Prometheus

After two solid decades of mediocrity, Ridley Scott returns to his early work with Prometheus. Ostensibly a prequel to Alien, it's a fine stand alone film. A respectible stab at cerebral science fiction, it falls short of its ambitions through muddled themes and weak characters.

In the year 2089, scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) find a cave painting that points to an alien civilization. The Weyland corporation sends them to join an expedition to a far-off planteoid, led by the ice-cold Vickers (Charlize Theron) and accompanied by Lawrence of Arabia-obsessed android David (Michael Fassbender). On this planet they find signs of an advanced civilization: a race they dub the Engineers, who left traces of advanced civilizaton and may hold the key to human existence. However, they've also left a biological entity that threatens the crew's lives - and may have designs on Earth.

Prometheus is Scott's most ambitious film in awhile, creating another remarkable fantasy world. He crafts another remarkable planet scape, with its forebidding deserts, dripping caves and wind storms to rival Alien's gloomy universe. CGI's rarely been used to such strong effect, with or without 3D, especially the alien holograms and David's first visit to the Engineer control room. Only the creature designs are underwhelming - though if you want to see a big alien vagina go down on a hulking, bald white alien, you'll be satiated.

Scott and writers Joe Spaiths and Damon Lidelof populate the script with intriguing ideas. The Engineers prove to have created human life, but may have more sinister intentions. Shaw's meaning of life ponderings are pointedly rebuked by David, himself created by a "higher power": why must they have a reason? This establishes a pointed fact-vs.-faith dichotomy which provides an interesting thematic anchor. These are worthwhile themes, unoriginal but quite provocative. It's frustrating that the movie abandons them in favor of a third act splatter fest.

Possibly this is due to the script, but Scott's mainly to blame. My gripe with Ridley is that his movies rarely realize their full potential. A capable showman, he lacks the tools to make big ideas work. Alien is basically an extraterrestrial slasher, and Blade Runner proves hollow under the gee-whiz spectacle and florid dialogue. His epics Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven have flashes of greatness but fall back too readily on crowd-pleasing melodrama and violence. Even his best recent film, American Gangster, cribs too heavily from The French Connection to give Scott overmuch credit.

Prometheus continues this disappointing trend. The movie dilutes its drama through an oversized cast, forestalling most character development. The story takes some odd and unnecessary turns in later scenes: one twist involving a character thought dead seems especially superfluous. Like its predecessors, its intellectual pretensions are undermined by a finale which falls back on creepy  monster cliches. The inconsistency in how creature DNA reacts with humans irked me too. The final reels drag on forever, with little of import revealed beyond the possibility of sequels.

The cast disappoints. Noomi Rapace (the original Lisabeth Salander) is supremely bland, having motivation but no depth. For all the horrors she experiences, Shaw remains single-minded and one-dimensional. Worse still is Logan Marshall-Green, whose contributions are limited to significant glances and booze swilling. Idris Elba (Thor) is ill-used, and Rafe Spall (Anonymous) and Sean Harris are beyond annoying. The less said about Guy Pearce, the better.

There are two standouts. Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds) steals the show, mixing a conscious Peter O'Toole impression with shades of David Bowie, creating a character who's smart, efficient and likeable, but not quite human. Fassbender's a really hot property right now: here's hoping he gets to play Harry Flashman, as rumored. Charlize Theron does fine work with an underwritten character, allowing periodic warmth and vulnerability to shine through her icy exterior. Vickers' near-robotic coldness makes an interesting contrast with the almost-human David.

Prometheus is an enjoyable mixed bag. It's Ridley Scott's best film in awhile, and shows that, if he really puts his mind to it, he's still capable of competence.