Prometheus Fan Reviews

[bleau]

There are 3 different levels of mistakes in this movie in the Fif and Milburn example that no one has successfully explained away. Have you done it? How these people did not communicate back to base? How their wrist devices are ignored? How no one in the Prom cares about them? Outside of simply ignoring these 3 levels there is no way anyone can successfully explain all this away using info from the movie.

Again, this isnt just one level, this is 3 levels.   

I thought they got lost and had to stay over night or something. Meanwhile, while their getting attacked the captain is getting drunk and banging Vickers.

[Gash]

Warning SPOILERS

My review is simply my humble opinion so if you disagree with me - that's ok.

Ultimately Prometheus is a let down.  In a big way.  It looks good sure but I think this is proof that a film that looks good is not necessarily a good film.

This movie fails on it's own merits.

1. What exactly was the deal with the engineer at the start?  He drank that thing and then disintegrated and we're supposed to assume that they're "seeding" a planet - possibly ours?  Ok - that's fine if you want to explore that (though it's been done countless times before) but the problem is that the movie never tells us why.

2. If the dna of the engineer EXACTLY matches our dna, thus making us them and them us - why then are they twice our size? Perhaps this shows my lack of DNA knowledge but it stands to reason that if that is the case - they didn't make us at all.  We're just simply them.

3. Given 2, why then did they supposedly give different cultures the star map, and then leave us alone?

4. Given 2. and 3. why then did they want to kill us?  Why then did the engineer the second he was woken kill everybody he saw.

5. What the hell did the ping actually pick up?

6. How did those guys get lost?

7. Why did David infect (can't remember his name was it holloway?) with the goo?  what was the purpose of that?

8.  How come the goo affected holloway? differently to the other guy that came in and attacked the crew in the hanger?

9. What exactly was up with the impregnation of Shaw and the subesquent surgical procedure that seemed just a bit too far fetched?

10.  What was up with those worm like creatures having acid for blood?

11.  The creature that came out of Shaw was a "facehugger? the size of a giant goddamn octopus???

12. THe creature that burst from the engineer??

13. Why the need to have that crappy Vickers/weyland connection?  "father"?

14. Shaw's ending decision to go after the engineers and not Earth???

15. And after all of the above - the connection with Alien - But the company knew about it.  The Nostromo was rerouted and Ash put on board.  The Derelict was sending out a warning beacon.  I assumed that just about everyone in prometheus was going to die, and somehow the company was going to get some information surrounding the Alien so that the nostromo's orders could be issued.

Ultimately - This movie fails on two counts - it's own merits and the merits of being a connecting film to Alien.  The film doesn't answer it's own questions.

There are questions left unanswered in the film (your points 1 to 4) however most of the questions you've listed (points 5 onward) are answered in the film.

[Face Jockey]

Well I just finally got to go see the film, and it was GREAT.

I've been spoiled by following for months, watching every clip, seeing every review and its true just about the whole film had been revealed in all the previews and clips. It is also true that the film felt clearly chopped down, scenes missing.

Being acutely aware of all the common complaints, I was prepared for the "mess of a film" that many people described here. The poor characterizations, terrible soundtrack, bad monsters, unnecessary characters, plot holes, etc - but I really didn't sense much of these. I doubt I would have really consciously noticed the soundtrack or much of the complaints if I hadn't been expecting some terrible inappropriate intrusive issues. I have been let down by films before, and great directors have come back years later to make less than stellar sequels.

The film I saw was just fine and did not disappoint me in any way. I think a much longer cut would be preferable, but even the ending, which I was prepared to hate after the reviews, felt fine. For most of the common complaints I think people are tripping and over-exaggerating significantly and after some time will appear in perspective. Things like, why did Fifield and Milburn get lost? Did you not notice they were scared out of their minds and just fleeing? How did Shaw recover so quickly after the surgery? She didn't, she was doubled over in pain over the injury and clearly struggling in scenes following as the story progressed when not running to save her life. Was LMG some horribly out of place actor? No.  Why'd they get briefed only AFTER they arrived? This seemed kind of dumb to me too just from the trailers, but in the context of the film made perfect sense. To many characters? The background crew conveyed a lot of personality in the brief screentime they were allowed - these were rich background characters, not thin lead characters. Film couldn't decide what it was supposed to be? The film knew exactly what it was supposed to be and seemed well executed from start to finish. I could go on and on.

Weyland's presence makes perfect sense as well to the story, as in the mission wouldn't make much sense without him there. Like many questions in the film, the answer is clearly presented in fleeting dialogue. In fact the film seems pretty efficiently written in the way it gets a lot of information across. Vickers is set up perfectly so we never know for sure if she's a robot or not. In fact the film seems carefully loaded with delicious details and not the haphazard mess I have seen described. Shaw with another head in a bag? Awesome. I was on the fence about Lindeloff before, having not watched his television shows, but I now know why he got the job.

I was prepared for the worst, and even having been totally spoiled on just about everything ahead of time I was still thrilled to see it all. About the only mystery which didn't seem to make sense or was implied an answer would be revealed in a sequel, is how the giant facehugger grew so quickly.

The film was barely R rated and probably due to just the one scene which seemed as edited as could be possible without ruining it entirely, so I am guessing they were hoping for the PG-13 and the trade off for the R was the severely shortened version of the film. Even clearly chopped down, it flowed pretty seamlessly. I don't see the editing issues other than its a 3 hour film chopped to two.

For me, on the Alien movie scale, a tie for second place.

[Esoteric_Voyage]

what always was irritating to read was when fans who Wanted to love this film, wouldn't let go during the obvious early red flags. i.e. in the trailers, the poor design of the giant squid hugger and the other creatures.

i liked the design of the space jockey but i didn't like it for the alien universe, as opposed to the original either.


as i was saying.. i remember people defending the designs in the trailer 'we've only seen a few seconds of the entire film, we haven't seen the entire creature' ..


sigh.

i wonder if any of those people have swallowed the pill.

[szkoki]

i think the hammerpade is ok, the jockey is ok.....the giant polip..... xD what the hell is he doing here, but its ok its not gonna appear anymore i guess

[ThisBethesdaSea]

I wish people would include 'to me' when they write reviews as opposed to articulating or insinuating that their opinion is the only one that matters. Just a thought.

[DaddyYautja]

Yes there is... the feckin graphic is in 2d. If you think it works in 3d... you are making an assumption based on nothing on screen.. Mt assumption is based on what the movie shows i.e. a device that is a good as useless. Worse than that, it seems designed to get one killed. The one in Aliens is basically the same... but we're talking Alien here.

So you are making the assumption that you know how to read the device.
We didnt get a scene telling us how to read the device so anyone claiming they know what the device is displaying is just making up stuff.

You're just making excuses to overlook flawed logic in a film you prefer.

I know this is the point but you are failing at this because you are creating problems with random scenes that have none.

And like i've been saying for a while... all movies have a few silly moments that need to happen for the movie to move in a certain direction but this whole movie is pretty much a road of silly moments. There are just too many to excuse.

When Ash gives the demonstration, why does no one say "what happens if it's behind you?", or "What happens if it's stood still?". Why doesn't someone just say "well this is a pile of useless sh*t... but what the hell". It's flawed, because someone would have asked the question... You can't have it both ways. And I've already highlighted the flawed logic in sending one person in to flush the alien out. Having just Dallas in the vents is a convenience. 2 people in the vents wouldn't have been as scary... so they just send one in with no explanation as to why they'd do that.

what happens if it's behind you?
Huh? Dallas would turn around?
What happens if it's stood still?
Cool... it's not coming for him then.

There is no reason those exact questions need to be asked and not asking them does no create a plot gap. I think at this point everyone knows that these space truckers do not have the best equipment to track newly discovered alien creatures. Pretty sure the characters know this as well and are doing the best they can.

The explanation of sending one was that two were covering the airlock while two were covering the maintenance bay. That's their plan and it doesnt create any plot gap.

So now she's "turning it off in frustration"? Well that scene must have passed me by... or is that you're just trying to make it work for you? The distorted screen shot doesn't make a plot gap, it's just an example of where what's on screen doesn't quite fit the reality of the situation.

Ok so what's the problem then?
The discussion here are plot gaps and this just further shows how you are randomly creating situation to try to make a point that we all know but you are pushing it when it isnt needed.

It's not that it hasn't been explained, it's that you choose not to agree with the explanation. FiField and Milburn are on their way out... there is a mad dash back to the ship by the others.  Fifield and Milburn are left behind.

What happened during all the time in between those two leaving BEFORE they entered the room and when the storm hits? You are ignoring a huge stretch of time here.

I've seen the movie 3 times now and there is nothing to show that FiField and Milburn have coordinates/mapping information that should lead them back to the entrance (other than memory). Sure, it's a convenience... but it's not a plot/logic gap.

Milburn gives coordinate to where he is located and some one said here that Fiffield is the one actually leading the team through the structure because of his pups. I dont remember the Fif thing but if some one could confirm it? Maybe i should try to sneak into the theaters and try to catch that scene because if that dialogue is there it would be hilarious. Maybe i should just go in for a matinee with no one around with a pad and catch more plot gaps and make a list 

Anyway, again, if they dont know how to get out....why not contact base? Why was no one at base helping?
Levels, dude, levels.

I'm sorry, but you're just not correct. Why wouldn't the road to the temple be "made out of stones and other materials"? I've been on numerous Roman roads in and around Britain, where all that remains is a straight pathway (of debris) through the surrounding terrain. How do we know that the road to the temple wasn't once a huge motorway type structure, and all that's left is basically the debris, which indicates a straight line. It's pretty obvious to me.

I really dont care about this road thing, as i pointed out above, this really one of those nitpicky things you are talking about in the movies that really warrant no discussion, but if you want to discuss it, as pointed out above, you really just fell into a trap. Because, as i point out above, why isnt anyone looking at it? Studying? They have a geologist there....If this is really some rock formation this should have been the first thing being looked at. There is no way to avoid these questions.

[Darth Vile]

Daddy,

Point 1)
I'm using what seems to be your rule of defining plot holes and gaps in logic... In this case, if it's not fully explained, you use what's there to make an informed opinion. The graphic for the tracker is in 2D, therefore the reading of the tracker is in 2D – simples.

Point 2)
I know this is fan review topic... but it seems to me that it's you who is "creating problems with random scenes". I'm just demonstrating that you're not applying the same rules elsewhere.  Ergo your criticism are not balanced. For me there are 2 erroneous scenes that need further explanation 1) How did Janek come to the conclusion that it was a weapons base? 2) Why did someone not go to check what Shaw had left in the medical pod? I assume these have arisen over editing choices/deleted material as opposed to holes in the script – but that's an assumption. Everything else is fully explainable. You don't like the explanations... but they are not plot holes or logic gaps (IMHO).

Point3)
That's a matter of opinion. You're stating that there is "no reason" for you to have those questions asked. But of course you don't speak for everyone do you? Also, I never said it created a "plot gap" I said it created a gap in character logic i.e. someone wouldn't crawl into a vent, by themselves with a killing machine, when there was no reason to do such a thing.

Point 4)
No I'm showing you that you're being a tad myopic in your criticism.

Point 5)
What do you mean "all the time/huge stretch of time"? It was only a few minutes on screen between FiField and Milburn leaving and the pandemonium of the others rushing back to the ship. That's how things get lost or left behind. No plot gap. It's not like Janek didn't spot they were missing... he just spotted they were missing too late.

Point 6)
It's quite easy to give you're location, it's another thing to find the exit. There is nothing in the movie to show FiField is leading the team or that he has the technology to find the exit himself (although clearly they believe they can - otherwise they wouldn't have headed off by themselves). The mapping devices have basically come to a halt as they done the mapping. There is nothing to show that Fifield is in receipt of aforementioned holographic/3D mapping.

Point7)
I'm not sure I fell into a trap as I've just explained to you that you are wrong in thinking a road would leave no trace after circa 2,000 years of weathering. My assumption as to why no one is studying the road? Perhaps that big f*ck off alien stone temple in front of them? Get some sense of proportion dude.

[Frog]

I saw the movie Saturday in IMAX 3D and loved every second of it.  Loved the ending.  I think it is as good as Alien/Aliens.

I really like the new mythology and the fact that it never spelled out anything and it will open to all types of interpretations.

I was worried that the Space Jockey would be destroyed by this movie, but that did not happen.  They are still mythological, mysterious, and incredibly cool.  I was worried about them having human faces, but the way it was done and they still had the wicked helmet made sense and I still found them mysterious.

I like how you truly don't know who created who...did the Xeno create the Engineer or did the Engineer create the Xeno?  (It seems like the Engineers created them).  That ancient mural shows the Xeno centered.  Since that mural is so ancient and shows the Xeno the way it looks way later after the proto-xeno showed at the end of the movie that means what is shown is not really the precursor to the alien we know.

I loved the whole biological warfare slant on the mythology.

I'll definitely be seeing it in the theater again!

[SpeedyMaxx]

I think the two points Vile asks about are simple.

1. Janek, Chance and Ravel were monitoring the entire mission from the feed on the helmetcams, constantly.  They saw everything we saw in the temple and grew increasingly concerned; we saw all their reaction shots, they were working it out as well, not entirely passive.  Janek is also a military man.  When he goes into the temple himself, sees the stockpiles up close, then sees what has become of Millburn, Holloway, and finally Fifield, he has all the answers he feels he needs.  It's a weapons installation.  Yes, the scene is there to deliver a rough exposition, but I think they'd given Janek more than enough agency and perspective in the script, as well as the cutting, by then to justify that.

2. Shaw freezes the squid inside the medpod, believing it killed or neutralized.  This is shown very clearly.  There are some temporal cuts around her scenes with Weyland - who is his team's priority by then, as is the trip to the juggernaut - and her meeting with Janek.  She had plenty of time to explain what she did with the squid.  This sort of exposition ellipsis happens all the time in movies - we never do see, for example, Lambert or Dallas find Kane, or Parker and Ripley rush back to the others and say "hey, guys, Brett is dead."  They're already onto figuring out what to do next as Parker says, "this thing is huge!"

[DaddyYautja]

Daddy,

Point 1)
I'm using what seems to be your rule of defining plot holes and gaps in logic... In this case, if it's not fully explained, you use what's there to make an informed opinion. The graphic for the tracker is in 2D, therefore the reading of the tracker is in 2D – simples.

But the idea that 2d display equals only 2d function comes straight from you, there is nothing in the movie that leads you to believe that. The whole flick is filled with 2d displays, the start of the film when they dont know where they at shows 2d displays when they are looking for their location and needless to say..... you are not going to find out where your at in space using technology that only works in 2d. That defeats this goofy argument right there.

And to add to that It's sort of a given that this movie takes place in a universe kind of like our where we currently have all sorts of detecting device that display on 2d screens and dont just function in 2d. The only way to think differently than this if there is some actual explanation given in the movie that 2d displays means 2d functions, and there isnt.

Point 2)
I know this is fan review topic... but it seems to me that it's you who is "creating problems with random scenes". I'm just demonstrating that you're not applying the same rules elsewhere.

Well, we are discussing each other's reviews but i guess we could take this somewhere else.
Shall i make a plot gap thread? Or have a mod move all of these posts after the first few?

Anyway, i didnt create the idea that these two people that were lost had device that can tell them where they are at. I didnt create that the are people monitoring them, the movie did. I didnt create the idea that they can communicate back with their base who also has a map. Hell, you could even ignore them not communicating back and saying that they were stubborn but you STILL have two things left that creates a problem.

. Everything else is fully explainable. You don't like the explanations... but they are not plot holes or logic gaps (IMHO).

Where is the explanation for this, then?
Your last attempt did not account for all the time in between leaving and the team being recalled, which, of course, means it doesnt work.

Point3)
That's a matter of opinion. You're stating that there is "no reason" for you to have those questions asked. But of course you don't speak for everyone do you? Also, I never said it created a "plot gap" I said it created a gap in character logic i.e. someone wouldn't crawl into a vent, by themselves with a killing machine, when there was no reason to do such a thing.

.....................what?
Really?

Point 5)
What do you mean "all the time/huge stretch of time"? It was only a few minutes on screen between FiField and Milburn leaving and the pandemonium of the others rushing back to the ship. That's how things get lost or left behind. No plot gap. It's not like Janek didn't spot they were missing... he just spotted they were missing too late.

Well i guess i consider loosing contact with some team members who you are looking at inside some alien structure for what, 5 minutes? Is a huge stretch of time to me. I mean, Shaw thought it was enough time for them to be back, right?

Point 6)
It's quite easy to give you're location, it's another thing to find the exit. There is nothing in the movie to show FiField is leading the team or that he has the technology to find the exit himself (although clearly they believe they can - otherwise they wouldn't have headed off by themselves). The mapping devices have basically come to a halt as they done the mapping. There is nothing to show that Fifield is in receipt of aforementioned holographic/3D mapping.

I guess im going to a matinee with a pad.

[Darth Vile]

But the idea that 2d display equals only 2d function comes straight from you, there is nothing in the movie that leads you to believe that. The whole flick is filled with 2d displays, the start of the film when they dont know where they at shows 2d displays when they are looking for their location and needless to say..... you are not going to find out where your at in space using technology that only works in 2d. That defeats this goofy argument right there.

And to add to that It's sort of a given that this movie takes place in a universe kind of like our where we currently have all sorts of detecting device that display on 2d screens and dont just function in 2d. The only way to think differently than this if there is some actual explanation given in the movie that 2d displays means 2d functions, and there isnt.

If the device had worked how you think it should have worked Lambert would have said "hold on Dallas the alien is below you". She didn't say that ergo we can conclude that the device wasn't telling her that.

Well, we are discussing each other's reviews but i guess we could take this somewhere else.
Shall i make a plot gap thread? Or have a mod move all of these posts after the first few?

I think the board could benefit from a 'plot  hole/logic gap' or 'haters' thread.

Anyway, i didnt create the idea that these two people that were lost had device that can tell them where they are at. I didnt create that the are people monitoring them, the movie did. I didnt create the idea that they can communicate back with their base who also has a map. Hell, you could even ignore them not communicating back and saying that they were stubborn but you STILL have two things left that creates a problem.

I have an app on my phone which tells me where I am geographically. However, it doesn't tell me where the door is in the house... It's not that difficult to explain away.

Where is the explanation for this, then?
Your last attempt did not account for all the time in between leaving and the team being recalled, which, of course, means it doesn't work.

My last post did account for it as I stated that I believe you are wrong with your assertion...  It was not a long period of time. Overnight would have been a long period of time... heck even a couple of hours. However, the time lapse between FiField and Milburn leaving and then the rest of the exploration team leaving is about circa 3-5 minutes of screen time (and it's basically portrayed as 'real time').

.....................what?
Really?

I'm not really sure what you're trying to state???

Well i guess i consider loosing contact with some team members who you are looking at inside some alien structure for what, 5 minutes? Is a huge stretch of time to me. I mean, Shaw thought it was enough time for them to be back, right?

Is your issue that they lost contact then? I don't really get what the issue is with F&M being unaccounted for until the away team arrived back??? Clearly the focus of the crew (and audience) is on the vehicles outrunning the sandstorm. What's the alternative? Interject the rush back to the Prometheus with shots of Janek speaking to F&M? That would have just destroyed any tension created in that scene.

I guess im going to a matinee with a pad.

A further viewing of a movie you don't like? A glutton for punishment then... 

[szkoki]

 
i really dont know why was my topic deleted but im really curious about that was Fifield smoking weed in his spacesuit....i didnt get the joke for the first 2 times i saw it only the 3rd time and  it got me thinking

[stephen]

Warning SPOILERS

My review is simply my humble opinion so if you disagree with me - that's ok.

Ultimately Prometheus is a let down.  In a big way.  It looks good sure but I think this is proof that a film that looks good is not necessarily a good film.

This movie fails on it's own merits.

1. What exactly was the deal with the engineer at the start?  He drank that thing and then disintegrated and we're supposed to assume that they're "seeding" a planet - possibly ours?  Ok - that's fine if you want to explore that (though it's been done countless times before) but the problem is that the movie never tells us why.

2. If the dna of the engineer EXACTLY matches our dna, thus making us them and them us - why then are they twice our size? Perhaps this shows my lack of DNA knowledge but it stands to reason that if that is the case - they didn't make us at all.  We're just simply them.

3. Given 2, why then did they supposedly give different cultures the star map, and then leave us alone?

4. Given 2. and 3. why then did they want to kill us?  Why then did the engineer the second he was woken kill everybody he saw.

5. What the hell did the ping actually pick up?

6. How did those guys get lost?

7. Why did David infect (can't remember his name was it holloway?) with the goo?  what was the purpose of that?

8.  How come the goo affected holloway? differently to the other guy that came in and attacked the crew in the hanger?

9. What exactly was up with the impregnation of Shaw and the subesquent surgical procedure that seemed just a bit too far fetched?

10.  What was up with those worm like creatures having acid for blood?

11.  The creature that came out of Shaw was a "facehugger? the size of a giant goddamn octopus???

12. THe creature that burst from the engineer??

13. Why the need to have that crappy Vickers/weyland connection?  "father"?

14. Shaw's ending decision to go after the engineers and not Earth???

15. And after all of the above - the connection with Alien - But the company knew about it.  The Nostromo was rerouted and Ash put on board.  The Derelict was sending out a warning beacon.  I assumed that just about everyone in prometheus was going to die, and somehow the company was going to get some information surrounding the Alien so that the nostromo's orders could be issued.

Ultimately - This movie fails on two counts - it's own merits and the merits of being a connecting film to Alien.  The film doesn't answer it's own questions.

There are questions left unanswered in the film (your points 1 to 4) however most of the questions you've listed (points 5 onward) are answered in the film.

]]]

Really??}?]]

[subaru2004]

Having finally seen the film tonight i thought i'd give my two peneth worth

I have a tiny post count so i imagine my view will be ignored by most but nonetheless...

I really enjoyed it, there is no doubt it is its own film and it is the film ridley scott wanted to make ( not the film quite a few on here were expecting or hoping for it seems )

Of course it takes place in the alien universe and we see a ship very similar to the derelict and various links to the alien films ( the creature at the end a very obvious one) It doesn't attempt to answer everything which i like and i think is ridley scotts style, and in this way it is similar to alien.

I think however it will suffer for this as a lot of people want those answers just given to them (as seems to be proven by posts on this thread), and need them in order to enjoy a film, as good as it is i think Aliens is very much that type of film where everything is laid out and everything has an explanation.

One thing i felt thinking about it is that when broken down Alien is a dead simple idea brilliantly executed whereas prometheus has many more ideas in it, it could go in many directions however i suspect there won't be a sequel, i don't think it is going to have the mass appeal to get the funding but thats not such a bad thing, in some ways i think Alien should never have been followed up.