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| Re: The theory that makes me love it: | |
| Posted By: Hawki <hawkesaj@bigpond.net.au> | Date: 6/9/12 5:39 p.m. |
In Response To: The theory that makes me love it: (Jillybean) I think you raise some good points. As I mentioned, that the mala'kak's motivations are never explained works to the film's advantage almost. No-one has an answer, and it may not even be a question that is worth asking in the first place (e.g. under evolutionary theory, there's no "why" we're here, because why implies intent). Depends on how you choose to view the world. That being said, casting the 'searching for God' angle aside, I still think the film has weaknesses, and that's primarily in its human cast. To me, much of the film felt rushed. The scenes of the empty 'Prometheus' felt rushed. The breakfast scene felt rushed. The scientists are "rushing out" to investigate the structure. They rush to take their helmets off (bad idea really-even if the air's breathable, surely they know that micro-organisms could still be present. Nitpick I know, but...) The storm comes 'rushing in.' So this is basically the first act. Felt a bit rushed, but then, I'm comparing it to 'Alien' and its own slow pacing. Up to this point, while the film has been a bit fast paced, I've still enjoyed it. Then...stuff happens. So, our geologist and biologist are seperated because...well, quite frankly, because the plot calls for it. Scientists head back, run tests, gloom settles over the ship. Halloway is drunk because...um, he wanted to talk to the Engineers. And, you know, everything they've discovered so far is a letdown. David has takne the black ooze with him for...some reason. Well, it's scientificially interesting I guess. Weyland orders him to infect Halloway...for some reason. To test for immortality? Maybe, but I still felt it was vague and unneeded. And Halloway has intercourse with Shaw. And David discovers the Engineer control room. So, moving on. Back to structure. Halloway's sick. Finds redshirts. Go back to ship while David finds Engineer. Halloway becomes zombie-like, Vickers burns him...that...didn't really ammount to anything. Shaw's impregnated now. Weyland, at least going by David and the medic, wants it kept alive...for some reason. What, was he planning a bio-weapons program in his days of immortality? So Shaw escapes...thing is cut out...stumbles around...also geologist comes back as a zombie, which is dealt with...and goes nowhere. Yes, it shows how things are going to shit, but... So, Shaw stumbles around, finds Weyland...who apparently doesn't believe in locked doors...and no-one's surprised to see here. "Hey Shaw, sorry for the intent of putting you in cryo...say...what happened to your baby thing?" No gravitas for that, no gravitas for Weyland's appearence, no surprise from David or anyone else. No mention from Shaw that there's a squid thing that they might want to get rid of. Oh, and Shaw knows that this place is death because...um...granted, things have gone bad, but so far everything as far as she knows stems from Halloway being infected, and at this point, she doesn't know what. Oh, but Janek knows. Knows this is a military outpost because...sorry, he's probably right, but I find it hard to see how he came to that conclusion because again, they don't know whether the infection has been designed or from a natural organism. And Vickers meets daddy...nice plot twist...but not used to its potential. So now comes act 3. Shaw joins the expedition to the structure, because, obviously, she hasn't proven herself to be a liability at this point or anything. They reach the Engineer, David implying that he knows that they intend(ed) to wipe out life on Earth. Did he tell Weyland this? I don't know. Anyway, stuff goes to shit, Shaw escapes, Engineer ship takes off, Prometheus goes to crash into it, stuff blows up. Nice scene with the pilots, but we barely know them, so the scene loses its gravitas. Shaw and Vickers run, Vickers dies because rolling to the side is reserved for 'Mass Effect 3' and 'Gears of War.' Shaw is not crushed, but wakes up with 2mins of oxygen left because...the plot calls for it. Then goes for the pod with the Engineer in pursuit. Alright, this is it, the final battle, Man meets his maker, parents have to die for their children to live... Or Shaw could just release squid thing. Granted, it would be stretch for Shaw to defeat the Engineer and win, but you could cut out the squid and Engineer revenge thing and the plot wouldn't have suffered for it. Might have given more time for it to be fleshed out. Anyway, so Shaw decides she wants to go to the Engineer homeworld, and gives her "last survivour of the Prometheus" speech. Yeah, sorry Shaw, but Ripley did it first, and did it much better. And while I can understand the rationale of your plan, I think heading back to Earth is the safer bet. But no, we need a sequel...such as the thing bursting out of the Engineer's chest...which is the sequel focusses on Shaw, will be an entirely pointless revelation. ### Basically, this is my 'review' of the film, otherwise classified as "vent my spleen." Again, I liked some parts-visuals were great, and the characters, while limited in their roles and/or 2D, still had good actors behind them. Still, I think the plot had too many plot points that were never addressed properly and/or unnecessary, and the film suffered as a result. Probably speaking from a subjective standpoint, but I think Vickers might have almost made a better main character than Shaw, her relationship with her father mirroring that between the Engineers and humanity. In the end, she has to come to terms with her daddy-daughter stuff on a personal level, while humanity has to come to terms with its origins on a societal/scientific/spiritual level. I would never claim I could do better but I think this film could have been wrapped up on its own, Vickers coming to terms personally while the crew/audience accepts that the question of "why we're here," if that's a question that can be asked at all, can't be answered. But we are here. And we have to make the best of that, and come into our own, not follow the will of cruel gods or madmen seeking immortality. Anyway, just me. Spleen vented. :)
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