Issue with the weapon technology...

theBERZERKER13

MemberOvomorphJune 11, 20121215 Views11 Replies

I've seen this movie 3 times now (third time was not my choice) and the one thing that really bugs me about this film is how primitive and ineffective the crew's weapons are. The weapons shown in the film are a modern day flame thrower and "future" pistols that don't seem any different than current firearms, except with a silly sploosh sound. I find it hard to believe that humans have mastered intergalactic travel and advanced cybernetics but they basically rely on a flame thrower to protect their trillion dollar space craft and all its crew? A flamethrower? Really? Making things worse is the fact that they have developed lasers that can slice through flesh with surgical accuracy, note that the laser in the medical pod somehow stops itself from going deeper than the skin. Wouldn't that kind of technology make it's way into weaponry immediately after its creation?

PrometheaDaze
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June 11, 2012

It could be that, simply — fire works. Most higher life forms fear and shy away from fire instinctively. It's a question of economy. We know fire works, so why replace it with something more sophisticated — and not put that sophistication where it's needed. Like, say, the 3D mapping system, the starship's propulsion systems, the autodoc, etc. (edit to add) Afterthought: This story is riddled with mythic resonance. Prometheus brought fire to humanity; how can you have a movie about Him without His signature element present somewhere?

theBERZERKER13
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June 11, 2012

I understand that fire and Prometheus are connected like Neptune and the ocean but I doubt that was the reasoning behind the use of flamethrowers. I would say that the propulsion system of the ship is way more significant than what weapon they carry and it had fiery elements. They basically have lightsaber technology.

theBERZERKER13
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June 11, 2012

Kronnang Dunn
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June 11, 2012

LOL No they don't. And the weapons are innneffective against the aliens in the film because those very same aliens are uber life forms unlike anything encountered before. And who said flamethrowers aren't an effective weapon? Is logical to assume that by that time and age they must be both pretty accurate and destructive...

Dayshifter
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June 11, 2012

OK, so they have no missiles, the ship is totally without any armament?!? LOL!! So of course they had to ram the ship... I could win the lottery with that level of predictability. ;-)

theBERZERKER13
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June 11, 2012

They have lasers that cut through flesh like butter and that have controlled lengths! That's a lightsaber. And flamethrowers are great if the target it within ten feet and stuck in one position. Or is there some other reason why the flamethrower is not standard issue gear for soldiers today? There's no way they have guns that can rapidly fire bullets over distances of more than 100 yards

theBERZERKER13
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June 11, 2012

AND flamethrowers during Vietnam at least had tar mixed into the fuel supply so it would stick to enemies like glue. The ones in movies looked like Kiss props, spurting out flames that burned for only a moment

Kronnang Dunn
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June 11, 2012

Geez guys, really. This is not ALIENS, this is PROMETHEUS! It wasn't a military ship for crying out loud!

Queens Elite Guard
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June 11, 2012

first of all the ships a science vessel and they've never encountered any hostile aliens second of all why do colonial marines in future use ballistic ammo and not laser beacuse this is before the rest of the alien films so what's up with that

centaurian_slug
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June 11, 2012

they would have to speculate on what its worth carrying. its ok that the ship is not armed. its a science vessel, not a warship like in aliens. high technology is not always universally employed - its expensive to produce. so they took along some basic armaments 'better than nothing' but which wouldn't take up too much mass or fuel on the journey. i've heard this criticism from others though.. the fact its carrying the earths richest man, he might have more heavily armed bodyguards around

centaurian_slug
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June 11, 2012

Also what use could weapons be really if they're going to encounter an entire civilization known to predate theirs by millions of years... they would be banking on diplomatic meeting, or they were toast.