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A REVIEW - Seen the film twice (spoilers-inside)

karlosfunkster

MemberOvomorphJune 01, 20122451 Views31 Replies
First up - the film is not hugely spiritual and nor does it raise any higher level consciousness questions - it couldn't be more different than 2001 in style or feeling. However this doesn't make it a fail. It's actually far more simple than I imagined. It's very straight-forward. Lindelhofs script is completely unlike LOST, thankfully. Expect a fairly straightforward film that stylistically fits between Alien and Aliens in style. It's more action than science. OK, a few of the reviewers are sh***ing all over this film. Rest assured it's a four star movie. Well made and entertaining. It's NOT the second coming, or the greatest film ever made - but it is most definitely NOT a bad movie. I watch an inordinate amount of film and the great majority is well below this film in terms of scope, structure, aesthetic, dialogue, ideas and script. Yes that's right - the script and dialogue is far better than most Hollywood fare. There are STANDOUT performances in terms of acting, Noomi and- in particular - Fabulous Fassbender are 1st class. So the negatives - most of the actors are 'cannon fodder'. Well yes - OF COURSE! For crying out loud - that was always the case and it's no different than any other film, Alien based or otherwise. The actors that 'survive' at the end are the best and most rounded/well formed. Noomi in particular now has a reason to become hard assed in the sequel (looks like there will be one as MOST people excluding a few 'fanboys' have enjoyed it for what it is - myself (another huge fan) included). The reviews are not really mixed - so far they aggregate 85% and 87% on rotten tomatoes - pretty bloody good. Very positive reactions generally, now the reviews are coming in. The dialogue - yes there are a few bad lines - no biggie - so what? People are different - the times I shake my head listening to peoples bizarre ideas, phraseology and idiotic rants - I can put up with "my puppies...Owwwwww" and "Stephen Stills used to own this - Love The One Your With" etc etc (heck that even made me laugh as I like Stephen Stills...even if it was 'odd' to refer to him not as if he will be a point of cultural reference at that time). Noomi after her Caesarean - she can do a lot of stuff - yep - she was Pumped Full of Drugs!!! No big deal. The Engineer was 'savage'. Yes his intention is to kill humanity - of course he swatted them like flies. We don't know why? Thank god, or even an Engineer. That's what made Alien intriguing. It's what makes Blade Runner great - it's why 2001 is profound - yet unfathomable. We don't need answers to everything. Most things are clear - they came for answers -they got death and no reason. But David (Fassbender) makes it clear that he is in the same position as the humans throughout in their position with the Engineers.....He states that it doesn't matter why as the whole reason why they are made may be as simple as the reason why the android was made "Because we can". The music - occasionally it does hark back to the 80's in the horn/flugel sound - it comes up a couple of times - and perhaps it was unnecessary - more 'silence' may have benefited the movie - but, again - not a major f**k up! The FLUTE!!! Did it remind me of the comedy show "Little Britain"s Scottish guest house owner? Yep. Did it remind me of Close Encounters? Yes. Is it far-fetched to thin that any other advanced race may use music and have rituals that are like ours - Particuarly as we are created in their image - and SHARE THE SAME DNA??? Hell yes. Perhaps they brought us music??!! It's not a big deal - just unexpected! The film didn't answer all your questions? It answered everything I needed to know. What was the Alien creature, facehuggers and eggs for? Re-creation. "To create, sometimes we have to destroy first". David is speaking from experience here... I am glad Prometheus is the way it is and that it 'evolved' or was 'engineered?' into something without a direct connection to Alien. There are clearly many connections but the planet and creatures do not relate directly to that film. I think the next stage will answer some questions again and raise far bigger questions - altough I am certain that the Alien we see in the 1979 is partly mechanoid as the Engineers will be fascinated by human technology - the android and somehow Davids digital DNA(??!!) will become part of their arsenal - creating a stronger, more perfect creature. Saw the midnight showing last nigh, then woke at 11am and went to the 12.00pm showing an hour later with my wife - didn't hear any negative reaction despite listening to peoples conversations. Could it have been better though? Yes. I would have liked something a bit trippy and less straightforward. But I think the ending is the set-up for a deeper meaning film with less characters that is more focused and intense. Go see it people, make up your own minds - but don't go in expecting The Matrix. :-)
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karlosfunkster
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Ridley Scott is an intelligent man - no less intelligent than me - and if I can get here after a few hours then surely after months and years of work they would not knock out a load of meaningless shit??? ;-)
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brightonrock
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OK. Your points are very consistent and thought out. And right now i'm starting to feel differently about the film. But ONLY because of what you've said and NOT what I saw. I didn't see or feel this level of intelligence when I was in the cinema today. Yet despite of this you seem to think it's not a particularly spiritual venture? Whereas I would say - forgoing the gore - this understanding of the film is very spiritual.
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karlosfunkster
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Yeah - I just wanted more than a hint - one that would slap people harder in the face and e more clear about, even if there was no answers at the end. This would likely only have been achieved if the Engineer had taken us under his wing and then we pissed him off as he realised we messed with his toys.
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karlosfunkster
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Thanks by the way, I think you've made me think about the film much more deeply and helped me decide the film is actually better than I realised on first reaction too! Ha - I might start a blog.... :-D
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karlosfunkster
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I only say t wasn't very spiritual or heady because the film serves to work well as an action type of movie and the subtext is less pronounced than I would have liked. Ridley mentioned this as a compromise between the two...
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karlosfunkster
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I'd like to hear other peoples ideas - did other people feel this was a deeper film than they realised after a bit of discussion???
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brightonrock
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To be honest man, I think there are a lot of people who - if they were having input like you just gave me - would start to think about this film differently. All you need is that push in the right direction. Earlier, I was ranting about how no answers are given. Now? I'm starting to think about it all differently. Literally one hours difference.
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Katie
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One question that comes to mind is: why the Engineers thought they had the right to 'engineer'? Meaning, why they felt they had the right to destroy what was naturally on a planet, to create what they wanted on that same planet? This seems to be a recurring theme through out science fiction (if not overused, yet.)
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travis bickle
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in the original 1979 movie , the crew go inside the ship where they eventually find the space jockey lying on the pilot seat...chest open...in this new movie this space jockey pursues shaw inside the pod or whatever and eventually dies. How to explain this? It seems its not the same space jockey,but that means that after the ship came crashing down, the other jockeys woke up, but david said only one was alive.
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travis bickle
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oh ,apparently its not even same moon,that explains it, but hav to say its cheap trick, good movie but that detail dropped points for me.
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Maiafay
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Can't wait for Friday and thanks for the positive review. It's too bad people aren't replying more to these threads. All they want to do is bitch and chase after Lindelhof with pitchforks (funny mental image...)

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