Eye Candy #596 - "Prometheus"

Prometheus (2012):  Ridley Scott’s return to the franchise that helped put him on the map, a related prequel that asks as many questions as it answers as Scott endeavors to give us an idea of what the alien creatures really are and who is responsible for them (and in the process, invalidating some of what came before in various sequels and spin-offs).  Set over 80 years in the future, a group of researchers have discovered a series of pictographs, thousands of years old and collected from around the globe, showing a celestial grouping and oversized humanoids they dub “engineers” communing with normal humans.  Assuming this to be an invitation for contact with accompanying directions, the Weyland Corporation launches a multi-year expedition in a spaceship called Prometheus to a planet described in the ancient starchart.  Upon arriving, they discover several large artificial structures, full of foreboding, Lovecraft-inspired unpleasantness and ruined expectations, as the humans come face to face with their ‘gods’ and find them wanting.  In addition, they accidentally re-start what led to the engineers’ downfall with fatal, catastrophic results.   Good cast here with standouts Noomi Rapace as scientist Elizabeth Shaw, Idris Elba as starship captain Janek, and Michael Fassbender as the Peter-O’Toole-channeling android David.  Charlize Theron is here mostly in support (in a fairly wasted role) as ice queen Vickers.  The production design and execution are the real stars here – there is some beautiful, beautiful photography going on here, particularly with the outside shots.  Iceland never looked so good.  This feels like Scott’s attempt at creating his own “2001” and elevating the franchise beyond mere chase pictures that it devolved into.  It’s more sci-fi than horror, though there are some gruesome elements, with a definite final nod to the existing franchise (don’t expect to see aliens running around though).  Some have compared this to the HP Lovecraft story “At the Mountains of Madness” and plotwise, it is very similar in a general way – an advanced civilization losing control of their technology and weaponry.  This is the best of Ridley Scott’s recent efforts.  Woodchuck sez, “Me likey.”