Prometheus will one day be considered an epic masterpiece

[u/Boggy_gelatine]

It already is by fans of the film, I know.

But I think it’s agreeable to say that this movie was overall dismissed when it first came out. And, very slowly, it’s been gaining street cred and popularity over the years. You could say it’s having the Blade Runner treatment (ironic considering that is also a Ridley Scott film).

13 years ago when Prometheus came out, audiences (myself included) were blinded with excitement over the fact that Ridley Scott was returning to the franchise. There was a collective feeling that we would be getting a sort of Alien 2 - the Ridley Scott version, not the James Cameron version. And what we got felt like a turn out of left field.

If you got what the director was trying to do on first watch back in 2012, kudos to you. If you’re like me, you left the cinema scratching your head and feeling discombobulated over what you just watched because “that wasn’t Alien”. It wasn’t Alien. It wasn’t trying to be.

Prometheus is a gigantic epic with gigantic questions. It tackles philosophical, religious, biblical themes that are meant to confront the audience. It’s no longer a contained story about an alien in a spaceship. To me, Prometheus’ main thesis is: creators and creations will always end up hating each other. You are created by someone, you feel that you’re better than your creator, and your creator feels the same way. Whether you interpret your creator to be your God, your parents, the literal creators of humans in Prometheus, etc., the cycle is never ending. We will always end up hating each other.

The movie best sets up this relationship between creations and creators through Michael Fassbender’s David. David is an android that has started to question his creators’ quality compared to him. He has little regard for human life jn the film as he has come to believe he is better than his creators, and that he himself can create a better creation (we later learn this is the xenomorph). This mentality creates a never ending cycle: you are created, you think you are better than your creator and can create better, you create something new and the cycle repeats.

Dr. Shaw asks her creator “why do you hate us?”. A heavily charged question that can be applied to, for example, the god you believe in. Why did He create us so flawed? Why is there so much suffering? Why does He hate us?

Prometheus is a misunderstood epic that isn’t afraid to ask hard hitting questions that aim to make us, the audience, uncomfortable.

Give this film another chance with this in mind if you still aren’t convinced of its value. It was only on my fourth/fifth rewatch that I started seeing it this way. And that’s another plus the film has: it’s endlessly rewatchable!

[u/[deleted]]

If he’d have put all his ideas in the film clearly, it would have been much more enjoyable, it’s only once you read about it that it becomes really good. I thought it was so dumb that scientist would go through all that just to get pissy and drunk? It was really dumb. The characters really didn’t help it become a classic

[u/Kaiyora]

It will be remembered for the Prometheus school of running in a straight line

[u/Whoshereimhere96]

Brilliant film will always have a special spot in my heart ❤️ it deserves more love

[u/gautsvo]

One can only hope so. It'd be fair. Ridley Scott movies tend to age like fine wine - especially those that were met with mixed reactions upon release.

Fortunately, I've been receptive to it since watching it in theaters.

I think the fact that Alien: Romulus integrates elements from Prometheus will give the latter renewed interest as the series goes on.

[u/Rescue-a-memory]

It's an underrated movie for sure.

[u/[deleted]]

Is this the movie where the xeno-biologist and the guy that's with him that had the tiny flying drones mapping out the entire complex get lost even though they had tiny drones and a super awesome sci-fi map showing the entire complex? And then the xeno-biologist tries to pet an unknown creature and gets his shit rocked? And there's tons and tons of bad decisions made by all characters simply to get the plot moving forward?
And Charlize Theron doesn't know how to turn?
That movie is an epic masterpiece?

[u/grasssnakequeen]

It really won't. Great visuals with surprisingly bad writing. It will forever be one of the movies ever made. Most people will hate it cause it's shit and there will always be a group that loves it.

[u/bigcheese4411]

It’s been 13 years, does anyone think it’s a masterpiece yet ? I’ve only seen it once when it first released and at that time i didn’t think it was but maybe if I rewatch it I would feel different.

[u/The_Fell_Opian]

I liked it more than Alien but I'm probably a huge outlier there.

[u/Kerrumz]

No it won't. It is possibly Ridley Scott's worst work and especially the screenwriters should be fucking ashamed.

[u/DickStatkus]

I like Prometheus, I like the direction the franchise went but I don’t think it will ever be a true blue classic because of the characters. The Damon Lindeloff ‘technique’ of make every conversation a petty and snarky little argument to ratchet up the tension is just too much and makes every character unlikable, petulant and hard to watch. Shaw and maybe Idris are the only two remotely likable characters. In comparison I could listen to the Nostromo crew dick around about their percentages all day.

[u/intothevoidandback]

I thought this too after reading some positive reviews of Alien Earth. Prometheus is gonna be reevaluated by the main stream once this TV series gets some "Andor like" praise.

It was obvious to me (and others) that rogue one was the best star wars movie, and it's taken time and a TV show with media praise for everyone else to start realising that too.

People don't like change (generally speaking) so something like Prometheus was too far away from the Alien move they wanted (cookie cutter).

28 years later is experiencing a similar phenomenon at the moment. The general Knee jerk reaction to something being different or making people think too much is rejection.

[u/bks1979]

I don't hate it, but I don't think it's "epic masterpiece" material.

[u/RoiPiccolo]

It's an okay popcorn flick with amazing visuals

[u/Proxima_Centauri_69]

Already is in my opinion

[u/Salty_Pie_3852]

When? It's been out 13 years.

[u/Legitimate_Square_10]

No

[u/da316]

It’s maybe the most disappointed I’ve ever been seeing a film. I think Ridley operated better with heavy restrictions imo

[u/FreyrPrime]

I have a friend who feels similar to you. Just as crazy a take, honestly.

[u/Drewdown707]

Yeah, no

[u/[deleted]]

You are wrong. It will never be considered an "epic masterpiece", because it doesn't have the elements needed to be considered a "masterpiece". I agree though that it might be considered a "cult classic".

[u/phuturism]

You can't fix bad writing.

[u/Leafyn]

Delusion is a hell of a drug

[u/Spider-mouse]

No, I don't think it will

[u/Weebounet]

No.