2089. The couple of archaeologists Charles Holloway and Elizabeth Shaw discover strange cave paintings in a cave that are interpreted as a star map. Convinced that this drawing is an invitation from an extraterrestrial race that probably brought life to Earth, Charlie and Elizabeth manage to convince the billionaire Peter Weyland to finance an expedition to the moon LV-223. An crew is thus composed that goes to embark on the exploration ship Prometheus and, in a state of cryostasis, travels through space until 2093. Arrived at the predicted location and attended by the android David, the astronauts set out to search for a form of life, those extraterrestrials that they call the Engineers. Supervised by mission coordinator Meredith Vickers, Charlie, Elizabeth, David, and others venture into what seems to be an alien temple, discovering a shocking truth...
Announced and long awaited by fans, the prequel of "Alien" finally arrives in cinemas, the year zero of everything concerning the mythology of the beloved xenomorphs. Who could do it, if not the father of the entire saga, to explore the origins of one of the most important and appreciated sci-fi franchises in cinema history? And indeed Ridley Scott returns to directing with a fully successful film, a gift to the fans of the saga and a beautiful backstory to a story known and fundamental for the definition of certain fantastic cinema.
With a screenplay not exactly made of steel, written by Damon Lindelof ("Lost"; "Cowboys & Aliens") and Jon Spaihts ("The Dark"), Scott tries to explore curiously two origins: that of the human race and that of the myth of Alien. The first, without too many surprises, attributes the birth of man to an extraterrestrial race that brought life to Earth and identified, therefore, as God. A story in tune with many theories that have recently captivated public opinion. In the case of "Prometheus," the origin of man, linked to this race of giant humanoid whites baptized "Engineers," is the spark for the story, the reason that pushes our protagonists to venture into space in search of knowledge, ready to challenge the gods as did that Prometheus who gave his name to their spaceship.
The origin of the myth of Alien is introduced in a more complex way, taking the question very broadly and showing us a planet very similar to Earth, the embryo of strange serpentine creatures that have the bad habit of getting under the skin. Without spoiling, we can say that the road that leads to the xenomorphs is composed of steps and different evolutionary stages, capable of providing us with a series of repulsive creatures - at times of vague Lovecraftian or even Carpenterian inspiration - that will keep us glued to the seat with extreme ease. The Aliens as we know them are suggested to us, appearing curiously in the temple engraved on the walls, in the same place where mysterious containers seem to visually recall the nest of the first film, with these metal urns instead of the eggs. The Space Jockey that has fueled the curiosity of many viewers over the decades is also not missing, here finally revealed, clarified, and shown.
In short, the surprises are many and succulent, sometimes with a nerdy citation flavor that make you smile and at the same time emotionally move with sincerity. Scott tries to retrace his steps and in the first hour of the film we find ourselves facing situations and characters that strongly recall the 1979 film. The omnipresent gaze of the Weyland Corp., the mission, the exploration of the mysterious cavern, the contagion, the presence of an android... there are many explicit references to "Alien," which are completed with a Noomi Rapace as the protagonist who will not struggle to bring to mind Sigourney Weaver's Ripley, for tenacity and physical appearance. The repulsive scene that should make a nod to the famous "chest perforation" in the first film is also not missing, here represented by an impressive attempt at abortion with a cesarean section that is in fact one of the most emotionally powerful scenes seen in cinema in 2012.
"Prometheus" works in its entirety: it works for the magnificent classic-style direction, for the incredible sense of rhythm, for the adrenaline of the action scenes, for the costumes that increasingly explicitly refer to Mario Bava's "Terror in Space," for the beautiful special effects, and for the good actors. Speaking of actors, in "Prometheus" act two of the most talented actresses currently on the market, a Noomi Rapace ("Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows") cuter than usual and the always fascinating Charlize Theron ("Snow White and the Huntsman"), in the roles - respectively - of the archaeologist Elizabeth Shaw and the coordinator Meredith Vickers. But there is also Michael Fassbender ("X-Men: First Class"), one of the most sought-after actors today, who here plays the robot David with conviction. Unrecognizable under the makeup of the old Weyland is instead Guy Pearce ("Burning Bright"). A cast of stars, in short, that contributes to the success of the film.
"Prometheus" was also shot in 3D and thus it is preferable that it is enjoyed. We can say that Scott's film does not make a playful use of 3D and tries to use depth more than relief, but in some scenes the three-dimensional vision really adds a plus to the film, making the expanse of stars and the vast open spaces of the alien planet immersive places for the viewer.
To be seen and reviewed, "Prometheus" completes the universe of Alien without overturning what the viewer has so far learned to love.
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