Tomatometer Watch: Prometheus

One too many posts, Philistine!

Jun 6 - 06:59 PM

I'm getting worried about this one. The second I saw the Coors Lite/Prometheus commercial I started to wonder if this flick will live up to its hype. I know product placement and endorsements are in so many movies these days but if Fassbender or Elba crack open a Coors and comment on its cool, rocky mountain flavor I'm walking out of the theater....

May 30 - 01:12 PM

Where was that TV commercial???? I would have loved to see and laugh at that one... Laughing right now just envisioning it.... Walking into the theater, credits roll, Logan Marshall-Green comes running up a hillside chasing down Noomi Rapace with a beer in his left hand.... But before he can say, "what did you find?" his beer belly glistens in the sun and he cracks that cold cool refreshing coors light..... (give me a break?!?!)

May 30 - 01:25 PM

It was on during the basketball game last night. I'm not mad about it but it just seemed like such a weird mash up of genres; Dark, brooding sci-fi movie mixed into a beer commercial for the swill they call Coors Lite. I guess I understand why the studio would want some help selling the film and covering some production costs but talk about sell out. Ripley would not be pleased.

May 30 - 01:37 PM

I wonder if she would strap a flame-thrower to a machine gun/grenade launcher and head over to the coors offices and give them some what-for....

May 30 - 01:40 PM

Sean Pak

Hey, you're being too harsh. Sales for flamethrowers went way up after Aliens, and yes its placement in that film was blatant, but it was still an awesome movie. Cameron went on to stretch the boundaries of taste when he very obviously advertised a jet and a horse in True Lies, but I was still fine with it.

May 30 - 02:10 PM

I still want that harrier - I will trade my car for one of those ANY DAY OF THE WEEK (as long as the gas is free)

May 30 - 02:27 PM

You would just have to say, "Sorry! Sorry!", when you crash into everything. In an Austrian accent of course.

May 30 - 08:46 PM

Gordon Terry

Coors light, Basketball, and "intelligent science-fiction" don't mix anyway. Anyone who sits around in front of a television watching a ball go back and forth for two hours CANNOT appreciate "intelligent science-fiction," anyway. "Intelligent Science Fiction" would CONVICT the basketball viewer, making him realize that basketball is a low form of entertainment./// COORS BEER IS POISON, ANYWAY!!!! (beer makes you fat and puts spots on your liver)

May 30 - 08:08 PM

Yet another installment of Gordon's grand overgeneralizations.

May 30 - 08:43 PM

Mister Vile

Anyone who likes basketball can't like intelligent Sci-Fi? LOL!

May 31 - 05:01 AM

I guess I should feel bad for rooting for the Heat, then...

But I do agree about the rocky mountain bearpiss. I'm an ale man myself.

May 31 - 06:32 AM

Cary Whitt

Rooting for the Heat is like rooting for David Beckham to get laid

Jun 2 - 09:05 PM

Spoken like a bitter, true redneck (or worse), who didn't have the athletic ability to play the game. NASCAR fan, perhaps? Go Spurs...

Jun 1 - 08:39 AM

Popovich is obviously the better coach, but I'm betting on that James-Wade hunger.

Jun 1 - 10:01 AM

I'm betting on San Antonio being the better, deeper team, although Miami has the best two players... oh, and I'm betting on James' uber-narcissism ultimately producing another choke, too. I do think that Spoelstra is an underrated coach.

Jun 1 - 07:53 PM

John Noto

Prometheus could be underwhelming and I'd still see it multiple times if only to promote big budget R-rated flicks. Screw Terminator: Salvation and Transformers, give me T2 and Aliens. If only ethical standards allowed us to clone James Cameron so he could direct every movie.

May 30 - 01:26 PM

My only issue with that is that if we let James direct everything - it would take the movies that he did 10 years to come out. Not to mention that his direction in sci-fi has gone south of the border since T-2...... (sorry to say)

May 30 - 01:28 PM

Sean Pak

You mean all one science fiction film he's made since T-2? I'll give him a single disappointment. If the Avatar sequels are awesome I'll forgive him for the first one. True Lies was great, and Titanic did its job perfectly, so we can't say if he's gone south.

May 30 - 02:16 PM

Well, his sci-fi did. And that is my opinion. But truth be told, I dont think hardly any sci-fi movies coming out anytime soon will ever do better than Cameron's original Terminator. That and Aliens and Terminator 2 set standards for him and for sci-fi... And Titanic was really good - this is why I was so excited when Avatar came out - I thought a movie in the sci-fi genre might finally win best picture (I have doubts that this will ever happen since District 9 did not win it, add to that list Star Wars, 2001 A Space Odyssey and E.T. - the Academy seems to downright hate sci-fi movies)

May 30 - 02:23 PM

Well, except for a film coming soon called "Elysium" .... I have very very high hopes for that. Blomkamp is basically sci-fi badass of the jungle right now. So is Ridley if this is as good as I think it will be.

May 30 - 02:28 PM

(I was referring to the TV series and other whatnot that JC was involved in Post T-2, not just Avatar...)

May 30 - 02:54 PM

Bradly Martin

Didn't he direct Relic? Though that was more of a creature feature than a SCI FI. The mystery behind the beast was very SCI FI though much like Rise of the Apes was Sci Fi. How come nobody liked Relic...

May 30 - 06:32 PM

The Relic? The one in the museum with Tom Sizemore? I liked it. Good monster movie.

May 31 - 01:48 AM

I do recall seeing the relic, and what I do remember is that it was a bit violent AND the reason for the existence of the monster in the movie was laughable at best according to most critics.... I think that movie fell more into the horror category.

May 31 - 06:32 AM

James Cameron did not direct that movie...
(The Relic)

May 31 - 06:33 AM

"Relic" was directed by Peter Hyams. I'm not sure if "Cloud Atlas" will be sci/fi or not but it has Oscar potential.

May 31 - 06:41 AM

Meh... I'm not big on Cameron, although I've enjoyed some of his movies ('Aliens', most notably). His films are structured well, but the characters are frequently a bit one-dimensional to suit me--especially the 'bad guys'. It's like he has Snydley Whiplash in mind when creating/directing every villain, lol. There is rarely any subtlety with any of his films... but he's a master of the generic blockbuster, that's for sure. And I can't speak for 'Relic' the movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

Jun 1 - 09:00 AM

Lenny Monroe

I would also like to add that I think what we all are forgetting is that when Ridley Scott's Alien and Blade Runner both were initially released, they were met with mixed reviews from both critics and audiences. It wasn't until years later that both films went down as being 2 of the greatest and most memorable Sci-Fi films of all time. Who's to say Prometheus will be any different if the Final Tomatometer is below 60%? One thing that has been already proven more than once is that Scott's Sci-Fi films aren't really loved from the gate. It takes years for them to actually start leaving a legacy behind them. That's my wishful thinking for Prometheus anyway.

Jun 1 - 07:59 AM

BLaCKWoLF .

I have such high expectations for this film. I love the franchise so dearly and the marketing campaign has left me in a very eager state of anticipation.

Ever since the French screening, it seems as if the film could be quite polarizing. Some love it. Others were disappointed and confused by it.

Very hard to know what the overall picture will look like.

May 30 - 01:40 PM

I never bank on the confused.

May 31 - 06:41 AM

Akash Kumar

it'll probably get over an 80 :)

May 30 - 02:07 PM

Mark Marquis

When Hollywood Reporter and Variety have opposing views on a film, it usually means the movie will get a somewhat mixed response from critics, which is ok. What I am more concerned with is the Pre-Phantom Menace-like anticipation for this movie from certain segments of fandom. It can't possibly live up to the hype. I simply want a visceral, smart sci-fi movie in glorious IMAX 3D. If there is an alien or two all the better.

May 30 - 02:59 PM

Julian Nunez

Seriously can't wait for this. Here in the US it opens next week, and all the early buzz on twitter was positive, and it looks like the critics are enjoying it as well. Hope it delivers.

May 30 - 03:50 PM

I'm really looking foward to seeing 'Prometheus', can't wait until June 8th. I think these early reviews will closely reflect the overall reviews of this film, i see it finishing somehere in the 80%-90% range on RT when all the reviews are in.

May 30 - 03:51 PM

At the very least "Prometheus" looks like a good film and possibly a great film. Obviously we'll all find out starting next week.

May 30 - 03:58 PM

Kathryne Cui

It's highly unlikely, but if Prometheus ends up rotten, I might cry.

May 30 - 04:50 PM

I don't know about that buddy, 'Prometheus' is currenty at 89% on RT, up from 82% last night, so we'll see.

May 31 - 02:03 PM

Oh, i misread you're quote, sorry about that, my bad. But i don't think you have to worry about this film dropping to rotten status, no way 'Prometheus' even drops down near that level in my opinion.

May 31 - 02:07 PM

Howard Mason

Finally, after years of floundering between great and mediocre films Ridley Scott is finally seems to be continuously going towards finally being able to gain back his Blade Runner and Alien stride. I mean, this, then The Counselor, and then a Blade Runner sequel!

May 30 - 05:13 PM

Serge Pahaut

Lot of vintage visual from 50'q sci-fi.

Therefore in good position to open a new series.

More ideas than in Kingdom of heaven & Gladiator.

Ein Geschlecht, das mir gleich sey,
Zu leiden, zu weinen,
Zu genie�?en und zu freuen sich,
Und dein nicht zu achten,
Wie ich!

May 30 - 06:53 PM

Thumper Delano

I knew Prometheus would never lived up to the original Score of ALIEN from 1979...And its funny because today we are so fixated on special effects, technology bound productions and back in the day it relied on none of that. It makes you think......Or maybe not think because technology is thinking for you. Please pass your brains to left you don't need them anymore.

May 30 - 08:35 PM

No CGI can replace the intensity of Tom Skerritt roaming the tunnels of the Nostromo looking for the Alien. A crappy Commodore screen with a bleeping sound still beats most FX today.

May 31 - 01:43 AM

You seem to be under the impression that "Alien" was something less than a FX technical achievement when it was released in 1979. Considering the unprecedented Geiger set designs and creature effects to the much imitated use of strobe and smoke effects (and the lasers borrowed from The Who!). Of course it matters to have a great and novel story filled with interesting characters. Odd choice of THIS film to pine about brainless entertainment this summer.

May 31 - 06:50 AM

Arend Anton

I think that the difference is how the effects were used then versus now. "Alien" is a very quiet movie, and that's what makes it so frightening. The effects are subtler than what I've seen from "Prometheus." Back in that time, guys like Ridley Scott and George Lucas were pushing the boundaries of what could be done with practical effects. The concern in this modern era of film is that anything can be done digitally, which can overwhelm and distract.

I'm still excited for Prometheus, but a bit wary of all the CGI.

May 31 - 03:00 PM

Exactly!... some of the coolest effects in 'Alien' were improvised very simply. One example is the embryonic movements of the alien inside the egg (just before bursting out and attaching to John Hurt's face)... Ridley Scott created these movements with his rubber gloved hands, lol. Alien was great partly because Ridley Scott understood the whole 'sometimes less is more' thing. I'm not sure that he understands it as well with 'Prometheus', but I still plan on watching it.

Jun 1 - 09:26 AM

I just think it's strange that there wasn't a 'less is more' debate on "The Avengers" anticipation page, but sure, let's have at it. Application is always the key to effects, and how it's applied will always be more important than the technology itself.

Jun 1 - 10:05 AM

Because The Avengers gave us characters and a plot that mattered. So when the CGI action started, I had something invested in it. I would still say that Alien was more intense than the Avengers.

Jun 2 - 08:29 PM

Lenny Monroe

Prometheus is my most anticipated film of the summer, even over The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. I really need some good thought-provoking Sci-Fi nd coming from Ridley Scott again sure doesn't hurt at all. I say it ends up with a 72%

May 30 - 08:45 PM

I don't know bro, i think 'Prometheus' will end up higher than 72% on RT, eventhough that's pretty damn good. You gotta have some faith my man, remember when you thought 'Avengers' would fall in the 80's on RT, i told you don't worry, it won't. We'll see soon enough though.

May 31 - 02:11 PM

Bahram Gueranfar

The first teaser promised greatness.
I was filled with hope and excitement.
Saw it last night.
"I was wrong, so wrong!"
So much potential that did not go far enough.
Was it the script? A producer "self aborting" the story line on the editing table trying to make it more accessible to the masses? or is it simply the inevitable end of a reign?

May 31 - 12:39 AM

Justin Belage

People should stop expecting to watch Alien for the first time when watching Prometheus. Times have changed, we have seen a lot of sci-fi movies and we won't be surprised. I didn't like the fact the Lindelof was on it because Lost, despite being one of my all-time favorites series, had that big and endless mysteries addition without the certainty of no further explanation.

Prometheus is a new franchise itself and Scott is already working on its sequel. What amazes me is how many film critics seem disappointed that this movie has a story behind the plot actually, unlike Alien. They are deceived that it ain't a simple special effects amount of nothing with thrill and fear. And most of them are basically saying that they wanted the movie to be more Alien and less Prometheus, which is really disturbing coming from a critic. It makes you wonder who has the credentials to be considered an expert and who doesn't.

Personally, even if I am a huge fan of Alien (just Scott's Alien, the rest was meh and excitement was a little bit back in A. Resurrection only), the reason I wanted to watch this movie was because of its plot. Erich von Däniken's Chariots Of The Gods? is one of my all-time favorite books because, maybe, I do believe that his whole idea/hypothesis makes a lot more sense than any of the human origin's theories. And many of the greatest scientific minds of our recent history tend to agree with Däniken's concept.

So if you give me a plot based on a theory that is inexplicably ignored by the scientific community to avoid hurting most people's beliefs, a theory that is not even talked about at schools when religious figures and blatantly erroneous and misleading history events are; you add to the equation such a brilliant director, an interesting cast, a good budget, a 3D filming and a bizarre screenwriter; I know that I will most definitely enjoy the movie, go back for seconds and will slimily be impatient for its sequel.

.

May 31 - 04:00 AM

Daniken is garbage. Feel free to indulge all the Ancient Alien mythology (with that Greek dude whose hair just might be of an extraterrestrial origin), but don't pretend that it's 'science' or anything other than an alternative religious belief. Humans were produced by mammalian evolution. The scientific community doesn't take Daniken seriously because the facts of mammalian evolution, and evolution in general, are satisfying without requiring the denial of ancient peoples' abilities as storytellers and imaginative myth-makers, which is what you're doing when you take their myths more literally than they were probably intended. In 10,000 years, some people may even look back at us, 'worshiping' in our Friday Night Temples at the images of such anthropomorphic dieties and idols as a Bat Man or a Spider Man or an Uber Man. I'm sure they will have materialistic theories about where such creatures came from as well.

May 31 - 07:05 AM

Lenny Monroe

Never understood when people said there was some excitement in Alien Resurrection. It was just as bad as the Alien VS Predator films and made Alien 3 look like Alien and Aliens.

Jun 1 - 10:03 AM