Prometheus is fine, in its own way

With all the hype that's accompanied Prometheus it's no wonder that die hard fans have found something to dislike, and while Prometheus is no masterpiece, there's much to enjoy in the sci-fi romp. I think if you went into the theatre expecting a new alien film, you will be let down. Prometheus immediately distances itself from the franchise not only with its themes but its storytelling. Characters from the Alien franchise were people we could relate to - complaining about pay, complaining about this, talking about that, never really clued into the big picture before the audience was. In Prometheus, characters are so obsessed with the big picture that it quickly changes the atmosphere, becoming something different altogether from Alien. It maintains its ties with Alien through its aura of doom and gloom, but the pacing and characters are not what Alien fans are used to. Instead of the proletariat of Alien, we have a mostly bourgeoisie cast of intelligentsia that the audience will find difficult to relate to. Characters like Fifield attempt to go against the grain, but he is so poorly sculpted that his forced acting borders on annoying. Thankfully, Fifield is killed off to save the audience from hearing more of his shoddy post-traumatic stress acting. He's utterly unconvincing, and many other characters simply aren't given enough screentime or enough to do to craft them into someone interesting. Characters like Holloway had a lot to offer, but are wasted as a plot device for alien destruction. Other characters like Janek are also poured down the drain as a cut and dry persona, whereas they could have made Prometheus all the more worthwhile. The only characters that form the foundations for Prometheus are Elizabeth Shaw and David. Their talks that hint at philosophical tones and the human condition are perhaps the glue that holds Prometheus together, offering up genuinely interesting ideas to the audience in a Blade Runner-esque way - 'What does it mean to be human?' The film also hints at these ideas in a more obtuse way that seems to be accidental, and if only Prometheus sought a more emotional perspective it might have been a better critical success. The story itself does not quite ebb and flow. The alien theme that drives the film manifests in a series of unconnected set pieces, that don't particularly drive the cast or advance the story. Instead the audience is left wondering 'What happened?' on their own, while some of the cast ignore main events altogether. Characters disappear and reappear on screen like ghosts, vanishing for several scenes without any explanation whatsoever and reappearing at key moments. It doesn't feel smooth or effective. The cast doesn't work as a coherent whole, they operate in splinters independent of everyone else and relationships never develop. This cripples Prometheus' ability to tell an effective and believable story. However, faults aside, Prometheus is still immensely enjoyable. The reality of the Xenos is believable and simple and something that has been directly mentioned and hinted at in several alien films. The fan-fiction mythology of gods and parallels with greek mythology turns out to be as absurd and incorrect as was predicted, and the K.I.S.S. principle turns out to be superior yet again. Prometheus broods gloomy atmosphere with gargantuan, biomechanical sets shrouded in darkness and indulges the senses with a special effects and cinematography spectacle. As the plot develops, you'll be further glued to the screen as the ball starts to roll. While it may not be perfectly coherent, it certainly makes sense from start to finish and is definitely enjoyable. When it comes to the aliens of the story, the audience is left underwhelmed. Their cunning and effectiveness as a plot device is engaging, but in their use as set pieces they aren't given enough to do nor enough screen time to be effectively utilised, much like the main cast. They're certainly interesting, but could have been used to better effect. The audience is left with many more questions than they entered the cinema with, both in regards to the story and little bits and pieces that will itch at you for years until a sequel is revealed. In the end, Prometheus is something to enjoy. It's a gripping sci-fi romp that provides thrills and drama of a high calibre, even if it misses it's intended mark, it is still a quality entry into the genre. Prometheus's problem is that it was too ambitious for its own good and should have focused on the here and now instead of setting up a sequel, in true 'Lost' style that will leave fans throwing popcorn at the screen.