#1
Posted: 6/8/12 at 1:27pm
So I went to the 3D midnight screening with a friend who had only a vague concept of the film, had not seen any of the previews, and only had the vaguest idea about the Alien mythology and film saga. After the film was over we both looked at each other and said, "That was ridiculous!", in the best sense.
The 3D was actually pretty good. I was a bit skeptical given that the color tones and it being set in space, i.e. the darkness, would have made it problematic (the Harry Potter movies in 3D really did not do much for me for these reasons). But the cinematography and visual effects were really something. Very seamless. Only aesthetic misstep, and this is a bit of a reach, was the prosthetic makeup for Guy Pearce who looked both reptilian and that he stole Dustin Hoffman's mask from Little Big Man.
As for performances, I think this is just as much of Michael Fassbender's movie, as the ambiguous android David, as it is about Noomi Rapace as Dr. Shaw. Rapace is good, she is not Ripley (completely different characters), but Fassbender really makes the movie have a sense of unease and unpredictability that is more HAL 9000 than Ash in Alien. For the other performances, Idris Elba as the Captain was excellent- think of a mix of Dallas and Brett in the original who probably is the closest thing to a hero in this film. Logan Marshall-Green as Holloway is fine but not memorable. He works more when you just consider the character a cipher for Rapace's character. Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers is probably the most wasted character if only because it is at the 11th hour that there is some back-story for why she is so bitter and cold. Her interactions with David are really the only interesting moments for the character though NOTE to Charlize fans, she does get to do some awesome things with weaponry but sadly lacking in the badassery and more fear-based.
The other auxiliary characters are fine enough but because of the size of the crew, it would have been a real job to try and give enough development that each of their ends had more emotional weight though I wish we saw more of Rafe Spall's character who seemed the most light-hearted.
The question probably most asked is how much of a prequel the film is. By the middle of the film there is definitely a clear relation to the first film (and I am wondering how other hardcore Alien fans are going to react to it) but it is explained that it is not that direct because the universe is that vast. But then you get to about the final 10 minutes and BOOM! A lot is explained with just the visuals and it is stunning.
It should also be noted that the film left it wide open for a sequel. That may cause people to groan but I was definitely left wanting more and there was a lot in this movie to take in. I am still soaking in it. I will say the third act is rushed and with characters acting way too impulsive but how it ends is reasonable imo.
It is different from Alien and Aliens as it is somewhat more into the questions of scientific origins and 'meeting your maker' but it does a good job at what it is doing. This is not a genre game-changer by any means but it is one heckuva return to the genre for Scott.
**SPOILERS**
There are some things that do feel like they are cut out. Elba's Janek suddenly rushes to Dr. Shaw explaining to her how the planet is just a military installation for the humanoids is the biggest example. For a guy who didn't initially care, his shock and sudden draw to the mission came a bit out of left field. I wonder if Vickers or somebody else told him.
The self-cesarean is definitely the most disturbing part of the whole film and given we see bones break and that self-disintegration opens the film, that says a lot. In short, it earned its R-rating.
Seriously, I would love to know people's reactions to the space jockey origins.
There are sly references with the David character on blending in better with humans to be more at ease which of course in the Alien films takes on far darker connotations with Ash.
People may complain of how clean and sleek it is compared to the blue-collar space journeys of the first Alien but I like that there are explainable bridges, corporations looking for profit and not ego-tripping, messianic complex missions, for such decay right down to Ash being a lesser model to David and the space suits.
The 3D was actually pretty good. I was a bit skeptical given that the color tones and it being set in space, i.e. the darkness, would have made it problematic (the Harry Potter movies in 3D really did not do much for me for these reasons). But the cinematography and visual effects were really something. Very seamless. Only aesthetic misstep, and this is a bit of a reach, was the prosthetic makeup for Guy Pearce who looked both reptilian and that he stole Dustin Hoffman's mask from Little Big Man.
As for performances, I think this is just as much of Michael Fassbender's movie, as the ambiguous android David, as it is about Noomi Rapace as Dr. Shaw. Rapace is good, she is not Ripley (completely different characters), but Fassbender really makes the movie have a sense of unease and unpredictability that is more HAL 9000 than Ash in Alien. For the other performances, Idris Elba as the Captain was excellent- think of a mix of Dallas and Brett in the original who probably is the closest thing to a hero in this film. Logan Marshall-Green as Holloway is fine but not memorable. He works more when you just consider the character a cipher for Rapace's character. Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers is probably the most wasted character if only because it is at the 11th hour that there is some back-story for why she is so bitter and cold. Her interactions with David are really the only interesting moments for the character though NOTE to Charlize fans, she does get to do some awesome things with weaponry but sadly lacking in the badassery and more fear-based.
The other auxiliary characters are fine enough but because of the size of the crew, it would have been a real job to try and give enough development that each of their ends had more emotional weight though I wish we saw more of Rafe Spall's character who seemed the most light-hearted.
The question probably most asked is how much of a prequel the film is. By the middle of the film there is definitely a clear relation to the first film (and I am wondering how other hardcore Alien fans are going to react to it) but it is explained that it is not that direct because the universe is that vast. But then you get to about the final 10 minutes and BOOM! A lot is explained with just the visuals and it is stunning.
It should also be noted that the film left it wide open for a sequel. That may cause people to groan but I was definitely left wanting more and there was a lot in this movie to take in. I am still soaking in it. I will say the third act is rushed and with characters acting way too impulsive but how it ends is reasonable imo.
It is different from Alien and Aliens as it is somewhat more into the questions of scientific origins and 'meeting your maker' but it does a good job at what it is doing. This is not a genre game-changer by any means but it is one heckuva return to the genre for Scott.
**SPOILERS**
There are some things that do feel like they are cut out. Elba's Janek suddenly rushes to Dr. Shaw explaining to her how the planet is just a military installation for the humanoids is the biggest example. For a guy who didn't initially care, his shock and sudden draw to the mission came a bit out of left field. I wonder if Vickers or somebody else told him.
The self-cesarean is definitely the most disturbing part of the whole film and given we see bones break and that self-disintegration opens the film, that says a lot. In short, it earned its R-rating.
Seriously, I would love to know people's reactions to the space jockey origins.
There are sly references with the David character on blending in better with humans to be more at ease which of course in the Alien films takes on far darker connotations with Ash.
People may complain of how clean and sleek it is compared to the blue-collar space journeys of the first Alien but I like that there are explainable bridges, corporations looking for profit and not ego-tripping, messianic complex missions, for such decay right down to Ash being a lesser model to David and the space suits.
Updated On: 6/8/12 at 01:27 PM
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