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Dec 26^th, 2011 at 11:06pm

ed symkus Offline
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I got to do a one-on-one interview with Noomi Rapace (yes, the original girl with the dragon tattoo) a few weeks ago, when she was doing press for "Sherlock Holmes 2," and tried to squeeze out some info about "Prometheus." I'd heard, as I'm sure many of you did, that Ridley was back doing something related to "Alien." She really wasn't able to say much about it (probably legally), but I did get the following tidbit.

"I play Elizabeth Shaw. She’s very different [from my Sherlock character]. She’s sophisticated. She’s a scientist and an archaeologist. She’s British, but she grew up in Africa. Her mother died giving birth, so she grew up with her father, who was a priest, and who also died when she was quite young. So she’s been on her own since she was 9. But I think her father gave her the great gift of faith, so she’s a believer. She believes in God and in a higher purpose. So she always has this connection with someone up there, and it makes her strong in a way. In the beginning of the movie she’s a little bit naïve – she’s convinced that she will find what she’s looking for. Then, in the middle of the movie things happen, and she changes into more of a warrior, and a survivor. You can say that she’s kind of in the same family as Ripley. It’s not the same character, but you will see connections."

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Reply #1 - Dec 26^th, 2011 at 11:32pm

Frank Offline
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Posts: 541

I like the cast, the director, the intrigue and the teaser. Yes, I am pumped.

I bring you peace. It may be the peace of plenty and content or the peace of unburied death.

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Reply #2 - Jun 9^th, 2012 at 8:55pm

R_F_Fineman Offline
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What?...nothing on "Prometheus"...it's quiet...almost TOO quiet...doesen't anybody want to start?...anybody?

Mrs. F and I saw it in IMAX3D but we're not going to be the first. This could be the most divisive film in years.

The slushpile reviews are unintentionally hysterical:

One says:
Quote:

Don't listen to the crazy atheists that are mounting a campaign against this movie because the main character is a Christian

another:
Quote:

This is a rip off from starcraft the old compute game.

and my favorite:
Quote:

The original "Alien" movie was based on a science fiction comedy called "Dark Star" written John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon. And yes, it's that John Carpenter but he had nothing to do with the film "Alien." The whole origin of the Alien movie concept is on the 30th anniversary DVD of Alien; so don't speak when you have no idea what you're talking about.

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/prometheus-2012/user-reviews/TO+THE+NAY+SAYERS+WHO...

21st Century Man

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Reply #3 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 3:12pm

kirok Offline
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Posts: 692

here's my review of prometheus.
it sucked

i did see the trailer for abe lincoln vampire slayer. out june 22 and looks great. i hope it's a comeback movie for tim burton.

PANTS UP. DON'T LOOT.

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Reply #4 - Jun 12^th, 2012 at 4:36pm

kirok Offline
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Posts: 692

i really should have read between the lines on ed and r.f.
if they don't rave about it, it sucks.

PANTS UP. DON'T LOOT.

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Reply #5 - Jun 12^th, 2012 at 8:24pm

Frank Offline
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kirok wrote on Jun 12^th, 2012 at 4:36pm:

i really should have read between the lines on ed and r.f.
if they don't rave about it, it sucks.

I disagree with your assessment of the film but I do admire the concise review cutting through the felgercarb.

I bring you peace. It may be the peace of plenty and content or the peace of unburied death.

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Reply #6 - Jun 12^th, 2012 at 10:39pm

ed symkus Offline
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Posts: 75

Saw it this afternoon. Gotta say, I thought it was mediocre SF. Muddled storylines, and a couple too many of them. Far from enough explanation of many characters' motivations. It certainly looked good (although, once again, the glasses resulted in major loss of brightness). Good, mostly subtle 3D. Guess my biggest problem was in the lackluster writing.

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Reply #7 - Jun 13^th, 2012 at 7:32pm

ed symkus Offline
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SF Rocks

Posts: 75

Thought about it a little more, and have slightly changed my opinion. I now think the film, as a whole, was even less interesting than I originally did.

Yet, in all fairness, there are a couple of innovative, very effective, horrific scenes (that're definitely gonna be stuck in MY head for a while).

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Reply #8 - Jun 13^th, 2012 at 9:04pm

kirok Offline
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Posts: 692

yes i too say that the more i think about it the more sucky i think it is.

PANTS UP. DON'T LOOT.

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Reply #9 - Jun 14^th, 2012 at 2:47pm

R_F_Fineman Offline
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I think (hope) I speak for a lot of people on the board when I profess great admiration for the work of Ridley Scott.
The finger of blame needs to point elsewhere, as we await the two and a half hour movie he wanted us to see.

Besides, do you really want to cross Charlize Theron?

The lovely and talented ms Theron venting on costar Michael Fasbinder at the MTV Movie Awards. Shocked

21st Century Man

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Reply #10 - Jun 14^th, 2012 at 10:57pm

IamJacksUserID Offline
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Okay, lets all wait patiently and see if Scott shot enough footage to add in an extra half hour to explain the gaping plot holes, clarify the motivations of the multiple antagonists and unscramble the convoluted sense of direction and spacial geography?

Shouldn't be too hard.

I will say one thing, all the coy "is it or is it not a prequel?" hype really did the final film a disservice. And don't even get me started on the spoilerific trailer...

Bread makes you fat?!?

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Reply #11 - Jun 20^th, 2012 at 3:47pm

L.A. Connection Offline
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This is a film with something for everyone. A little something positive, and a lot of things negative. How you weigh them is up to individual taste. It seems as though I come out a bit more positive than most SF fans, but, it's certainly with heavy reservations.

First things first - this IS a prequel to ALIEN. Ridley Scott can pussy-foot around as much as he wants, but there a lot of official sequels/prequels to other film series that have much less in common than PROMETHEUS does with the ALIEN franchise. Yes, Mr.Scott, you have put in some curve balls and you don't want to see yourself as repeating past glories, but you made a Prequel to ALIEN. Get over it.

More importantly, the convoluted way in which PROMETHEUS was developed explains much of what is wrong with the picture. It has to exist in the ALIEN universe, yet, it wants to strike out into new and different territory. There are a number of interesting threads and tangents that PROMETHEUS explores. Unfortunately, the weight of ALIEN drags it back and forth like a cosmic game of tug-of-war. The last act in particular seems to be a patchwork of 3 or 4 different 'endings' all mashed into one.

Full Disclosure: I am not the world's biggest ALIEN fan. It's a very good SF film - tense, thrilling and full of good ideas. It's also highly derivative of monsters-on-the-loose films, most pointedly, IT! THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE. Very good, but, not in the top tier of SF classics. Still, the best in its series with the nadir being ALIEN RESURECTION. And, hey, I even liked Part 3!

PROMETHEUS has the previous quadrilogy to deal with (and, maybe parts of the AVP films), but, it then bites off 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (and 2010) to boot! This is where I think the divide amongst SF fans really exists.

I, for one, really appreciate the attempt at thoughtful SF within a blockbuster franchise. Too many SF, Fantasy and Horror epics these days are little more than old fashioned action pictures dressed up with some SF trappings. Nothing wrong with that when it's done well, but, a steady diet makes one hungry for something weightier. Ray Bradbury's recent passing only emphasizes the point of how few really good films were made from his work - not to mention writers such as Asimov, Heinlein etc.. I am not comparing PROMETHEUS to the best of Bradbury's work, but, it at least toys with some fundamental concepts of what it means to be part of the cosmos.

For all that, I applaud PROMETHEUS. Unfortunately, there's the grinding draw of that old ALIEN plotline that mucks things up. As many have noted, the evolutionary chain has holes the size of black ones that don't quite add up. Mashing together so many divergent storylines makes a hash of character motivations. Noomi Rapace is solid, but her language limitations are noticeable. Theron is fine as the ice queen, but, it bogles the mind that the original intention was for her to play Rapace's role. Don't think that would have worked nearly as well. Michael Fassbender continues to be one of the best actors out there, even if his character's motivations are murky at best. I didn't even recognize Guy Pearce and the part would have been much stronger with the originally intended Max Von Sydow (of course, ANY film is better with Max!).

PROMETHEUS is worth seeing, flaws and all. We are obviously invited to expect a sequel, but, PROMETHEUS' reception makes that not the sure thing it once seemed to be. Here's hoping Scott and company (he doesn't seem to want to direct a sequel himself) lean towards what works best in PROMETHEUS, and not give in to the commercial necessities of the ALIEN franchise.

[spoiler]

Did anybody else notice that they forgot to age Guy Pearce's feet in the scene where Rapace finds him on board?

[/spoiler]

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Reply #12 - Aug 20^th, 2012 at 4:00pm

MFP4073 Offline
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As regards PROMETHEUS - I was not sure what to expect upon hearing about this movie. First, I decided to discount it as I felt that although the original ALIEN was certainly the best of its type vis-a-vis monster chasing impotent human movie the second movie ALIENS I believe has become even more inculcated in the popular lexicon and I know as relates to the video game market has been copied (shamelessly) on numerous occasions especially with regard to the ever popular HALO series which actually should be sued by the producers of the ALIEN series for its unabashed robbery of the movies use of the Colonial Marines, weaponry, xenomorphic creatures, and spacecraft among other things.

I also would suggest that anyone trying to enjoy Prometheus would be well advised to see the movie in IMAX 3D as the look and feel of the movie are enhanced by the extra depth and visual experience - I am not sure that I would enjoy the movie on a TV screen especially on the initial viewing. On the characters chosen for the movie (obviously the general stereotypes exist) the braggard, the ice cold bitch, the "scaredy" Cat and the idealistic hero as well as the evil corporate overload which has seemingly (by the producers of this series) decided to put profits over its own existence - so no surprises there - obviously with ALIEN you have the return to the series of the enigmatic android - in this case one that is not only following the "evil" corporation's orders but has evolved to seek out its own answers to the meaning of life and its own meaning (can someone say Data). I generally like the cast but I felt the movie was horribly damaged by the presence on screen of Noomi Rapace - she seemed dour, sleepy and totally unappealing which is not good when she is on screen for better than 2/3rds of the movie's run time.

I think her best work was definitely in the automated surgery machine although I did laugh uncontrollably when she requested an abortion and the machine countered with not being familiar with "female" anatomy - I was not sure if that was meant to be a back-handed slap at the U.S. medical system - I just thought that we could do without the obvious political commentary in this scene and in others.

Still, it has been a while since I actually thought about a newer sci fi movie and at least PROMETHEUS introduces some fun concepts that can be reflected upon unlike say TRANSFORMERS which is just pure bubble gum and happy balloons.

In closing then, PROMETHEUS is a fun time, visually appealing and a fitting jigsaw part in the ALIEN lore and I will be in line to see PROMETHEUS II which should be spawning in a theatre near you soon.

Stay Off The Streets

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Reply #13 - Aug 21^st, 2012 at 1:36pm

L.A. Connection Offline
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Although I critiqued Noomi Rapace's language deficiencies, I still think she did well with the role. Charlize Theron was originally slated to play the part. Theron is a fine actress, but, I think Rapace has an earthier presence which suits the part better.

MFP4073 wrote on Aug 20^th, 2012 at 4:00pm:

As regards PROMETHEUS - I was not sure what to expect upon hearing about this movie. First, I decided to discount it as I felt that although the original ALIEN was certainly the best of its type vis-a-vis monster chasing impotent human movie the second movie ALIENS I believe has become even more inculcated in the popular lexicon and I know as relates to the video game market has been copied (shamelessly) on numerous occasions especially with regard to the ever popular HALO series which actually should be sued by the producers of the ALIEN series for its unabashed robbery of the movies use of the Colonial Marines, weaponry, xenomorphic creatures, and spacecraft among other things.

I also would suggest that anyone trying to enjoy Prometheus would be well advised to see the movie in IMAX 3D as the look and feel of the movie are enhanced by the extra depth and visual experience - I am not sure that I would enjoy the movie on a TV screen especially on the initial viewing. On the characters chosen for the movie (obviously the general stereotypes exist) the braggard, the ice cold bitch, the "scaredy" Cat and the idealistic hero as well as the evil corporate overload which has seemingly (by the producers of this series) decided to put profits over its own existence - so no surprises there - obviously with ALIEN you have the return to the series of the enigmatic android - in this case one that is not only following the "evil" corporation's orders but has evolved to seek out its own answers to the meaning of life and its own meaning (can someone say Data). I generally like the cast but I felt the movie was horribly damaged by the presence on screen of Noomi Rapace - she seemed dour, sleepy and totally unappealing which is not good when she is on screen for better than 2/3rds of the movie's run time.

I think her best work was definitely in the automated surgery machine although I did laugh uncontrollably when she requested an abortion and the machine countered with not being familiar with "female" anatomy - I was not sure if that was meant to be a back-handed slap at the U.S. medical system - I just thought that we could do without the obvious political commentary in this scene and in others.

Still, it has been a while since I actually thought about a newer sci fi movie and at least PROMETHEUS introduces some fun concepts that can be reflected upon unlike say TRANSFORMERS which is just pure bubble gum and happy balloons.

In closing then, PROMETHEUS is a fun time, visually appealing and a fitting jigsaw part in the ALIEN lore and I will be in line to see PROMETHEUS II which should be spawning in a theatre near you soon.

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