Give Me Prometheus

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In 1979, we learned that in space no one can hear you scream; but in 2012, you could probably hear me squeal like Ned Beatty in Deliverance (actually, he grunted in a really uncomfortable and distressing way), when I first saw Jim post the teaser for the upcoming film Prometheus. Ridley Scott saves sci-fi indeed. This is the genius behind not only 1982’s Blade Runner, but 2000’s Best Picture Gladiator, and the 2001’s eternal shooter favorite Black Hawk Down.

This close cousin to the famed Aliens series is set in 2085, 37 years before the events in Alien. The plot will follow the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they search for the origins of mankind on the planet LV-426. Yes, that LV-426, the same inhospitable ball of rock in space on which the ill-fated crew of the USCSS Nostromo would discover ‘The Derelict’ spaceship, the mysterious ‘Space jockey,’ and the Xenomorph eggs. The same planet that Corporal Hicks famously wanted to nuke from orbit because “It’s the only way to be sure”, in 1986’s Aliens.

Though not a direct prequel to the 1979 science fiction horror film, Prometheus does take place in the same universe as ‘Alien.’ Scott says that the movie will share “strands of Alien’s DNA,” so to speak, “but Prometheus will explore its own themes.”

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The film stars Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as archaeologist and scientist, Elizabeth Shaw. Michael Fassbender(Inglourius Basterds) plays David the synthetic, ah-sorry- I mean, ‘artificial human’ in this outing. The role of company stooge is filled by Charlize Theron (lots of movies and always smokin' hot...well, except for when she was a sociopathic serial killer). She plays Meredith Vickers, a representative of Sir Peter Weyland, founder and head of the Weyland Corp, portrayed by Guy Pearce (Lockout, Memento, LA Confidential).

Yeah, Weyland Corp. They have their own website.

Speaking as a fan of the Alien universe, Ridley Scott, and science fiction in general I know I want to see this movie. Badly. As in pants wetting badly. Are we finally going to learn where the Xenomorphs come from? Are they a naturally occurring creature, the product of some planet’s hellish evolutionary system or a biologically engineered entity? And if so, engineered by whom to be used against whom, or what? Why were they aboard The Derelict? How did the eggs get there? Were they cargo or did a Queen lay them, and if so, where was she when Dallas, Kane, and Lambert explored the ship? Who, or what, is the Space Jockey?

It’s going to be interesting to see where Ridley Scott takes the Alien universe after leaving it in the hands of other directors for 33 years. The studio is keeping much of the details under wraps, which is fine with me. I’m tired of watching a trailer and seeing – in essence – the entire movie in one minute and thirty seconds. Besides some stunning visuals and goose bump-inducing music, the trailer doesn’t leave you a lot to work with. But it sure as hell makes me want to see this in the theater. I believe the feeling is best summed up by YouTube commenter Jourmand1r who elegantly states, “GIVE ME THIS FUCKING MOVIE.’ Well said, sir, well said, indeed.

Prometheus is scheduled for release on June 8th.