Prometheus

Director: Ridley Scott
2012
RT score: 74%
My rating 8.5/10

When I first walked out of the theater after seeing Prometheus this summer I had one word running through my head; perfect. I remember entering the film with guarded expectations. I was excited when I first heard Ridley Scott was planning a prequel to Alien and as a fan of Lost I was excited when Damon Lindelof joined the project. Then I began hearing that it's not a prequel, but a stand alone existing in a shared universe with the Alien films and I began to have my doubts about the project.
Of course, that's the risk you take when attempting to add anything to a movie universe as revered as Alien. From a creature/horror/action perspective the first two Alien films are virtually unparalleled in the annals of sci-fi and yet any subsequent use of the characters and or creatures has been meet with either disappointment in the case of Alien 3 (which I did like) or outright rejection in the case of any of the Alien vs. Predator films. As a fan, I think the most frustrating thing is feeling like the potential for genuine suspense and sci-fi entertainment involving the creatures Mr. Scott first created has never been fully tapped.
Which brings us back to Prometheus. I wanted this to be that opportunity to tap into the potential that still existed and for the most part it is not. It does however achieve a goal that walking in I feared was unachievable. It creates it's own unique universe while setting up a back story for the events that occur in Alien and a plausible (by sci-fi standards) explanation for the visualize we see in the first 40 minutes of Alien.
In achieving this objective, writer Lindelof brings to the table his unique ability to ask open ended questions about existence that were the mark of the TV series Lost.  The story centers around the idea that man is a by product of an alien species who left their calling card in caves around the world during prehistoric times. Set in the relatively near future, a group of scientists have found these markings and put them together to create a map that they believe will take them to their creators.
The lead scientist is Dr. Shaw, played superbly by Noomi Rapace. She is the moral compass for the film as she balances her faith with a thirst for discovery. The rest of the team follows Scott's (and later James Camerons) blue print for putting together a team of differing and often one-dimensional characters all capable of offering a different response to the events going on around them. The best in the bunch is Michael Fassbender is the cyborg David. The cyborg is a staple of the Alien franchise, but has never been done better than here. Fassbender is able to play the role with a combination of control and cunning that is becoming his trademark. David plays both sides throughout the film as he is willing to help or hinder Shaw's pursuits depending on what is in his own best interest.
Like all good sci-fi films, Prometheus follows the formula of discovery and excitement before eventually turning to terror and fear. As a horror film, Prometheus however doesn't stack up with it's predecessors. The action/thrills come in bursts and often they feel disjointed or added on so the movie isn't too 'talky.' In particular, the zombie sequence feels completely out of place and the creator Alien we do meet, while being sufficiently bad-ass is thoroughly under used.
Still, the strength of the film is the Lindelof trademark of asking more questions than he is willing to answer. We discover with Shaw that our creators wanted to destroy us but their is no apparent reason why. The film ends with Shaw preparing to go in search of an answer to why and like an episode of Lost it might has well have ended with a 'to be continued ...' message. But, in accomplishing a goal of being a prequel and a stand alone both Scott and Lindelof have seemingly pulled off a magic trick of sorts. They leave everything in place for the folks aboard Nostromo to find and have me hooked to follow Dr. Shaw and David in their pursuit of answers regarding why the creators made us and subsequently sought our destruction. It's an adventure I look forward to taking in the very near future.