ALIEN / PROMETHEUS / COVENANT / ROMULUS - SPOILERS INBOUND!!

[gaarg]

I loved it that in alien 1 you didn't get any additional info on aliens and stuff. I hate infos.

[GORDO]

Most people don't even remember the space jockey scene from alien.

[auxien]

None of those are plot holes.

 

The first two points are overshadowed by the fact that Kane gets attacked within a short while of them being there by an alien species.

 

Point 4 I can accept because they were relieved he was seemingly okay and up and about. So they went for a nice dinner because he was hungry.

Shit? Maybe, if you say so. But not a plot hole and nothing vague.

 

Even with point 5 I can accept the slightly silly factor of the Alien hanging out in the wall for a bit, if anything just out of tiredness or having a sleep. But not a plot hole, nor is it vague.

 

Point 3 there's no point responding to, but I'm going to anyway. Surely you realise that the whole interest in a bonus is the two main factors that drive those characters? It's character development. They're space truckers, more so than the rest of the cast, they want to collect their money and get home and have no interest in aliens. That's made pretty glaringly obvious.

 

I'm happy you really like Prometheus and want to defend it, that's great! But trying to find faults in an earlier movie does not absolve Prometheus of its shabby elements.

 

plot holes was incorrect wording because i narrowed my subject to just the first movie; that's my mistake. there are huge inconsistencies between the series of movies i would deem plot holes, and i originally considered bringing those up but realized it wasn't necessary when Scott's Alien is nearly as vague as Prometheus on its own.

 

we see little or no discussion about the implications of finding alien life. it's totally a non-issue. whereas in the real world, finding alien life would be the discovery of the century at the least....yet no one really cares or is interested in this? i get that the two maintenance guys are rather indifferent, they're just interested in cash money; i understand that about those characters and that is also a part of all the characters (save Ash) to some extent. but Dallas, Ripley, Kane? Ash even? they all seem like intelligent people (/android!) and yet none seem the least bit interested in the discovery of alien life. that's either bad writing, bad editing, or bad directing not catching the first two options. OR alien life is found all the time and that is left out of the information we receive as viewers. Kane getting a face hugger on him would of course direct their attention elsewhere...but there aren't subplots about the larger implications of alien contact discussed at all. it is simply left out, similar to much information in Prometheus everyone seems to be up in arms about.

 

the vagueness about the post-facehugger dinner comes in that there is no explanation given as to why Kane isn't quarantined. there's a big scene between Ripley and Dallas as they try to board the ship with a facehuggered Kane...then after the face hugger dies no one cares about this anymore? it's just left up to the viewer to assume the characters intentions over what should be at the least another point of contention.

 

the sleeping alien in the escape pod is indeed silly. if this was some intended aspect of the Xenomorph, after supposed safety and a 2 minute check of his surroundings, go into dormancy and wait until something more important than a human being a foot away happens, then i would perhaps let it go as a silly quirk of an alien creature. Scott/O'Bannon may have intended that for the Xenomorph, but that idea was not held up in any subsequent movies. i can at least let that slide for the reasons of the franchise being in the hands of different writers and directors at each step of the way (until now). the scene is bad writing disguised as....well, not even disguised. that's just bad writing.

 

i'm not defending Prometheus. i enjoyed it, but there are problems in it. EDIT: but there are also problems in Alien, that's what i'm trying to illustrate. if Alien came out in this day and age everyone would be picking it apart, if they cared about it at all....the fact that at this point in time it's a 'classic' clouds our judgments and skews how we interpret the film. END EDIT

 

the thing that i would love to hear explained is how "Where did the alien come from? Oh, just some goo in a cave." is any better than "where did these alien eggs come from? ooh just a cargo hold in the first-alien-life-ever's space ship." using the sequels to explain things doesn't count, because Scott has said he left those unanswered oddities in Alien to allow room to explore in sequels, he just didn't get to do them. he has stated in more words that he's doing the same here with Prometheus. leaving things shown unanswered and open for interpretation and exploration by being vague with their intent and purpose....this is what he's done with both movies. Lindelof (as much as i dislike some stuff he's done) was a perfect pairing for that kind of a story.

Edited June 18, 2012 by auxien

[Alcofribas]

Lindelof: you do realize i'm not really a writer...buuut we can just make a trite movie, use our huge budget on sets and fx, get some celebs up in this, sprinkle in deep questions like "where do we come from?" or maybe "who created our creator?" toss in at least one abortion scene and people will eat this shit up and we'll be rich as fuck?

 

Scott: BRILLIANT!

[auxien]

time heals all plot holes

 

exactly

[tec]

Yes this movie suffers from DL writing the script.

 

Trust me I was the biggest Lost fan in the universe, so badly was I hooked on it. If I remember correctly Season 3 was astonishing, then the whole thing started to slip, cracks started to show. Which I didn't realise at the time of course. Once I'd watched the final episode I'd realised I'd been taken the piss out of. I'd been mugged off almost.

 

So this twerp rises again and makes a hatchet job of what on paper should be mindblowing. But because this tool is writing the script it once again becomes a piss-take and a bit of a joke. DL is a goofball, circus act and a prize clown and he should fuck off over the horizon somewhere. Ideally with his pen and paper. Shoved up his ass.

 

Every word of this is spot on.

[kcinsu]

I saw this last night. I really enjoyed it. Yes, a lot of the criticisms in this thread are valid, but in the end I don't care. It looked fucking amazing. Had lots of interesting ideas. Kept my eyes wide open, and waiting to see were it all went.

[GORDO]

None of those are plot holes.

 

The first two points are overshadowed by the fact that Kane gets attacked within a short while of them being there by an alien species.

 

Point 4 I can accept because they were relieved he was seemingly okay and up and about. So they went for a nice dinner because he was hungry.

Shit? Maybe, if you say so. But not a plot hole and nothing vague.

 

Even with point 5 I can accept the slightly silly factor of the Alien hanging out in the wall for a bit, if anything just out of tiredness or having a sleep. But not a plot hole, nor is it vague.

 

Point 3 there's no point responding to, but I'm going to anyway. Surely you realise that the whole interest in a bonus is the two main factors that drive those characters? It's character development. They're space truckers, more so than the rest of the cast, they want to collect their money and get home and have no interest in aliens. That's made pretty glaringly obvious.

 

I'm happy you really like Prometheus and want to defend it, that's great! But trying to find faults in an earlier movie does not absolve Prometheus of its shabby elements.

 

plot holes was incorrect wording because i narrowed my subject to just the first movie; that's my mistake. there are huge inconsistencies between the series of movies i would deem plot holes, and i originally considered bringing those up but realized it wasn't necessary when Scott's Alien is nearly as vague as Prometheus on its own.

 

we see little or no discussion about the implications of finding alien life. it's totally a non-issue. whereas in the real world, finding alien life would be the discovery of the century at the least....yet no one really cares or is interested in this? i get that the two maintenance guys are rather indifferent, they're just interested in cash money; i understand that about those characters and that is also a part of all the characters (save Ash) to some extent. but Dallas, Ripley, Kane? Ash even? they all seem like intelligent people (/android!) and yet none seem the least bit interested in the discovery of alien life. that's either bad writing, bad editing, or bad directing not catching the first two options. OR alien life is found all the time and that is left out of the information we receive as viewers. Kane getting a face hugger on him would of course direct their attention elsewhere...but there aren't subplots about the larger implications of alien contact discussed at all. it is simply left out, similar to much information in Prometheus everyone seems to be up in arms about.

 

the vagueness about the post-facehugger dinner comes in that there is no explanation given as to why Kane isn't quarantined. there's a big scene between Ripley and Dallas as they try to board the ship with a facehuggered Kane...then after the face hugger dies no one cares about this anymore? it's just left up to the viewer to assume the characters intentions over what should be at the least another point of contention.

 

the sleeping alien in the escape pod is indeed silly. if this was some intended aspect of the Xenomorph, after supposed safety and a 2 minute check of his surroundings, go into dormancy and wait until something more important than a human being a foot away happens, then i would perhaps let it go as a silly quirk of an alien creature. Scott/O'Bannon may have intended that for the Xenomorph, but that idea was not held up in any subsequent movies. i can at least let that slide for the reasons of the franchise being in the hands of different writers and directors at each step of the way (until now). the scene is bad writing disguised as....well, not even disguised. that's just bad writing.

 

i'm not defending Prometheus. i enjoyed it, but there are problems in it. EDIT: but there are also problems in Alien, that's what i'm trying to illustrate. if Alien came out in this day and age everyone would be picking it apart, if they cared about it at all....the fact that at this point in time it's a 'classic' clouds our judgments and skews how we interpret the film. END EDIT

 

the thing that i would love to hear explained is how "Where did the alien come from? Oh, just some goo in a cave." is any better than "where did these alien eggs come from? ooh just a cargo hold in the first-alien-life-ever's space ship." using the sequels to explain things doesn't count, because Scott has said he left those unanswered oddities in Alien to allow room to explore in sequels, he just didn't get to do them. he has stated in more words that he's doing the same here with Prometheus. leaving things shown unanswered and open for interpretation and exploration by being vague with their intent and purpose....this is what he's done with both movies. Lindelof (as much as i dislike some stuff he's done) was a perfect pairing for that kind of a story.

 

nah. First, it's silly to hold up against the first film what the others did or didn't do. and all the stuff you mention is very minor.

 

It is implied early alien that humanity was already somewhat aware of other forms in life in the universe, when they talk about receiving a signal, one of the crew asks "human?" and someone replies "we don't know", if later films in the series forgot about this it's not to blame on the first one.

 

You see the jockey and you immediately know what is it: it's a dead alien, you see a bunch of eggs and you already know what they are: eggs. And then on retrospect you can fill in the details: the dead alien suffered the same fate that the nostromo crew was facing, and then the creatures laid eggs.

 

same with the sleeping alien, you see it and you immediately think "oh, he's like in hibernation or some shit", and then forget about it and continue experiencing the tense moment.

 

I'll grant you the point about the dinner bit, but to be honest the movie is constructed so that one does not even wonder about this, everyone's just happy that the guy seems fine now, also they're busy with repairing the ship and shit, oh and btw the one in charge of science stuff and quarantines and shit is the android, who we later find out is following secret orders, he is after all the one who opens the door for them, so even in this the movie is actually consistent.

 

So I guess it's relative, but that's part of what good writing is, making those (relative) flaws a non-issue, while Lindelof seems to think they should be the central one.

 

If i were to nitpick alien for something it would be for ripley going back for the cat, and the nostromo blowing up like 10 times.

Edited June 18, 2012 by GORDO

[syd syside]

Alien isn't even that scary nowadays. And David is a more interesting character than anyone in Alien. I mean Ripley risks everything to save a cat... can anyone explain why you would risk being killed by a more intelligent/advanced penis face eating alien to save a cat? Auxien you make some valid points and unfortunately they will just be brushed aside as minor, while the same kind of criticisms will be exaggerated against Prometheus because very few people here want to engage in a deeper conversation about it. Yet they continue to repeat the same things over and over about why the film was bad. As if anyone even cares. And that is why this film trolled some of you in my opinion. You approach the film like the humans approach the Engineers. Wanting answers neatly wrapped in a box.... or something like Alien that isn't even about the same thing. Scott dangles the possibility of finding out the reason and origins of human life right in front of your eyes for the whole film... and then as a motif towards death he shows you how meaningless it all was and how a human is just another animal or alien when put up against a corner. The humans in Prometheus shift from seeing the Engineers as our Gods to our Enemies once we understand their plan. If we go back to the first Alien, the Alien isn't evil. He is trying to survive after awaking on a foreign craft with people screaming and then searching around trying to kill it. Its the exact same sequence and relationship the Engineers have with us. But because this film doesnt wrap everything up in a nice bow for our consumption or doesn't play it safer and attempt to replicate the first Alien, we don't like it. Why? Because we can't put our finger on it! We can't touch it... its foreign and alien to our cultural needs.

Edited June 19, 2012 by compson

[kcinsu]

I do have to say though, the flute bugged me.

[auxien]

None of those are plot holes.

 

The first two points are overshadowed by the fact that Kane gets attacked within a short while of them being there by an alien species.

 

Point 4 I can accept because they were relieved he was seemingly okay and up and about. So they went for a nice dinner because he was hungry.

Shit? Maybe, if you say so. But not a plot hole and nothing vague.

 

Even with point 5 I can accept the slightly silly factor of the Alien hanging out in the wall for a bit, if anything just out of tiredness or having a sleep. But not a plot hole, nor is it vague.

 

Point 3 there's no point responding to, but I'm going to anyway. Surely you realise that the whole interest in a bonus is the two main factors that drive those characters? It's character development. They're space truckers, more so than the rest of the cast, they want to collect their money and get home and have no interest in aliens. That's made pretty glaringly obvious.

 

I'm happy you really like Prometheus and want to defend it, that's great! But trying to find faults in an earlier movie does not absolve Prometheus of its shabby elements.

 

plot holes was incorrect wording because i narrowed my subject to just the first movie; that's my mistake. there are huge inconsistencies between the series of movies i would deem plot holes, and i originally considered bringing those up but realized it wasn't necessary when Scott's Alien is nearly as vague as Prometheus on its own.

 

we see little or no discussion about the implications of finding alien life. it's totally a non-issue. whereas in the real world, finding alien life would be the discovery of the century at the least....yet no one really cares or is interested in this? i get that the two maintenance guys are rather indifferent, they're just interested in cash money; i understand that about those characters and that is also a part of all the characters (save Ash) to some extent. but Dallas, Ripley, Kane? Ash even? they all seem like intelligent people (/android!) and yet none seem the least bit interested in the discovery of alien life. that's either bad writing, bad editing, or bad directing not catching the first two options. OR alien life is found all the time and that is left out of the information we receive as viewers. Kane getting a face hugger on him would of course direct their attention elsewhere...but there aren't subplots about the larger implications of alien contact discussed at all. it is simply left out, similar to much information in Prometheus everyone seems to be up in arms about.

 

the vagueness about the post-facehugger dinner comes in that there is no explanation given as to why Kane isn't quarantined. there's a big scene between Ripley and Dallas as they try to board the ship with a facehuggered Kane...then after the face hugger dies no one cares about this anymore? it's just left up to the viewer to assume the characters intentions over what should be at the least another point of contention.

 

the sleeping alien in the escape pod is indeed silly. if this was some intended aspect of the Xenomorph, after supposed safety and a 2 minute check of his surroundings, go into dormancy and wait until something more important than a human being a foot away happens, then i would perhaps let it go as a silly quirk of an alien creature. Scott/O'Bannon may have intended that for the Xenomorph, but that idea was not held up in any subsequent movies. i can at least let that slide for the reasons of the franchise being in the hands of different writers and directors at each step of the way (until now). the scene is bad writing disguised as....well, not even disguised. that's just bad writing.

 

i'm not defending Prometheus. i enjoyed it, but there are problems in it. EDIT: but there are also problems in Alien, that's what i'm trying to illustrate. if Alien came out in this day and age everyone would be picking it apart, if they cared about it at all....the fact that at this point in time it's a 'classic' clouds our judgments and skews how we interpret the film. END EDIT

 

the thing that i would love to hear explained is how "Where did the alien come from? Oh, just some goo in a cave." is any better than "where did these alien eggs come from? ooh just a cargo hold in the first-alien-life-ever's space ship." using the sequels to explain things doesn't count, because Scott has said he left those unanswered oddities in Alien to allow room to explore in sequels, he just didn't get to do them. he has stated in more words that he's doing the same here with Prometheus. leaving things shown unanswered and open for interpretation and exploration by being vague with their intent and purpose....this is what he's done with both movies. Lindelof (as much as i dislike some stuff he's done) was a perfect pairing for that kind of a story.

 

nah. First, it's silly to hold up against the first film what the others did or didn't do. and all the stuff you mention is very minor.

 

It is implied early alien that humanity was already somewhat aware of other forms in life in the universe, when they talk about receiving a signal, one of the crew asks "human?" and someone replies "we don't know", if later films in the series forgot about this it's not to blame on the first one.

 

You see the jockey and you immediately know what is it: it's a dead alien, you see a bunch of eggs and you already know what they are: eggs. And then on retrospect you can fill in the details: the dead alien suffered the same fate that the nostromo crew was facing, and then the creatures laid eggs.

 

same with the sleeping alien, you see it and you immediately think "oh, he's like in hibernation or some shit", and then forget about it and continue experiencing the tense moment.

 

I'll grant you the point about the dinner bit, but to be honest the movie is constructed so that one does not even wonder about this, everyone's just happy that the guy seems fine now, also they're busy with repairing the ship and shit, oh and btw the one in charge of science stuff and quarantines and shit is the android, who we later find out is following secret orders, he is after all the one who opens the door for them, so even in this the movie is actually consistent.

 

So I guess it's relative, but that's part of what good writing is, making those (relative) flaws a non-issue, while Lindelof seems to think they should be the central one.

 

If i were to nitpick alien for something it would be for ripley going back for the cat, and the nostromo blowing up like 10 times.

 

well the thing is to me that stuff isn't minor. i grew up in love with the Alien movies, and even at 9 years old i would make up stories/comics with a friend about the space jockey and where the ship came from and stuff...a lot of those inconsistencies and unanswered questions between the first two films were a big deal to me when i was young. i've forgotten that 'human?' remark in relation to the signal...i've been putting off rewatching Alien since i saw Prometheus, i need to do so. and the other moments you mention just don't play that way in my mind. maybe to you (and maybe to others, it seems), those things are minor or are handled in ways that don't pique your curiosity and interest. obviously not the case for me....or me when i was 9 years old. i guess everyone has different perspectives, but a set piece like the space jockey in the original Alien is ANYthing but minor in my opinion, and i'd find it hard to listen to an argument otherwise.

 

lol, the Nostromo blowing up again and again is pretty ridiculous.

 

yeah, i agree that Lindelof seems to push those minor things towards the forefront; in the hands of a different writer we would've had a different movie....but that's obvious.

 

just remember, Scott has said that he had plans to explore the space jockey story if he did the sequel to Alien (studio signed Cameron on to write and direct the second one without nary a word to Scott). i mention it again because Scott is the one who wanted to explore that territory originally. that was his major intent for including the space jockey set piece (it was hella expensive, studio tried to cut it), he was setting up details in this fictional world to later allow expansion and such. he hired Lindelof, and Lindelof has been adamant that the story ideas were mainly Scott's. i have a feeling that may be where a lot of flaws arose unchecked....Scott dictating the path to include the things he wanted to go not only with the story and characters but with the visual aspects in mind, and Lindelof trying to work a partially scrapped first draft of a bug hunt by Spaights into Scott's vision and still incorporating his own ideas...you can see how it could easily turn into clusterfuck. i'm just glad the movie came out good. really wish the flaws had been fixed though.

[Hoodie]

Alien isn't even that scary nowadays. And David is a more interesting character than anyone in Alien. I mean Ripley risks everything to save a cat... can anyone explain why you would risk being killed by a more intelligent/advanced penis face eating alien to save a cat? Auxien you make some valid points and unfortunately they will just be brushed aside as minor, while the same kind of criticisms will be exaggerated against Prometheus because very few people here want to engage in a deeper conversation about it. Yet they continue to repeat the same things over and over about why the film was bad. As if anyone even cares. And that is why this film trolled some of you in my opinion. You approach the film like the humans approach the Engineers. Wanting answers neatly wrapped in a box.... or something like Alien that isn't even about the same thing. Scott dangles the possibility of finding out the reason and origins of human life right in front of your eyes for the whole film... and then as a motif towards death he shows you how meaningless it all was and how a human is just another animal or alien when put up against a corner. The humans in Prometheus shift from seeing the Engineers as our Gods to our Enemies once we understand their plan. If we go back to the first Alien, the Alien isn't evil. He is trying to survive after awaking on a foreign craft with people screaming and then searching around trying to kill it. Its the exact same sequence and relationship the Engineers have with us. But because this film doesnt wrap everything up in a nice bow for our consumption or doesn't play it safer and attempt to replicate the first Alien, we don't like it. Why? Because we can't put our finger on it! We can't touch it... its foreign and alien to our cultural needs.

 

i don't want answers neatly wrapped in a box. i just want supposedly human characters to act like real humans would in a similar situation.

 

but wait! maybe that's actually a CLUE to the real meaning of the film! maybe the "humans" are all androids and that's why they're gloriously retarded. maybe the entire setting of the movie is a lie crafted by david. maybe everything in the film takes place in a computer projection run by david as they're traveling to the planet, but he didn't have enough processing power to make AI that could pass for human (it was a trade-off for the pretty graphics), so all the "characters" are one-dimensional twats. david is the hero of the story (naturally). even dream-weyland says david is like a son to him. maybe it's an allegory for pinocchio.

 

 

or maybe the movie was a combined failure of writers, directors and actors. idk, i think the computer simulation theory is the most plausible imo.

[auxien]

Alien isn't even that scary nowadays. And David is a more interesting character than anyone in Alien. I mean Ripley risks everything to save a cat... can anyone explain why you would risk being killed by a more intelligent/advanced penis face eating alien to save a cat? Auxien you make some valid points and unfortunately they will just be brushed aside as minor, while the same kind of criticisms will be exaggerated against Prometheus because very few people here want to engage in a deeper conversation about it. Yet they continue to repeat the same things over and over about why the film was bad. As if anyone even cares. And that is why this film trolled some of you in my opinion. You approach the film like the humans approach the Engineers. Wanting answers neatly wrapped in a box.... or something like Alien that isn't even about the same thing. Scott dangles the possibility of finding out the reason and origins of human life right in front of your eyes for the whole film... and then as a motif towards death he shows you how meaningless it all was and how a human is just another animal or alien when put up against a corner. The humans in Prometheus shift from seeing the Engineers as our Gods to our Enemies once we understand their plan. If we go back to the first Alien, the Alien isn't evil. He is trying to survive after awaking on a foreign craft with people screaming and then searching around trying to kill it. Its the exact same sequence and relationship the Engineers have with us. But because this film doesnt wrap everything up in a nice bow for our consumption or doesn't play it safer and attempt to replicate the first Alien, we don't like it. Why? Because we can't put our finger on it! We can't touch it... its foreign and alien to our cultural needs.

 

i think the cast overall worked better, and worked better with each other, in Alien. the good characters in Prometheus are very well done though, and well acted. too few 'good' ones, unfortunately.

 

well there's plenty of room for discussion, debate, dissection, criticism, etc. and i understand this is WATMM and not the place for serious discussion (i've been reading elsewhere for that)...jokes and some bashing is all a part of it, no big deal. just the same few people bitching and whining over the past almost 70 pages (i've been reading this thread since it began rather consistently)? that's just ridiculous.

 

i agree in that i really think a fair amount of the unhappiness with the movie was influenced heavily by people's preconceptions. their loss though, we all do dumb shit sometimes.

[Atop]

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.showsandarticles.blogspot.com/2012/06/prometheus-warning-labels.html

[syd syside]

Alien isn't even that scary nowadays. And David is a more interesting character than anyone in Alien. I mean Ripley risks everything to save a cat... can anyone explain why you would risk being killed by a more intelligent/advanced penis face eating alien to save a cat? Auxien you make some valid points and unfortunately they will just be brushed aside as minor, while the same kind of criticisms will be exaggerated against Prometheus because very few people here want to engage in a deeper conversation about it. Yet they continue to repeat the same things over and over about why the film was bad. As if anyone even cares. And that is why this film trolled some of you in my opinion. You approach the film like the humans approach the Engineers. Wanting answers neatly wrapped in a box.... or something like Alien that isn't even about the same thing. Scott dangles the possibility of finding out the reason and origins of human life right in front of your eyes for the whole film... and then as a motif towards death he shows you how meaningless it all was and how a human is just another animal or alien when put up against a corner. The humans in Prometheus shift from seeing the Engineers as our Gods to our Enemies once we understand their plan. If we go back to the first Alien, the Alien isn't evil. He is trying to survive after awaking on a foreign craft with people screaming and then searching around trying to kill it. Its the exact same sequence and relationship the Engineers have with us. But because this film doesnt wrap everything up in a nice bow for our consumption or doesn't play it safer and attempt to replicate the first Alien, we don't like it. Why? Because we can't put our finger on it! We can't touch it... its foreign and alien to our cultural needs.

 

i don't want answers neatly wrapped in a box. i just want supposedly human characters to act like real humans would in a similar situation.

 

but wait! maybe that's actually a CLUE to the real meaning of the film! maybe the "humans" are all androids and that's why they're gloriously retarded. maybe the entire setting of the movie is a lie crafted by david. maybe everything in the film takes place in a computer projection run by david as they're traveling to the planet, but he didn't have enough processing power to make AI that could pass for human (it was a trade-off for the pretty graphics), so all the "characters" are one-dimensional twats. david is the hero of the story (naturally). even dream-weyland says david is like a son to him. maybe it's an allegory for pinocchio.

 

 

or maybe the movie was a combined failure of writers, directors and actors. idk, i think the computer simulation theory is the most plausible imo.

 

In regards to the humans not acting like humans and auxien point about the Alien crew being more relatable or good... I don't think the crew for Prometheus and Alien are comparable. Alien deals with a crew that could be considered lower class, blue collar... while Prometheus is hired by a trillion dollar CEO, who wants to put on a show for Shaw so that she can have her rightful attempt at meeting the Engineers. So I understand the impression that many on the crew were a bit soulless, I'm not sure thats a writing flaw. We are supposed to feel empathy towards the Alien crew because its meant to be scary and what happens to them is forced onto them. The Prometheus crew goes on the mission because they want $$$ aside from Shaw and David. Everyone else is in it for fame and money. This continues to tie well into the motif of our culture currently and how wealth doesn't give you any kind of profound end.

Edited June 19, 2012 by compson

[Atop]

Weyland didn't give any shits if the crew lived or died. He had David to help him. David was the only character he cared about. The other characters were all extras, red shirts. Get over yourselves and enjoy FUCKING SQUID MONSTERS! One of the best creatures I have ever seen on film. Are we on page 70 yet?

[syd syside]

[auxien]

Alien isn't even that scary nowadays. And David is a more interesting character than anyone in Alien. I mean Ripley risks everything to save a cat... can anyone explain why you would risk being killed by a more intelligent/advanced penis face eating alien to save a cat? Auxien you make some valid points and unfortunately they will just be brushed aside as minor, while the same kind of criticisms will be exaggerated against Prometheus because very few people here want to engage in a deeper conversation about it. Yet they continue to repeat the same things over and over about why the film was bad. As if anyone even cares. And that is why this film trolled some of you in my opinion. You approach the film like the humans approach the Engineers. Wanting answers neatly wrapped in a box.... or something like Alien that isn't even about the same thing. Scott dangles the possibility of finding out the reason and origins of human life right in front of your eyes for the whole film... and then as a motif towards death he shows you how meaningless it all was and how a human is just another animal or alien when put up against a corner. The humans in Prometheus shift from seeing the Engineers as our Gods to our Enemies once we understand their plan. If we go back to the first Alien, the Alien isn't evil. He is trying to survive after awaking on a foreign craft with people screaming and then searching around trying to kill it. Its the exact same sequence and relationship the Engineers have with us. But because this film doesnt wrap everything up in a nice bow for our consumption or doesn't play it safer and attempt to replicate the first Alien, we don't like it. Why? Because we can't put our finger on it! We can't touch it... its foreign and alien to our cultural needs.

 

i don't want answers neatly wrapped in a box. i just want supposedly human characters to act like real humans would in a similar situation.

 

but wait! maybe that's actually a CLUE to the real meaning of the film! maybe the "humans" are all androids and that's why they're gloriously retarded. maybe the entire setting of the movie is a lie crafted by david. maybe everything in the film takes place in a computer projection run by david as they're traveling to the planet, but he didn't have enough processing power to make AI that could pass for human (it was a trade-off for the pretty graphics), so all the "characters" are one-dimensional twats. david is the hero of the story (naturally). even dream-weyland says david is like a son to him. maybe it's an allegory for pinocchio.

 

 

or maybe the movie was a combined failure of writers, directors and actors. idk, i think the computer simulation theory is the most plausible imo.

 

In regards to the humans not acting like humans and auxien point about the Alien crew being more relatable or good... I don't think the crew for Prometheus and Alien are comparable. Alien deals with a crew that could be considered lower class, blue collar... while Prometheus is hired by a trillion dollar CEO, who wants to put on a show for Shaw so that she can have her rightful attempt at meeting the Engineers. So I understand the impression that many on the crew were a bit soulless, I'm not sure thats a writing flaw. We are supposed to feel empathy towards the Alien crew because its meant to be scary and what happens to them is forced onto them. The Prometheus crew goes on the mission because they want $$$ aside from Shaw and David. Everyone else is in it for fame and money. This continues to tie well into the motif of our culture currently and how wealth doesn't give you any kind of profound end.

 

lol. dude, she was being a smart-ass.

 

Weyland didn't give any shits if the crew lived or died. He had David to help him. David was the only character he cared about. The other characters were all extras, red shirts. Get over yourselves and enjoy FUCKING SQUID MONSTERS! One of the best creatures I have ever seen on film. Are we on page 70 yet?

 

CUDDLES THE SQUID i want a plushie of that fucker so bad. full size, of course.

[syd syside]

Well I knew that her bit about it being in a computer is bullshit, she has consistently critiqued the crew throughout the thread.

[beerwolf]

Get over yourselves and enjoy FUCKING SQUID MONSTERS!

 

Amen brother lol. I'll drink to that.

[Guest Blanket Fort Collapse]

You kids sure like to talk

[t yst r]

If i were to nitpick alien for something it would be for ripley going back for the cat, and the nostromo blowing up like 10 times.

 

About the cat; Not saying it's the smartest thing to do, but people sometimes just do that...

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/index.ssf/2012/02/whitehall_township_dies_after.html

http://www.winknews.com/Local-Florida/2012-03-08/Woman-injured-trying-to-save-cat-from-burning-home

 

As for the three explosions (not 10); those come from the three fusion reactors onboard the refinery. I believe it was mentioned in the audio commentary.

[tec]

Is there anyone here that watched all of Lost and enjoyed this too? If any other writer was attached I'd happily try to piece the various puzzles of this film together but because it's Damon Lindelof I've learnt that it is an utter waste of time. I wonder if a film with a story like this would have even been as huge pre-internet, it seems to have intentional plot holes solely to cater for endless internet fanboy discussions.

[azatoth]

The most typical Lindelof trope found in Lost is also found in Prometheus, namely the characters not talking to each other or showing any sort of reaction to the amazing, weird or horrific thing that just happened to them. They are not acting like rational human beings, they are just vehicles to move the plot forward.

[lumpenprol]

Although, just to play devil's advocate (and having not even seen the film!), given that people have now seen everything possible in films, games, and on the internet, would we still react the same as people in the 70s? It's sort of funny how mentally well-prepared we are for aliens now, I think. We'd just be all "goatse xenomorph at 11 o' clock, pffft what an unoriginal design, someone get the flamethrower"