On the couch

There’s a certain type of film that sells itself as science fiction but really isn’t. While they vary from space opera to shonky action flicks with lasers their one similarity is that there’s nothing particularly “science-y” about the fiction they portray.
Ridley Scott’s Prometheus is not one of those films. It lives on the outer reaches of what most people would consider their comfort zones and bravura of Star Wars or the iconic terror figure of Alien, it manages to be both unsettling and thought-provoking while also providing a decent dose of action and suspense.
The story starts in Scotland when a group of archeologists discover the final piece of a global puzzle that seems to prove Earth was visited by aliens thousands of years ago, shows where they came from and implies that they may have been responsible for our evolution. A quick  two-year, trillion-dollar space flight later and the spaceship Prometheus arrives at the catchily entitled LV-223, the home of the so-called “Engineers”.
What starts as a seemingly innocent scientific mission – albeit potentially the most significant in human history – turns threatening when the crew discover the remains of our intergalactic antecedents, a temple-like structure and a sinister black ooze – possibly the creepiest liquid in cinematic history.
From there matters take several horrific turns as some crew members start to lose their marbles, others reveal hidden agendas and the real motives behind the Engineers invitation become clear.
There’s a sense of scale that you lose watching Prometheus at home. Visually impressive and beautifully  shot, the spectacle of some of the film’s bigger set pieces – the reveal of the giant head, the spaceship taking off or even the opening sequence – loses out by not having a massive canvas to be painted on.
That said, how often is a film so visually inspiring that that’s even an issue? From the sorts of  minimalist, antiseptic interiors on the ship that would make Stanley Kubrick proud, to the dank, gooey, threatening caves, corridors and tunnels the crew explore on the alien planet, Scott makes every set and setting count. Not a trick is missed nor a moment wasted to make the audience feel wary and worried that something bad is just about to happen.
For a flick that could’ve got away with a cut-price cast, Prometheus packs a fairly heavy actor-y punch with Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, and Michael Fassbender taking key roles in the film.
As has become his habit in recent times, Fassbender steals the show as David, the Lawrence of Arabia-obsessed man-droid who may have a secret agenda and an unerring loyalty to his creator, Peter Weyland.
Rapace, meanwhile is an idealistic but tough archeologist who channels her inner Sigourney Weaver when things get dangerous and Theron does what she does best and plays a complex but essentially evil, corporate ice-maiden sent to the far-reaches of the galaxy to bark orders at the crew.
Also making appearances are Idris Elba as the ship’s captain and Sean Harris – Micheletto for fans of TV series The Borgias – as a space-fried geologist. The rest of the crew might as well have worn red jumpers and called themselves ‘Ensign Johnson’ for all their usefulness or life expectancy.
One of the biggest talking points about Prometheus before it was released was whether or not it was a prequel to the Alien movies or not.
The answer is yes… and no.
The links are there – hints at the Weyland-Yutani Corporation from Alien and their sinister desire to weaponise extraterrestrial life and the mysterious Space Jockey is explained but these exist as asides to the film, not central ideas.
It might not be the film that die-hard Alien fans wanted or expected but, viewed on its own merits, Prometheus is one of the most imaginative and thought-provoking sci-fi films made in a long while.
Sure, there are plot holes you could fly the Millennium Falcon through and occasionally the characters act in a way more convenient to the story than in keeping with what reasonable person might do but nothing so jarring as to spoil the film’s flow.
In fact, the vigor with which every frame of Prometheus has been parsed and analysed since its release speaks volumes for its single greatest attribute – its intrigue.
It might leave you with more questions than it answers – who are the Engineers, what was that goo and was that ending really the end? Really? – all spring to mind but they’re interesting questions and keep the spirit of the film alive long after the credits have rolled.
By way of a dishonourable mention, Wrath of the Titans – the follow-up nobody wanted to the bafflingly successful Clash of the Titans – is just as bad as you might imagine it to be.
Sam “rapidly diminishing box office returns” Worthington returns to demi-god duties as Perseus, the son of Zeus. He gets pulled back into the world of gods and monsters when daddy dearest shows up to tell him he’s the only one who can save the world. Again.
A few expensive but uninspiring CG monster fights later and… Oh who cares? It’s boring, makes little sense and stars some people who really ought to know better – hang your heads Mssrs Neeson and Fiennes. Avoid.