The movie Alien was released in theaters in 1979 and immediately became a worldwide hit. It became a classic and a milestone in science fiction horror films, and the term “alien” became a household word in Japan as a result of its success.

The Alien series has become a major franchise, with the fourth film in various sequels and spin-offs. However, Ridley Scott, the director of the first film, did not take the megaphone for any subsequent films.

Scott returned to the Alien series with the film Prometheus.

Ridley Scott’s new prequel to Alien.

The film Prometheus marks Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien series as director after an absence of almost 30 years. When the film was first planned, it was primarily billed as a prequel to the first film in the series, “Alien,” but since the story took a slightly different direction from the Alien series, the term “origin” is now a bit muddled.

However, the story has taken a slightly different direction from the “Alien” series, and the word “origin” has now become a bit messy. No characters from the “Alien” series appear in the film, and you can enjoy “Prometheus” without any previous knowledge of the series. Therefore, those who have not seen the “Alien” series can start with this work to get into the series.

The worldview of this work is the same as that of the “Alien” series. However, there are some contradictions when considering the series as a whole. One of the most significant contradictions is the progress of technological innovation. While Alien is set in 2122, “Prometheus” is set in 2089. It is not surprising, considering its status as a prequel. Despite this, the human technology in “Prometheus” appears to be more advanced than in Alien. As with the Star Wars series, I felt that this consideration of technological innovation tends to be the gateway to a prequel in a science fiction film such as this.

Beautiful images and Michael Fassbender’s performance.

What stands out in this film is the beauty of the scenery and Michael Fassbender’s performance as the android David.

In the “Alien” series, the film is often set inside a claustrophobic spaceship, and the entire screen tends to be dark. The same is true of “Prometheus,” but the natural scenery’s beauty at the film’s beginning is stunning. The beauty of nature up to the scene leading to the discovery of the ruins in Scotland was a visual beauty that foreshadowed the start of a new story. The CG of the science and technology inside the spaceship Prometheus was also excellent. I think even the planet LV-223 stood out for its beauty as a visual image in a three-dimensional space.

In addition to this scene, even though the entire screen was dark, you could clearly see each person’s expression and understand what was going on. I felt the technological innovation and attention to detail of the picture creation. I think the beauty of the images is one of the major characteristics of Prometheus.

Another thing that characterizes this film is Fassbender’s performance. He brilliantly plays the character of an android who is very close to a human but has no soul. The android is an essential character in the Alien series. He appeared in the first “Alien” as a science officer aboard the Nostromo but was actually a secret agent of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation.

David, the android in this film, has an exquisite balance of humanity and machine-like qualities, making him a complicated character to play as either a hero or a villain. Fassbender skillfully portrayed this sometimes cold and sometimes dependable android with a quiet, inorganic performance without gradation. In a movie in which the characterizations of each character are relatively weak, David, played by Fassbender, is the character that left the most significant impression on the audience.

The Past and Future of Mankind

The film “Prometheus” itself is very marginal. It was easy for anyone who saw it to imagine that it was made with a sequel in mind. There are a great many mysteries that are not solved upon viewing this film, and many people will be frustrated by them.

Furthermore, the theme of this film is very complex and challenging. It deals with the “origin of humankind.” In addition, it includes themes such as the creation of life and mythology. Mythology is a significant influence, as evidenced by the title “Prometheus,” and the android’s name is “David,” the English reading of King David. However, one must admit that the marginality combined with the themes make for an esoteric film.

Prometheus is a male god in Greek mythology. The main famous stories are
The Creation of Man: According to some traditions, Prometheus created man from clay.
The Gift of Fire: In the most famous myth, Prometheus overrode Zeus' objections and stole fire from the heavens to give to humanity. This act is depicted as a symbolic event that brought civilization to humanity.

Although it is a difficult film, it also tries to fulfill its role as a science fiction horror film, and several developments are typical of this genre. The gap between the ease and difficulty of the film is large, and I felt that there were parts where the balance was not right. I felt that this unique line, which is difficult to evaluate, is somewhat typical of Scott’s work.

Although it is part of the “Alien” series, “Prometheus” is positioned as a prequel, so even those who have not seen the series can enjoy this film. It has many highlights, such as the beauty of the images and Fassbender’s performance, which are not seen in the other films in the series. It also makes you think about many different things.

However, although the posters are over-hyped in marketing, claiming the origin of humanity, the storyline honestly has a B-grade panic feel. A childish scientist lands on an unknown planet and is attacked by “something unknown. This “something unknown” does not come into play at all. I didn’t understand what they were afraid of and why they were panicking.