizing the film seem to think that scientists are somehow super humans or something. Guess what, they are just ordinary people like you or I, who focused their time and energy on scientific pursuits, in this case they wanted to discover the origins of a species they believed to be the creators of mankind. I fail to see where the plot holes lie, why people expect 17 characters to be fully developed and focused on even though they are not integral to they key plot points, or how this film is any way close to a travesty like the star wars prequels. This did not conflict with alien in any way, it only expanded upon the universe presented there. The fact that the scientists decided to go on an expedition primarily based upon faith does not equal a plot hole. Since when does a scientist have to be a cold calculating machine based on hard facts? It seems obvious that they were meant to be complex characters with multiple beliefs and motives, just like people in the...wait for it...real world. The android of David is the opposite, as he serves his programming primarily, which reflects the inherit flaws on humanity which cause us to follow our beliefs and gut instincts, sometimes to our downfall. The film encapsulated these themes beautifully, all while expressing masterful special effects, beautiful cinematography, and an open ended ending whic leaves us with more questions wondering "whats next?" Rather than making a predictable alien prequel, Ridley Scott did so much more, and did not spoon feed the audience the answers we so desperately crave as the audience, and as humans. A lack of answers does not equal a plot hole, and this movie was a burst of fresh air in a world of predictable sequels remakes and overall unoriginal ideas. The fact that there is so much criticism for this movie baffles me, and I feel it truly deserves much more praise than it has received.… Expand

Loved it so much. The scenes were beautiful specially in the beginning and I loved the aliens ship. The creatures were awesome. The acting was ok but Michael Fassbender was awesome. The 3D was just an extra.

A victim of many things, including poor screen writing and rampant fan-boy-ism and hype, Prometheus fails to live up to much of anything. Many people have the name Ridley Scott on their lips, but, the blame can't really be attributed to him in this case, as the real problem is with the plot. It REEKS of too many fingers in the pie, too many half assed ideas pasted together to form a "story" that tries to be on one hand, an intellectual film and on the other an extension of the now mundane space monster movie, and fails to deliver on either account. With too many plot holes to list, mediocre casting / acting and a hollow ending, it's just not worth it.… Expand

You know how in bad horror movies most of the characters make really stupid decisions and you're just like "Wow, why the **** would you do that?" That's this movie.

A great film with lovely visuals, made all the better by cinematic 3D. The film does a wonderful job of explaining where the titular Aliens from the "Aliens" franchise came from without being too explicit. The computer generated imagery makes every scene awesome, terrifying, or disgusting in ways the old props never could. The one flaw (though after this many films I suppose you could call it a theme) is that the Weyland-Yutani research team is (and must be) incredibly inept in order for the events of the plot to unfold.… Expand

This is a great sci-fi film with spectacular special effects and a great story, what I was disappointed about was that I went to watch this film so it would answer questions about the origin of the aliens but instead by the time it finished several more questions were raised prompting at a sequel. Ignore the bad reviews this is a well made film which Is enjoyable from start to finish but those thinking this is a horror film will be disappointed as it wasn't scary in the slightest, I was disappointed at some of the writing as some of it didn't make sense but this can be overlooked as the film is otherwise fantastic. Overall a great film which links to the alien franchise perfectly, I would recommend this to any alien fan or sci-fi fan in general. 8/10… Expand

Hyped to re-write scifi..................really missed the mark, very very disappointed.
Super human beings couldnt think of a better way to kill off humanity other than a million big jars of Marmite with worms in, that if you ingest any then sleep with your partner you impregnat her with an octopus, an octopus that grows to the size of a house, then it latches onto you impregnating you with another alien. Awesome well done super duper human beings, maybe next time a big bomb would do the trick eh?!!?!?!?… Expand

I deliberately avoided the trailers and pre-hype in order to have zero expectation about this movie. Here my brief synopsis; Storyline - intriguing, leaves you hungry for more Visuals - stunning Pace - right balance of action, tension Fassbender - sublime, deserves a gong Rapace - unobvious choice, no Sigourney but pulled it off Theron - underutilised but still sexy as hell in a catsuit
Pearce - WTF?
Character decisions - odd
Gore - perfect

On balance, let's see the Director's cut.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. There are no jump-out scares (or any that comes out of the screen when watching the 3D version) but there is a hell lot of suspense! Expect blood and gore aplenty and some very disturbing images.… Expand

What a pile of horse manure? It has a 7.6 rating on IMDB which was the main reason I went to see it (that and the fact that Ridley Scott directed). It is intended as a prequel to Ridley Scott's Alien but it's really just a very bad re-make of Alien with an invisible, non-nonsensical story line. The characters are paper-thin idiots, the dialog is asinine, and the actors have nothing to work with. The whole thing is utterly forgettable. The visuals are okay for a while but gradually overwhelm everything. There is a hint in the end that there may be sequels and with 7.6 on IMDB there probably will be. Scott needs to hire some writers who know the difference between suspense and shtick and can write dialog that is not aimed directly at the audience. 1/10 for production quality.… Expand

in the critics vs. prometheus conflict, those who did not like, or actually the vapid script are being continuously scolded for expecting the film to have a developed theme, character development, and particularly for responding with extreme hostility to the illogic of the script and the absolute absence of explanations for what are supposed to be tantalizing artifacts and incidents. difficulty is the fact that the film plays not as a prequel to alien but as a prequel to its own sequel. it suggests everything and pointedly explains nothing. which is why it plays as a two hour length trailer, instead of a coherently plotted story. visually extraordinary, but storyless. that's fine as a television episode, but completely presumptuous in a film. it is thematically indecisive at best and entirely overreaches itself. visually extraordinary as it is, the script is a scattered embarassment to imagination and logic.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. With all the build-up to this film, I felt I needed to see it at the cinema, despite it not being what I normally would rush out to see. Unfortunately it never quite lives up to the promise of that first trailer. It looks amazing, the special effects are incredibly and 3D excellent, the problem is the script. Backstories and romantic subplots are haphazardly thrown in, plot points arise but are then forgotten, and too often characters make bad decisions, so that by the end (when there aren't many characters left) it isn't as affecting as it should be. The performances are fine, Fassbender and Theron are the obvious standouts, but the film is, in the end, fairly disappointing.… Expand

Prometheus - A sci-fi, horror film that takes place in the universe of Ridley Scott's 1979 "Alien" franchise. A really well crafted and rich sci-fi universe, excellent cast and performances, along with a beautifully well written film makes Prometheus a must see for fans of the series and any real sci-fi and/or horror fan. Although this film is not a direct prequel that ties into the events of "Alien" - it does take place before the events of the first Alien movie. It also ends for intentions of a sequel, which might end up being the actual prequel that ties into the events of the first "Alien." Rather it will be or not, I'm really looking forward to another one of Ridley Scott's fantastic sci-fi, horror, works of art.… Expand