By Nolan Patrick Smith
Special To Hawaii Ahe
(Honolulu)– Prometheus, in Greek mythology, brought fire to mankind in a time of darkness. Much can be said for the film Prometheus, as a ship aims to find the answers to humanity’s creation, a metaphorical fire in a way. The film has been surrounded by hype and secrecy; is this a prequel film to Director Ridley Scott’s Aliens franchise? If so, can moviegoers who never saw any of the Aliens films still watch this without being lost?
Ridley Scott is known for his genre defining Aliens franchise, as well as Blade Runner, which pushed the envelope as well. With Prometheus, the premise is simple: a space expedition follows ancient cave writings to another planet, where they hope they can find answers to their own existence. The cast of characters involved is a perfect match when it comes to combustible personalities: Scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and her boyfriend Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) are the driving force behind the expedition, David (Michael Fassbender) is an android created by the company sponsoring the trip and is versed in many forms of communication. Ms. Vickers (Charlize Theron) is the liaison from the sponsoring company, with an agenda all her own. That’s just a few of the brilliant cast in the film.
When it boils down to who steals this show, the choices are simple: the lead protagonist Elizabeth Shaw and the oddly likeable David. Shaw brings forth the leading lady qualities that the Aliens franchise is known for, despite all that happens in the course of the film. David, with an almost C-3PO like charm to him, is sure to be an instant hit with the sci-fi community, as Fassbender delivers an outstanding performance. As I said earlier, the whole cast holds their own, from Idris Elba playing the ship’s tough as nails captain, to Guy Pearce filling the shoes of a British geologists. But how are the graphics? What about the aliens?
Don’t worry; the special effects seen here are mind blowing, as they fully immerse the audience into this other world. The aliens we see on this planet are creepy to say the least, but that’s in a good way. I don’t want to give away anything, I will just say I was very pleased with the alien life forms seen in this film, as they have an identity all their own. By the end of the film, I have no doubt that any sci-fi buff will feel the same way I did.
This film does have ties to the Alien franchise, but I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The only Aliens film I have ever seen was Aliens vs. Predators. So don’t let the whole prequel aspect of it scare you away: this is a space faring, sci-fi horror flick that should not be missed this summer. I highly recommend taking a journey on Ridley Scott’s Prometheus.