Ridley Scott's "Prometheus"

[Ancalagon44]

Spoiler

I think if we link the Black Liquid with the opening scene in which the Engineer drinks it and "seeds" life on Earth, perhaps we can come to the conclusion that perhaps the Black Liquid was not a WMD at all, but merely a way to seed life on other planets?

That would explain why the murals depicted that particular system - its the system from which these missions to start life on other planets were launched.

However, accidents happen, and one of these accidents led to the deaths of everyone onboard the planet.

What evidence is there that the human characters were right in saying the Engineers wanted to destroy us? They only have hearsay and conjecture. Can they trust that David knew their destination?

Yes, that lone living Engineer wiped out the entire team. Could it be that after what they went through with that black liquid, they wanted to wipe out anything spawned by it, including us? Remember, the Engineers themselves are the originals, not creating using the black liquid, whereas we are. Maybe he thought we would be as dangerous as the rest of the creatures?

Another interesting question is, did Charlie Holloway get infected by the black goo alone, or another organism mutated by the black goo? Because that organism, through his body, Shaw's body, and then the engineer's body, led to the creation of the xenomorphs. Was the xenomorph partially the product of a native life form mutated by the black liquid, or was it human and engineer DNA twisted out of all recognition?

This also seems to suggest that the creation of the xenomorphs was an accident.

 

[arrfep]

blame this guy:

damon lindelof interview on the verge, skip to 22:40

http://www.theverge.com/2012/5/21/3033638/on-the-verge-006-damon-lindelof-masi-oka-marco-arment

I was excited to see this movie until I found out that Lindelof co-wrote it. Guy never learned how to end a story (see: LOST). Lucky for him, people seem to chalk it up to "letting the audience decide," which IMO is just an excuse for poor writing. I think if he'd write a little less ambitiously he'd be good, but he seems hellbent on writing something that will top The Matrix in terms of contemporary mind-fuck-ness...and keeps failing.

So. Movie for me was meh. It entertained me, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it again, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

 

[SkullWalker]

[edit] Mandatory assignment:
Get the first Alien on Blu-ray and re-watch it before you watch Prometheus.

So the plots are somehow connected, right? Because a long time ago, when the movie just got into production, I read that Scott didn't want to do anything the original Alien plot and this was a big downer for me.

(I really want to know where the giant dude with burst chest sitting behind that big cannon comes from)

 

[ImpulsE69]

So the plots are somehow connected, right? Because a long time ago, when the movie just got into production, I read that Scott didn't want to do anything the original Alien plot and this was a big downer for me.

(I really want to know where the giant dude with burst chest sitting behind that big cannon comes from)

.... have you watched the trailers? or read any of this thread?

 

[dr150]

If you go to the movie nerd sites, the conclusion is that there is NO real answers to the questions posited here.

Questions lead to more questions. The movie is a *facepalm*.

Too many holes in the plot and many think the writers didn't do enough due diligence to the Alien lore to do a clean story tying all the dots together. Timeline issues. Etc, etc...

Take it for what it is. Beautiful effects. Some alien stuff. And patiently wait for a sequel to tie the storyline better (hopefully with more intelligent writers that thinks like a fan rather than a producer).

 

[randomrogue]

I was excited to see this movie until I found out that Lindelof co-wrote it. Guy never learned how to end a story (see: LOST). Lucky for him, people seem to chalk it up to "letting the audience decide," which IMO is just an excuse for poor writing. I think if he'd write a little less ambitiously he'd be good, but he seems hellbent on writing something that will top The Matrix in terms of contemporary mind-fuck-ness...and keeps failing.

So. Movie for me was meh. It entertained me, but I wouldn't go out of my way to see it again, and I wouldn't recommend it to others.

Did you watch the interview above? He mentions how he didn't want it to be like the Matrix.

 

[Glitchny]

If you go to the movie nerd sites, the conclusion is that there is NO real answers to the questions posited here.

Questions lead to more questions. The movie is a *facepalm*.

Too many holes in the plot and many think the writers didn't do enough due diligence to the Alien lore to do a clean story tying all the dots together. Timeline issues. Etc, etc...

Take it for what it is. Beautiful effects. Some alien stuff. And patiently wait for a sequel to tie the storyline better (hopefully with more intelligent writers that thinks like a fan rather than a producer).

Apparently there was a draft of the script that had more tie ins with the other Alien movies and the xenomorphs had a larger role but they were pared down or taken out for some reason or another.

 

[Aikouka]

Why does the movie need more reference to the Xenomorphs? I thought it was obvious enough without you having to shove it down my throat.

Oh, and that reminds me.

Spoiler

What biologist is fucking stupid enough to come closer to a beast that is showing the same hostile actions as a cobra? Yeah, I'm sure it's friendly!

 

[dr150]

My biggest problem with the movie is one scene:

Spoiler

The two guys who are initially "scared" and wanted to go back to the ship are the ones left in the caves overnight. It makes no fucking sense, they are linked up and knew a storm was coming, they didn't lose communications with Prometheus so it's not like they could get lost, just makes zero fucking sense. Hell, Fifield was the one in charge of the stupid mapping drones so they really couldn't have gotten lost.

I took off a star from my rating for this, otherwise it was a great great movie and on par with Alien because it didn't spoon feed us the answers.

You're too smart for the movie (like most here.)

Don't think too much on this one. It isn't Shakespeare.

 

[Aikouka]

You're too smart for the movie (like most here.)

Don't think too much on this one. It isn't Shakespeare.

It did seem odd how their events panned out, but I just assumed that they were the most expendable story-wise. That's usually how suspense movies work.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Saw it in 3D last night.

One of the shittiest movies ever made.

Apart from its puerile premise, the movie typifies the shallowness of western thought; answers to our deepest questions lie outside of us, somewhere "out there" and the perennial quest to "contain and control" the natural order of things.

Inundate trash with "special effects" and sing paeans about it; welcome to Hollywood.

I'm so sorry for you
/Condolences.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Saw it in 3D last night.

One of the shittiest movies ever made.

Apart from its puerile premise, the movie typifies the shallowness of western thought; answers to our deepest questions lie outside of us, somewhere "out there" and the perennial quest to "contain and control" the natural order of things.

Inundate trash with "special effects" and sing paeans about it; welcome to Hollywood.

Where does pewp come from? I only eat a little but I never stop shitting, you can't explain that.

 

[surfsatwerk]

Two other little questions:

Spoiler

why was the surgical bed in Charlize Theron's private cubucle one designed for a man?

Spoiler

For dad

 

[Via]

I was excited to see this movie until I found out that Lindelof co-wrote it. Guy never learned how to end a story (see: LOST).

A brief instance in the movie delves deeper into the writer's psyche:

Spoiler

When the two scientists first enter Charlize Theron's private chamber, the female immediately spies the surgical machine. She then runs towards it and, in a very childlike manner, starts pressing buttons only to be sternly rebuked by Theron the way a mother scolds a child.

That's a perfect example of how Lindelof's mind works: He basically operates on the level of a child with great imaginative powers, but has no ability to plausibly string his creations together or wrap them up any acceptable way. He simply moves on to the next "ball" and hopes his vignettes are so grand that no one will notice that the previous one has disappeared.

 

[Via]

Spoiler

For dad

But didn't

Spoiler

dad have a whole medical team with him in his own private seection of the ship?

 

[surfsatwerk]

You're too smart for the movie (like most here.)

Don't think too much on this one. It isn't Shakespeare.

Spoiler

Did you miss the part where they got stoned while they were waiting? Drugs make aliens seem like a good idea.

 

[Glitchny]

But didn't

Spoiler

dad have a whole medical team with him in his own private seection of the ship?

Spoiler

Her quarters also doubled as a life boat. Most likely the lifeboat was designed for her dad in the case of an emergency and his team wasn't there or some such.

Spoiler

Did you miss the part where they got stoned while they were waiting? Drugs make aliens seem like a good idea.

Spoiler

IIRC only the geologist got stoned, but I could be wrong.

 

[PottedMeat]

just got back from the 3d showing - enjoyed it quite a bit.

though that's the most reckless expedition ever. hey, let's go out alone from the group. hey, i'm gonna touch that and i have no idea what it is. edit: and 'i'll smoke some weed in my space suit'!

loved the music - all the callbacks to the alien score, plus the classical ending.

theron was kind of wasted in the movie


edit: anyone remember the name of the previous owner of the accordion?

 

[arrfep]

Did you watch the interview above? He mentions how he didn't want it to be like the Matrix.

Actually no, I didn't watch the interview. Funny that he mentions that. I didn't necessarily mean he wanted to mimic the Matrix, just that I think he's continually trying to create something that alters the fiction landscape as much as The Matrix did. His setups show promise, but he can't seem to close them well.

 

[dr150]

Actually no, I didn't watch the interview. Funny that he mentions that. I didn't necessarily mean he wanted to mimic the Matrix, just that I think he's continually trying to create something that alters the fiction landscape as much as The Matrix did. His setups show promise, but he can't seem to close them well.

That Lindelof interview above explains it all how this guy thinks.

He's your typical NYU film school eager beaver who's fan-boyness is erased and colored by the pseudo-intellectual professors who over-analyze everything to the point where you get to nothing at the end of the exercise. By the end of his school tenure, you get an arrogant film school douche who loses concept of good simple story telling reality.

I love how that interviewer tells it the way it is and calls Lost a "disappointment" and Lindelof is just looking at him with a WTF dude? look on his face trying to quibble and justify his writing decisions. He thought he was going to get his nut sack sucked on that little show.

 

[surfsatwerk]

edit: anyone remember the name of the previous owner of the accordion?

Stephen Stills

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

What fell short for me was the complete and utter lack of connection to any of the characters in the movie. The story line felt rushed and a number of things just weren't explained very well. This was not a good script or story, at the end of the day. The actors were essentially irrelevant because they were never given a chance to be anything more than pawns in the way to showcase the movies amazing special effects. I don't know much about this Lindelof writer, but he strikes me as the kind of guy who has studied about what it takes to be a good writer but never quite grasped the meaning of what he learned.

Still, this movie was well produced with some of the most amazing visual/sound effects you've ever seen. It's worth it to see the IMAX screening just for that.

 

[PottedMeat]

Stephen Stills

ah thanks. i was thinking maybe it was something significant owned by a previous explorer captain, but i guess it's just someone the writer wanted to put in because he's a fan.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

What fell short for me was the complete and utter lack of connection to any of the characters in the movie. The story line felt rushed and a number of things just weren't explained very well. This was not a good script or story, at the end of the day. The actors were essentially irrelevant because they were never given a chance to be anything more than pawns in the way to showcase the movies amazing special effects. I don't know much about this Lindelof writer, but he strikes me as the kind of guy who has studied about what it takes to be a good writer but never quite grasped the meaning of what he learned.

Still, this movie was well produced with some of the most amazing visual/sound effects you've ever seen. It's worth it to see the IMAX screening just for that.

Greater characterization of our protagonist would have helped a great deal. As it is, our main character seems to be the freaking robot!

 

[randomrogue]

Actually no, I didn't watch the interview. Funny that he mentions that. I didn't necessarily mean he wanted to mimic the Matrix, just that I think he's continually trying to create something that alters the fiction landscape as much as The Matrix did. His setups show promise, but he can't seem to close them well.

I hate the guy on some level for what he did to Lost. I never actually finished the last season since I was so pissed off about it. I was a bit behind so I knew that I'd get to the end and nothing would be resolved so I just stopped watching.

Watch the interview though. It's nice to hear his point of view on both this movie as well as his Lost experience.