News Taffy

One of the most anticipated sci-fi films of the summer, Prometheus marks the return of director Ridley Scott after a 30-year hiatus. Having never seen the Alien movies myself, I was worried that I would be out of my element in the theater. Considered not to be a prequel, Prometheus does a good job in certain aspects of keeping the audience entertained. While some plot points seem to resemble clique horror rules (illogical actions by characters aka the “don’t go in there” moments, etc.), the beautiful landscapes and acting make Prometheus a good movie after all.

Prometheus, an obvious reference to the Greek Titan who stole and gave mankind fire, is set in the 21st century and chronicles the journey of a crew of scientists and other ragtag volunteers following a star map discovered among the ruins of several ancient Earth civilizations. Seeking the origins of humanity, the crew travel two years to reach a distant moon. Instead of being greeted warmly by these “Engineers," they discover that what made them didn’t exactly want them to live soon after, either.

The ever-so-handsome Michael Fassbender can be distracting from the vivid scenery, as he is a stand-out among the cast as the stoic yet intriguing android, David. The main protagonist, lead scientist Elizabeth Shaw (Naomi Rapoon), did a good job as well, from transitioning from a hopeful believer in the greater unknown to a strong (yet sometimes outrageous) fighter. Charlize Theron is back from her reign as Queen Ravenna in “Snow White and the Huntsman” as Meredith Vickers, the mission director with a cold heart. This wasn’t her strongest role compared to last week, but her performance was still worthwhile. And I was surprised that Guy Pearce portrayed a practically-decaying old man—an older actor could’ve totally worked better than sub-par makeup. The rest of the cast get lost among the hullaballoo to me, not leaving any real memorable impressions.

After skimming over some disappointed viewers’ reviews on IMDB, I can see how people are disappointed with the movie’s silly plot errors or fishy moments—a childish mistake for a seasoned director and crew. But to me, taking this movie at face value should be enough to satisfy most movie-goers, and not to think so hard on what a movie is meant to do in the first place—to entertain. This movie is rated R for sci-fi violence including some intense images and brief language, so call a sitter for the kids if you’re interested in seeing the movie.

So, I recommend this, readers: walk into the theater and appreciate Prometheus for what it’s worth—a visually stunning and entertaining romp into space and beyond about our “creation”."

Until next time,

Rachel