Black Goo = Miracle Gloo - And other random thoughts

First post, saw the movie last night, definitely mixed feelings. Thinking on the concepts, lots of potential but like many I was completely taken aback by some of the dialogue and character's actions. A movie is about suspension of disbelief, but there are still rules and as an audience member I expect characters to react in a believable way. There were things that have already been discussed in this forum where characters did things that jolted me out of the cinematic experience! Anyway, still think the movie raises some interesting ideas. Here's a list of personal observations and open questions if anyone feels free to throw in on the discussion! 1. The Black Goo (and resulting aliens) - Interesting, but confusing: a) it seeds life on earth by breaking down and then rewriting the host dna if dropped into water (salt water?); I assume that stuff in the jar that the engineer drank at the beginning was black goo... a) It turns worms into GIANT phallic cobra worms that like to break arms and hide inside people's thorax for fun (Milliburn just stayed dead and wasn't impregnated as far as I could tell since the cobra worm just jumped out of his mouth and slithered away when they discovered his body later); [b]Why was he just killed and not impregnated?[/b] b) In a dead human ie Fifield, they become a fast moving and extremely flexible zombie (or was that the acid from the giant cobra that melted his helmet and not the black goo?); AGAIN, it didn't seem to impregnate him to give birth to offspring - it mutated and reanimated him. That's assuming the acid killed him and the black goo then worked it's magic. Which of course begs the question as to why the black goo didn't reanimate the dead engineers since we share their DNA? c) it makes engineers heads explode when you add electricity; d) if a human drinks it, they get a wormy eyeball and then later disintegrate; e) Back to the dead engineers, it seemed to be responsible for something that impregnated them while alive and later burst through their heads (apparently), killing them. SINCE the engineers seem Asexual - or at least male and definitely lacking a uterus - it somewhat makes sense that the creature has to make it's own orifice to get out and be birthed. On the other hand... f) if mixed with sperm and ejaculated into an infertile woman it creates a giant squid that prefers bursting through the stomach (rather than the more convenient vaginal opening which would require less effort, no?) and reproduces by facef-cking the host (engineer) and planting an egg in the thorax that turns into a five foot murderous toothy salamander that erupts from the chest. Personally, I think it would have been creepier if Shaw had "birthed" the alien naturally! Frankly I have no idea what the black goo is or does exactly and I don't think the writers do either. It's like Miracle Glue (Miracle Goo?): it does anything that the writer needs for that particular scene to further the plot and "stick" certain scenes together! 2. Green Sparkly Goo - Is this the stuff that makes the original Xenomorph? a) David first encounters it as a residue on the control pad he accesses to start the hologram recording. He examines it between his thumb and forefinger, sniffs it and says "Impressive". (ON A SIDE NOTE: He then miraculously punches/slides the correct sequence of buttons to start the hologram. How the h-ll did he do that? And then minutes later open the door with the correct "password"? WTF? Did the Green Sparkly Goo somehow give him the correct password or download a ship operating manual into his head? Made no sense.) b) Then we see the Green Goo in a capsule in the giant Head Room. Holloway comes across it separately placed (and elevated) on a pedestal (?) directly in front a mural of THE ORIGINAL ALIEN in a Christ like pose. 3. Fifield and Milliburn - Comic relief. Idiots no one cares about - the geologist who smokes dubes, gets lost and doesn't care about the rocks on an alien planet and the biologist who's afraid of a dead body but talks to an alien snake likes its a baby kitten. Seriously? 4. The two guys in the scouting vehicle - Took off after running over Zombie Fifield and went... where? 5. Captain Janek and his Merry Men - A holiday loving, harmonica playing, horny "Sh-t pilot" (hired on a trillion dollar mission) looking to get laid in outer space by the bosses daughter and also enjoys upsetting (and lying to) lost crew members for no apparent reason, while his two co-pilots giggle in the background and make stupid bets about the meaning of life. Towards the end suddenly seems to take the mission seriously and the danger to Earth and becomes inexplicably noble (and his crew). Imho, more idiots no one cares about when they die. 6. The Weyland, Vickers and David Trinity a) Peter Weyland - the aging, dying patriarch (king); b) Meredith Vickers (Weyland) - the only "heir" and "desexed" to be more like a son c) David8 - the emasculated and (bastard) "son" who can't inherit. Both "sons" seemingly hate their father and want him dead. Nice character concepts (lots of potential) but hiding Weyland the elder on the ship seemed completely stupid; but having the Engineer kill him with David's head was a nice touch. Vickers' death seemed pointless and underwhelming. Assuming she's dead, of course: when the other engineer ship takes off with Shaw, it's been several days and we have no idea who's on board with her other than David presumably. Given the movie I just saw, anything's possible I think. 7. Holloway and Shaw - She's infertile, therefore looking "out there" for life; Holloway's angry that they'll never have a child together, wants to ask his creators "Why". Two more interesting character concepts. Execution and dialogue left something to be desired for me. Particularly Holloway's aggression and anger at David8 seems unmotivated and is never explained that I can see. 8. Shaw and David8 - She's religion, he's science. At the end they have to work together to move forward even though they don't particularly like one another. Together they make a complete whole. Pretty obvious "banging over the head" message there. 9. The Engineers - A mystery wrapped in an enigma, etc. Are they Gods, or just other creations of the Gods? In seeding life on Earth and other planets are they trying to mimic their creators (as Humans do by creating Androids) or following orders "from above". Are they in fact the Gods' version of Androids/Synthetics? Why do they all seem asexual (or at least male) and completely hairless (does that explain alopecia universalis in our genome? How did we develop hair on our bodies)? Interesting characters, was initially upset that they made the Space Jockeys into elephant suits, but I'm okay with it now. My personal thoughts. Not a great movie, but some nice concepts and ideas, and if you don't think too much, a great spectacle. My guess is that the original screenwriter Spaihts is responsible for most of the concepts and then Lindelof came in later and did what he does best to the rest of it... :)