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United Kingdom, United States · 2012
Rated R · 2h 4m
Director Ridley Scott
Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba
Genre Adventure, Mystery, Science Fiction
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Archaeologists travel through space hoping to uncover the origins of mankind. Landing on distant planet, they discover created structures and monoliths. After finding an alien corpse among the structures, the crew finds that the DNA is the same as human DNA. They successfully locate a humanoid alien, and ask him about the origin of humanity, before things go array.
It aspires to Stanley Kubrick's "2001", but in its maddeningly unresolved plot threads and cornball cosmic mysticism, it lands closer to "Mission to Mars" -though Prometheus lacks any action set piece as gripping as the Brian De Palma film's sentient sandstorm.
Buffeted by a lack of suspense, threadbare characters, and a very poor script, the stunning visuals, gloopy madness, and sterling Fassbenderiness can't prevent Prometheus feeling like Alien's poor relation.
Total Film by Jonathan Crocker
Flawlessly designed, with the beautiful 3D cinematography contrasting the clean white futurism of Prometheus' interiors with the black corporeal surfaces of the alien catacombs. It might not pack the unbearable menace or blazing horror of the saga's first two movies, but it utterly eclipses the last two. It's exciting, tense and fully impregnated for sequels.
Elaborately conceived from a visual standpoint, Ridley Scott's first sci-fier in the three decades since "Blade Runner" remains earthbound in narrative terms, forever hinting at the existence of a higher intelligence without evincing much of its own.
Village Voice by Nick Pinkerton
With this overreaching Prometheus, Scott seems a bit like David carefully arranging his hair in imitation of O'Toole's Lawrence. He can still mimic the appearance of an epic, noble, important movie - but the appearance is all.
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
Ridley Scott has counter-evolved his 1979 classic Alien into something more grandiose, more elaborate – but less interesting. In place of scariness there is wonderment; in place of tension there is hugely ambitious design; in place of unforgettable shocks there are reminders of the original's unforgettable shocks.
My advice to Scott and Lindelof is, Try harder - to bring the characters as well as the creatures alive; to extend the grandeur of that music-of-the-sphere scene to an entire movie; to devise new horror-film money shots; and to scare the crap out of me.
Movieline by Stephanie Zacharek
It's imaginative only in a stiff, expensive way. Scott vests the movie with an admirable degree of integrity – it doesn't feel like a cheap grab for our moviegoing dollars – but it doesn't inspire anything so vital as wonder or fear, either.
The Hollywood Reporter by Todd McCarthy
Although Ridley Scott's 3D visual feast is no classic, the oozing alien tentacles hit all the right sci-fi horror notes.
Soon the hunt will begin.
In space no one can hear you scream.
Inner City vs. Outer Space
In 2104, a team of space colonists travel towards an earth-like planet, before being attacked by aliens.