You can't teach an old dog new tricks, but it turns out you can teach a dead dog new tricks...
Tim Burton is about to make a much welcomed return to the world of stop-motion animation with his upcoming film Frankenweenie. For a young boy named Victor (Charlie Tahan) who loses his dog and best friend Sparky, life is tough. That is until he is inspired to bring his four legged companion back from the dead, an event that could lead to all hell breaking loose... quite literally!
With a story that is clearly based on Mary Shelley's classic gothic horror Frankenstein, Tim Burton's new film Frankenweenie is also based on another source: a film called Frankenweenie by Tim Burton! Yes you read that correctly, although the explanation behind this is hardly Inception worthy as you may think; back in 1984 a young Burton made a 30 minute live-action short film of the same name. Now nearly 30 years on, and Tim Burton's ambition to make turn his classic short into a full length feature film has finally been realised.
In a world in which CGI is often relied upon in filmmaking, it is always refreshing to see some more old fashioned methods being opted for instead, especially stop-motion animation in which the high levels of detail always add an extra dimension to the film that a pair of cheap 3D glasses could only dream of! This can already been seen thanks to a new trailer for the film which has been released today, ready for you to watch below. For extra brownie points you can also watch the original 1984 short film which I have embedded below the trailer - keep an eye open for any similar shots between the two videos to see how true Burton is staying to the original...
Frankenweenie is released in cinemas across the UK on October 17th 2012.
Glad to see Burton resurrect Frankenweenie, or should he stay dead and buried? Will it be a blockbuster or lacklustre? Leave
your comments below!
I don't have any money, but what I do have is a sequel, and a brand new trailer for it!
It may not have been a critical success, nor anything particularly special, but 2008's Taken certainly was a financial hit that was enjoyed by people all over the world. Now Brian Mills (Liam Neeson) is back for another round of action in Taken 2.
What happens in Istanbul, stays in Istanbul, but when retired CIA operative Bryan Mills and his wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) are taken
hostage by the father of a kidnapper Mills killed while rescuing his
daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) in the first film, he must use his "certain set of skills" once again to get out of his trickiest situation yet!
It may not have been a spectacular film, but there was something very cool about watching Liam Neeson running around Paris kicking ass in the original Taken film. Now that we have a sequel to look forward to this October, Brian Mill's biggest challenge won't be saving his wife, but ensuring that he can once again entertain the audience - or has the moment passed and will this be one film too far? We'll soon find out, but until then you can now whet your appetite with this brand new trailer...
Taken 2 is released in cinemas across the UK on October 5th 2012.
Are you Taken by this trailer, or has it left you unimpressed? Will it be a blockbuster or lacklustre? Leave
your comments below!
Back in February of 2002, just over ten years ago, I went to the cinema with a group of friends for my ninth birthday. The film we saw was called Monsters, Inc. - and we all loved it. Jump forward ten years to today, and Pixar's Monsters, Inc. still remains as one of my all time favourite films; with it's entirely unique premise, laugh out loud humour, awe-inspiring spectacle and scope, catchy jazz soundtrack, and the two lovable leads Mike (Billy Crystal) and Sulley (John Goodman), this timeless classic is simply irresistible! Which is why the news of their return fills me with glee, and any doubt that it may not work is safely removed with the hilarious new teaser trailer released today.
Monsters University, set prior to the events of Monsters, Inc. and thus making it Pixar's first prequel, follows the story of how Mike and Sulley met at university, where it seems that they didn't instantly become the best friends that we know them as. Who ever thought they'd see the day where Pixar make a college teen movie 'eh? Genius! The new teaser trailer promises huge laughs as we are reunited with our favourite two monsters, both of whom are seen with a new lease of life in their younger forms: Mike looking a more radiant green with his retainer filled mouth, and Sulley looking skinnier and scruffier than ever before - from just the visuals alone you know it's going to be good! The real heart and soul of the original film lies within this particular relationship, and it is that more than anything that made Monsters, Inc. the much loved film that it is. Therefore it is nice to see Pixar delving into this relationship once again with a new film that promises to maintain the same heart and soul as the original.
The only sad part about the trailer is the release date, with the long wait for July 2013 starting today, yet let us not forget that Pixar's next film Brave is nearly with us too...
So what are you waiting for, check out the new teaser trailer below; and for any die hard Monsters fans out there, Pixar have actually released four variations of this trailer, each with a different one-liner from sleeping Mike - see if you can find them all online, then leave a comment in the comments section below if you do.
Monsters University is released in cinemas across the UK on July 12th 2013.
Are you looking forward to learning more about Mike and Sulley's history, or should the past be left in the past? Will it be a blockbuster or lacklustre? Leave
your comments below!
Back in 2002 a film called Spider-Man, the first in a trilogy by director Sam Raimi, was released - and people all around the world fell in love with the comic book adventures of Peter Parker. Now just 10 years on (only 5 years after the release of nail-in-the-coffin film Spider-Man 3), new director Mark Webb (the man with the perfect name for the job!) has taken the franchise back to square one with his reboot: The Amazing Spider-Man. Life isn't easy for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), an ordinary high school boy who struggles to come to terms with the mystery of what happened to his parents who left him with his Aunt May (Sally Field) and Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) when he was a child. However being at the bottom of the school food chain is about to change for Parker after a bite from a genetically enhanced spider leaves him with superhuman abilities and his iconic Spidey-Senses. As a series of events unfold, Peter soon develops a vigilante alter-ego named Spider-Man - who is quickly thrown into the deep end as the villainous Lizard (Rhys Ifans) threatens the lives of those living in New York City.
So let's start with the elephant in the room then; the previous trilogy. There was a lot of initial concern from a lot of people when Sony announced that they were going to completely reboot the franchise just after the release of the 3rd film 5 years ago, with a lot of people confused as to why there is a need for this considering that the world of the original films had only just been established. If anyone still has any doubts over this move - do not worry! Whilst the Raimi directed films did have their success and were good on many levels (except Spider-Man 3, let's not bring that up...), for use of a better analogy on top of each cracker was a slice of cheese; whether it's from some of the films' dialogue, the overly comic book vibe that has now post Christopher Nolan's Batman films (the third of which, The Dark Knight Rises, is released next month) been significantly toned down for a grittier and more realistic approach, the rushed feel of certain plots and sub-plots or the entirety of Spider-Man 3; it seems that in hindsight certain elements of the films haven't aged well - albeit I do feel this is in many respects a result of how the genre has evolved over the last 10 years and not entirely a fault to the films themselves. However if you remove the cheese, you're left with a cracker (yeah I'm gonna stick with this cheesy analogy!), and that's what you get with The Amazing Spider-Man.
Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and Gwen Stacey (background, Emma Stone) in The Amazing Spider-Man
In comparison to the original trilogy, The Amazing Spider-Man is a completely different film, in almost every way. Whilst it does share a few story elements, everything from the style, tone, characters, setting and the events is done in a completely different way, so even though this is an origin story in the same way that Spider-Man was, it is different enough that you're not seeing the same film twice. Returning to my man-love for Christopher Nolan and his Batman films, it is clear in many ways how this film has been influenced by these game changing films. The style of the film has gone for a far more realistic approach in The Amazing Spider-Man, with the likes of Spider-Man's web coming from a mechanical device attached to each wrist and not just naturally, amongst other things. The biggest influence however is within Garfield's performance and character. By rooting his character entirely in the high school environment, the film takes a much slower approach in following, developing and evolving his character much in the same way as Nolan does in Batman Begins. In some ways this does make the film feel quite long at the start, but as a result you get a much clearer understanding and appreciation from his character as a result - whilst the Raimi films rushed through a lot far too quickly. As a result Peter Parker is now a far more relatable and down-to-Earth character whom with his great dialogue and whip-sharp wit provides a much more modern and humorous character - the perfect addition to the Avengers Assemble sequel if they could ever sort out the legalities with Sony. This is further continued within his relationship with love interest Gwen Stacy, who played by Emma Stone is the perfect equal to Garfield, resulting in a much more interesting and deeper relationship than that of Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane.
In fact the emphasis on relationships is also a big theme in the film, and this paired with character development actually come above the film's action and becomes it's saving grace. This comes as a result of the new direction that Mark Webb brings to the table. Having previously directed 500 Days of Summer, Webb's style is definitely present in The Amazing Spider-Man. In fact, for a lot of the film, in particular during the high school scenes, the films feels very much like an indie film in many respects, which only helps to show the characters in a modern light - proving that Webb understands the real world for modern youths. Whilst this style is a fresh, bold and unique change to not only the Spidey franchise but the comic book superhero genre as a whole, there is something about it that may take a bit of time to get used to - be it due to it's radical change in style or to the fact that the Raimi films only ended 5 years ago, and are still fresh in our minds.
The Lizard (Rhys Ifans) terrorises one of his victims in The Amazing Spider-Man
Of course this is also a summer blockbuster, and the action and laughs come thick and fast too, often hand in hand and working very well. This is especially prominent within the scenes featuring Garfield's character trying to come to grips with his new found powers, where a lot of laughs are to be had thanks to Garfield's fantastic performance. One of the biggest laughs however comes from the now expected cameo of Marvel's Stan Lee, whose moment in this film outshines all of his other cameos to date. Naturally most of the action comes from Rhys Ifan's Lizard character, the intentions of whom are not quite your standard money or power incentives that a lot of Hollywood villains long for, as Ifan's performance brings a element of humanity to a character who is mostly inhuman by the end - resulting in a villain figure that really works. It is within all of this that the film really shines - it's the way that it balances the fantastic action and laugh out loud humour that mainstream audiences want and expect, with the character development, relationships and emotions that make it a deeper film and a memorable experience.
With deeper character development, a more modern and realistic style and approach, sharper dialogue, and most importantly a lot less cheese, The Amazing Spider-Man is a big improvement on the original films and one much stronger and more in line with the comic book films of today. With excellent performances by Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone who continue to prove themselves to be two of the hottest stars for a new generation, and not forgetting Rhys Ifans who brings both humanity and inhumanity to the Lizard role, the film is brought to life by a great acting cast. Director Mark Webb and Sony made a brave move in rebooting the Spider-Man franchise is such a different and stand out stylistic way, and it's certainly paid off, even if the ghosts of the Raimi era are still fresh in our memories. This is not just a film about action, it's about characters and relationships, and that's where Spidey's strength truly lies. With a series of unanswered questions left at the end of the film (don't leave as soon as the credits start...) and the next film already announced for a 2014 release, we've not seen the last of Spider-Man, and it sure is good to have him back!
Verdict: 4/5
The Amazing Spider-Man is released in cinemas across the UK on July 3rd 2012.
Are you looking forward to the Spidey Reboot? If you've seen it what did you think? Leave your comments below!
After creating cult classics out of Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, and having turned to the Nazis in his last film Inglourious Basterds, director Quentin Tarantino is now turning his hands to a film of the Western variety, with Django Unchained. When Django (Jamie Foxx) is released from slavery by his new mentor Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), he becomes a bounty hunter, determined to carry out the rescue of his wife from Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the Mississippi plantation owner who kidnapped her.
It's probably fair to say that the Western has had its day. As a regular genre in the 30s from its usually low production costs, and peaking in the Spaghetti Western movement that made Clint Eastwood the icon that he is today, the days of actors like John Wayne dressed in spurs and stetsons are long past us now (bar the occasional exception, including the Coen Brothers' excellent take on True Grit in 2011). The reason for absence is most likely down to the old fashioned and often slow paced image of the traditional Western film that seems to have become the expectation for most people today - and with film trends heading towards the more successful high budget Science-Fiction/Action/Superhero genres instead, the simplicity of the Western seems like a relic of the past. But can Tarantino resolve that? With its old Western style and roots clearly buried within the genre, and its modern and energetic fast pace, the first trailer for Django Unchained looks like it could revitalise the Western genre for the audiences of today - Yee-Haa! Of course only time will tell, but if you don't believe me then why not check out the new trailer for yourself...
Django Unchained is released in cinemas across the UK on January 18th 2013.
Happy to see Tarantino unchaining Django, or is he better off left chained up? Will it be a blockbuster or lacklustre? Leave
your comments below!
This may be an animated film from Disney, but Wreck-It Ralph ain't not Fairytale Princess...
Set inside the world of video games, Wreck-It Ralph follows the story of Ralph (John C. Reilly), the villain in an arcade game called Fix-It Felix Jr. - but as Ralph narrates in this brand new trailer: "it starts to feel hard to love your job, when no one else seems to like you for doing it!" Searching for a way to become the hero that he longs to be, Ralph's journey takes him to a help group for video game villains, and after he runs away, into the very different worlds of many other video games; from a sweetness of candy island through to the perils of a futuristic first person shooter!
With its unique looking concept and very entertaining looking trailer, it looks like Disney could be onto a winner here with their foray into the wide world of video games; something that I'm sure they are hoping for as the possibilities are endless for this concept - just think of how many sequels they can make money from out of this! Not unlike Pixar's Toy Story, an added level of fun is added with existing characters from many different video game franchises thrown into the film - I've managed to spot Bowser from the Nintendo Mario games, Dr. Eggman from Sega's Sonic franchise, Q*bert, and one of the ghosts from Pac-Man; can you spot any others?...
Wreck-It Ralph is released in cinemas across the UK on February 15th 2013.
Regardless of whether Ralph is good or bad, the real question is; which will the film be? Will it be a blockbuster or lacklustre? Leave
your comments below!
MIB Film: 3. Dimensions: 3. Rating out of 5: you do the math...
The Men in Black are back! Agents Jay (Will Smith) and Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) don their suits and shades once again to maintain extraterrestrial peace on Earth in the third instalment to the Men in Black franchise. When Jay wakes up one morning to be told that his partner Kay has been dead for 40 years, it suddenly comes to light that the villainous Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) has escaped from a high security prison on the moon in order to travel back in time to 1969 - the year that young Kay (Josh Brolin) captured and arrested him - in order to kill Kay before he has the chance; therefore allowing Boris to launch a full scale attack on planet Earth. On learning this, it is up to Jay to use a time jump device to go back to 1969 himself to stop this plan and save Kay in order to restore normality in the process.
Will Smith is one actor who has had an extraordinary career, now standing tall as one of the highest grossing film actors in the world. What makes his career so fascinating to examine is to look at where he started off in comparison to where he is now. TV show The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, in which he played to skinny hip-hop clown Will is what well and truly launched Smith into the spotlight - with millions still watching re-runs of the old series still today (tell me you don't know the theme song - I dare you!). Now he has become something entirely different, a big action star who also lends his hands to working on more personal, emotional and challenging roles from time to time - a truly mad evolution! The original two Men in Black films sat nicely in the centre of this change, as Smith started to become the action hero but still maintained his comedy side - basically the character of Jay in a nutshell. And that is one of the first problems that I had with the film. It becomes almost bizarre and jarring to see Smith revisiting his black comedy roots again in MIB3, as he says lines that are fine when he is twenty-odd years old, but seem a bit off coming from his more mature adult image today. But this is just a minor quip.
Having said that, it is undeniably fun seeing Smith and Jones pairing up again with their unique sense of banter. Speaking of Jones, who returns for parts of the film set in the present day, he is still able to pull off an enjoyable performance as grumpy old Kay, because he still appears to be grumpy and old! For the scenes set in the past, the reigns get passed over to franchise newcomer Josh Brolin, who does an excellent impression of Tommy Lee Jones - which is on the whole as entertaining as you'd imagine it to be, but you do get the main jist of it all in the trailers. Other newcomers Jemaine Clement provides an entertaining and threatening enough performance as the film's villain, and Emma Thompson does what she needs as the new boss of MIB and Kay's old flame, but being a character in the present means that she doesn't get all that much screen time. Although in comparison to Nicole Scherzinger's role in the film, Thompson shouldn't worry at all as Scherzinger's role as the villain's accomplice is wrapped up by the end of the first scene - although I think I'm actually quite relieved that it is...
Agent J (Will Smith) in MIB3: "Everyone look here *flash* Okay so Men in Black 2 and 3 were never made..."
As a personal fan of the original MIB film, yet not so much for its sequel, I really hoped that this one could be more in line with the first one - I'm disappointed that it isn't. One reason for this is because it in some ways loses its MIB-ness in the process of its time travel storyline, with the iconic MIB headquarters from the first two films only being fleetingly used as the characters spend more time running around the country and through time instead. Some of the alien banter that was seen in the first two films is often missing here, with less jokes and witty one-liners being made at the extraterrestrials and physical fighting both being replaced with quick zaps from blasters and exploding bodies. Alongside these, a lot of characters also fail to return to the film, with the once prominent twiglet-like aliens having about one line as they walk by, the much-loved talking dog being reduced to just a photo on Jay's wall, and to make way for a love interest in Thompson's Agent O the old leader of MIB Zed, well let's just say 'Zed's dead, baby. Zed's dead.' Director Barry Sonnenfeld has unfortunately forgotten a lot of the things that made the first film so loved. Unfortunately after an alright start, the film does start to sag in the middle of the film and generally gets a bit boring with it not providing as much humour or action as you'd like it to. When the film reaches its climax, you can't help but wonder why they bothered at all, with the whole film in hindsight just seeming a little bit pointless overall.
However the film is not all that bad, and it does have its highlights. The first film was as successful as it was because at its heart laid the relationship between Jay and Kay, and how it develops as the two of them train and work together, contrasting and complimenting one another with their grumpy old man and young hip kid act. Whilst the second film lost track of this factor and became a generic sequel with little character development, there is far more of this in MIB3 with the entire film essentially revolving around their relationship. Although having said that I still find it bizarre that 15 years of working together hasn't solved the problems that they have already!? The time travel element of the film also provides a refreshing twist, with a lot of humour to be found in the 1969 setting that the film jumps back to - I particularly enjoyed the stylistic elements here with the aliens looking like they were designed in the 1960s. Whilst the film doesn't feature as many laughs or as much action as the first, it still has enough there to make the film an enjoyable affair, and it does get going again quite nicely towards the later end of the film, with its heartwarming ending - although arguably an unneeded sub-plot thrown in probably just to get Smith's interest - does wrap things up nicely.
On a side note, as are a lot of other people I am personally not a fan of 3D, but have gone on the record for joking that MIB3 could work in 3D as the cheap plastic glasses resemble the shades that the MIB agents wear (just check out the poster at the top) - almost making you one of them! In all seriousness it's not worth seeing the film in 3D (nor is it really worth seeing any film in 3D), and like in Prometheus the other day I found myself removing the cheap plastic glasses at times to notice just how much of the vibrancy and colour that you lose from each of the films by watching them in 3D. 2D is simply cheaper and better! End of Rant.
After a 10 year wait since J and Ks last outing, and 15 since the last good one, Men in Black 3 - a film that has been in the works for so long - simply isn't as good as you'd want it to be. Whilst it is refreshing to see our favourite suited and booted duo back in action, their minor banter and a heartwarming if not arguably unnecessary ending aren't enough to fully redeem the film from its boring drag in the middle and the fact that at the end of it all it just seems to be all a bit pointless. Lacking the charm, excitement and wonder that the original MIB showed us; with MIB3 being Will Smith's first film in 3 years, you almost wish he could have waited just a little bit longer for a sharper and more entertaining script that is closer to that of the original. You won't need a nueralizer to forget most of this somewhat unmemorable and unnecessary film, but you might want one just in case...
Verdict: 3/5
Men in Black 3 is now showing in cinemas across the UK.
In 2002, Matt Damon hit the big screen in the role of Jason Bourne - the highly trained and spy with a mysterious background - in the blockbuster adaptation of Robert Ladlum's novel, The Bourne Identity. Two sequels later, and the Bourne franchise had re-written the book on the modern day spy film, with even the iconic Bond films arguably taking a leaf out of Bourne's book with the recent Daniel Craig films (the latest of which; Skyfall is released later this year). Now with Damon out of the picture, it is up to franchise newcomer Jeremy Renner (see recently as Hawkeye in Marvel's Avengers Assemble) to take over the reigns as Aaron Cross in this franchise reboot that delves deeper into the mysteries of the agency behind Jason Bourne; as it turns out he was not the only one...
The real question is; will this new direction in the franchise be able to live up to the success of the Damon lead trilogy? Of course only time will tell, but boasting a cast that also features the acting talents of Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton, amongst some recognisable faces from the first three films, The Bourne Legacy looks set to be a fantastic adrenaline pumping addition to the Bourne story. If you don't believe me, just check out the latest trailer below!
The Bourne Legacy is released in cinemas across the UK on August 13th 2012.
Can Treadstone go wrong, or will we have to Touchwood? Will it be a blockbuster or lacklustre? Leave
your comments below!
It isn't often that a film comes along that truly defines a genre, and it can often be difficult to establish those that do; but in the case of the science-fiction genre in particular (something that was briefly debated in my review for John Carter earlier this year) if you were to select two genuine genre defining films that have shaped the sci-fi films that we see today, then you'd almost definitely be left with Star Wars, and Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien. Now Sir Ridley has returned to the Alien universe that he created 33 years ago with his prequel that's not a prequel (I'll try my best to clear this up in a bit!): the long awaited and highly anticipated Prometheus.
The year is 2085, and a group of scientists and explorers who have discovered a series of ancient markings littered throughout history, informing them of the origins of mankind coming from the stars, have followed these signs into the depths of outer space to a mysterious planet where they will truly discover where the human race comes from, whilst simultaneously trying to ensure that they actually make it out alive as events unfold that could change the fate of the entire human race.
Firstly I feel it's important to address the important matter at hand, and the question that is almost certainly on everyone's minds: a prequel to Alien that isn't a prequel to Alien - what!? Prometheus is set within the Alien universe, and does contain a number of small moments that relate to the beginning of Alien much later down the line - without any spoilers the film's ending in particular does link to Alien, but not a massive way that anyone who hasn't seen it will be left feeling confused. The rest of the film however is it's own entirely individual story with its own unique characters and aliens. See? A prequel that isn't a prequel! In fact the film itself in my opinion is actually probably closer to a spin-off than a prequel if anything. The obvious result of this means that anyone can watch the film and appreciate it, but those who know a bit more about the Alien mythology will gain a little bit extra on the side. However nor should it be a film that lives in the shadows of Alien, as despite the heavy influence upon the iconic elements of the original Alien used within the trailers and promotions for Prometheus, the film should be seen in many respects as a stand alone film of its own.
Along side this though, Prometheus does very much feel like an Alien film. Visually stunning, the film takes the retro vision of the future that Scott envisaged for the original film and presents it with both real life effects and sets, and advanced CGI; allowing Scott to explore more possibilities within the universe he created. The effect of this is rather extraordinary - the film manages to perfectly execute a look that is both true to that of the 70s original yet modern and contemporary to today's audiences who are now technologically 33 years closer to that reality. Remaining close to Alien, the tone of Prometheus clearly has Scott's visionary fingerprints all over it as it encapsulates the feeling of spectacle and the escapist futuristic excitement that entertains us as much today as it did in 1979 - mainly brought in through one of it themes of space exploration. In fact a lot of the themes from Alien, as well as a few from Blade Runner, also appear in Prometheus alongside a great number of new themes and ideas based around questions of life, the universe and everything, which lay deep in the background for those who wish to look for them - a sort of 2001: A Space Odyssey for today's audiences. As a result of these ideas and themes Prometheus actually becomes more of a solid sci-fi piece than Alien: which became iconic for its unique horror/sci-fi genre hybrid. Despite this the film isn't without its moments of horror, the emphasis merely lies in other areas even though some of the best moments were thanks to a return this iconic vibe.
The Fantastic Mr.Fassbender plays the android David in the visually stunning Prometheus.
Of course the film's strengths don't just lie within Sir Ridley's visionary style and direction. There really is no shortage of acting talent with the likes of Noomi Rapace (the original Swedish Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Michael Fassbender (the fantastic star of Shame), Charlize Theron (who is also currently starring in Snow White and the Huntsman), Idris Elba (Thor) and Guy Pearce (The King's Speech) forming a small part of the overall cast. With Rapace playing Elizabeth Shaw, the film's female protagonist, another character becomes a memebr of Ridley's Angels, with Scott clearly retaining his emphasis on strong leading female characters after Sigourney Weaver's Ripley; a character who debatably changed the image and role of women in film forever. In fact during many scenes I almost felt myself having to do a double take, with Rapaces character occasionally even looking just like Ripley too! Alongside Rapace, The Fantastic Mr.Fassbender continues to prove himself as one of the finest actors around today within his role of the android David (nice name!).
Although despite its strengths, Prometheus is not without its problems either. Within the narrative of the film, a lot happens, and I mean a lot - the films certainly feels like its 2 hour running time. Firstly this causes a few pacing issues throughout the film, with a fair amount of scenes feeling longer than they needed to be, especially next to the film's more thrilling faster paced moments; during which the film really gets going. Alongside this the narrative does at times become bogged down substantially with a lot of sub-plots that arguably do not need to be there at all. This includes the prosthetic covered character of Guy Pearce's Peter Weyland, who's character feels unnecessarily aged for no apparent reason (you'll understand when you see him). It's almost as if Scott has grown a bit too attached to a lot of his own personal ideas and has attempted to cram them all into this one film, or maybe his ideas are just so deep and meaningful that they cannot fit within just 2 hours of screen time! Perhaps a second film is what Scott really needed to spread all of his ideas out a bit, in order to allow some of the more over-looked areas to breathe a bit more and for the film to flow a little bit better.
Despite the problems that the film does clearly suffer from, the overall scale, tone and vibe of the film are more than enough to make this a film worth watching, especially those who have seen and loved Sir Ridley's original 1979 film Alien - who will almost certainly get a kick of nostalgia out of the iconic style, tone and ideas of the first film. Performances from Rapace and The Fantastic Mr.Fassbender carry the film through, and with only a few small moments that link to the overall picture of the Alien films this really is a film that anyone can watch, even if they haven't seen the old films. Whilst it should be seen as its own entity, the sheer weight of Alien's slick and iconic narrative will mean that this film will remain within its shadows as its younger sibling - even if it doesn't necessarily deserve to. Prometheus has landed ladies and gentlemen; not in a crash-landing, but not in a smooth one either with some minor turbulence along the way...
Verdict: 4/5
Prometheus is now showing in cinemas across the UK.
