Prometheus 3D Review

So Prometheus came out today and I just saw it, it is incredible! Ridley Scott has come back to the sci-fi genre with a film that exceeded all my expectations and more! I am a big fan of his first sci-fi film Alien, a film that redefined the genre and sparked a long running franchise and a number of spin offs. Alien was amazing, but unlike many others, I was not a big fan of the films that came after it, not even the highly rated sequel Aliens directed by James Cameron, so maybe I have not been as excited as some fans out there who couldn't wait for this kind of prequel to the Alien franchise. I am so happy that this film turned out to be one of the best sci-fi films I have ever seen!

The plot of the film goes like this; 'A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe.' The edge of the universe is in fact stunning and the film opens with wide swooping shots of a planets landscape that, mixed with 3D, can only be described as a beautiful spectacle. This fim however is not a direct prequel to Alien so those who go in expecting this may be disappointed. Xenomorphs are not the aliens that the crew of the spaceship Prometheus encounter.

The crew embarking on this mission to find our creators are made up of some of the best acting talent around at the moment, including, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Logan Marshall-Green. It's great to see Noomi Rapace in a leading role after her under used role in Sherlock Holmes 2. We now get to see her acting talent shine through just as much as it did in her role as Lisbeth Salander in the original The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo films. Though my only criticism of her is her accent that I think was supposed to be British but sounded kind of South African. Maybe its because she's an explorer so shes probably picked up many accents on her journeys. Rapace plays Elizabeth Shaw, basically Prometheus's Ripley. Is she just as good? Yes!

Though it is not Noomi Rapace's character that steals the show, that goes to Michael Fassbender's role as the android David. It seems as if Fassbender has a knack of stealing films with his incredible performances, and this is just another role to add to his list of amazing characters. He was definitely the best android I have ever seen!

Another great thing about this film was the visual effects. They were stunning! Not at any point did I think I was watching a swarm of pixels on screen. Maybe this is due to Ridley Scott's determination to use as little green screen as possible, and this really payed off as the hand built sets looked amazing! The cinematography also helped make this film look visually beautiful, and the 3D worked perfectly with this element. The soundtrack also made an big impact on the film and helped create some terrifying sequences, The score was composed perfectly for the film.

The 3D is very good. It is not always apparent but when it is, it really helps create a new dimension to the scenes you are watching. In particular a scene where a sandstorm commences, in which the 3D really helps it come alive. I don't know whether I would recommend seeing it in 3D or not, but if you enjoy the element then this is one film you should watch.

This film is not for everybody though, it can be very gory in places and rather scary. Maybe not as 'horror' as the first Alien film was but it definitely had its moments! Also if you are pregnant then maybe you should give this film a miss, you'll know what I mean when you see it. 

Overall I loved this film! Although many will disagree with me, I personally think this film was better than  Alien and is one of the best sci-fi films ever made. I hope that it gets a sequel as the film raised more questions then it answered. 2012 is turning out to be one of the best years ever for film! I'm giving Prometheus a rating of  5/5.

Thanks for reading!

3D Or Not To Be? That Is The Question.

I, like many, am not a big fan of 3D. It seems like a new gimmick that allows institutions to make more money on their film products. And not many films have left an impression on us that 3D is the way forward to cinema. We get hooked in to the film being in 3D and every filmmaker claiming it is better 3D then the last. This tends not to be the case and we waste our money on paying extra for a pair of glasses that only darken our viewing experience.

There are those that take care in this new technological advancement in filmmaking. I am of course talking about James Cameron and Martin Scorsese. James Cameron brought us Avatar two years ago too the big screen in 3D. And the audience had never seen anything like it before. We fell in love with 3D and expected the rest of the film world to follow. This did not happen and we were given crappy conversions of films like Clash of the Titans. 

Conversions are films that were filmed in 2D and filmed in 3D. Sometimes this is used because the 3D cameras are expensive but sometimes its just a money making opportunity. I personally get very annoyed at these conversions, if you are going to make a 3D film you film it in 3D! If you are going to make a franchise in 2D why convert the last one to 3D, HARRY POTTER!? It has recently been announced that The Avengers will also have the conversion treatment, as much as I can't wait for the movie I will not pay out for an extra dimension! Especially when it was made in 2D!?

If you are going to do a conversion you need time and care to be able to put into it. Star Wars I has been undergoing the 3D conversion for over a year now. That is film I will pay out to see and not just because I am a massive fanboy.

Somebody who does give time and care into their filmmaking is Martin Scorsese who I mentioned earlier. His most recent film Hugo was his first step into 3D which he has been fascinated with since he was a child. I went to see Hugo a couple weeks ago and it really was a masterpiece and the 3D was incredibe. Personally I found it better then Avatar. You could tell that the director thought about every frame and how to use 3D to its best in it. 

If Hugo is what the future holds for 3D then it sure is the way forward but if 2012 is full of crappy conversions then I can see it dying out within the next couple of years. Thankfully we are being blessed with two major films next year that are actually being filmed in 3D and will benefit from this technique. I am talking about The Hobbit and The Amazing Spider-Man, which as you already know I am extremely excited for!

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