So here's my main problem with the creator meeting scene:
Here's what the creators did: Create a species modeled on yourself. Go back and check on them from time to time, make yourself known to them, and tell them where you came from (cave paintings, etc.) When they finally follow your directions and leave their planet, just grin wildly while you kill them all without any curiosity whatsoever. I didn't have a problem with the fact that they were going to destroy their creation, I had a problem with the fact that for an intelligent species he did not show any curiosity toward the fact that his experiment showed up on his doorstep. If your lab mouse suddenly showed up in your apartment and said "Hey! You asked me to come here?" Wouldn't you react a little differently?
So here's my main problem with the creator meeting scene:
Here's what the creators did: Create a species modeled on yourself. Go back and check on them from time to time, make yourself known to them, and tell them where you came from (cave paintings, etc.) When they finally follow your directions and leave their planet, just grin wildly while you kill them all without any curiosity whatsoever. I didn't have a problem with the fact that they were going to destroy their creation, I had a problem with the fact that for an intelligent species he did not show any curiosity toward the fact that his experiment showed up on his doorstep. If your lab mouse suddenly showed up in your apartment and said "Hey! You asked me to come here?" Wouldn't you react a little differently?
The thing that makes that scene so mysterious is that we just don't know exactly what David said to the Engineer. He could have said something absolutely horrible to it, or he could have literally translated what Weyland said and the Engineer was just so infuriated by the hubris of the old man that it reinstated the desire to wipe out humanity.
So here's my main problem with the creator meeting scene:
Here's what the creators did: Create a species modeled on yourself. Go back and check on them from time to time, make yourself known to them, and tell them where you came from (cave paintings, etc.) When they finally follow your directions and leave their planet, just grin wildly while you kill them all without any curiosity whatsoever. I didn't have a problem with the fact that they were going to destroy their creation, I had a problem with the fact that for an intelligent species he did not show any curiosity toward the fact that his experiment showed up on his doorstep. If your lab mouse suddenly showed up in your apartment and said "Hey! You asked me to come here?" Wouldn't you react a little differently?
[spoiler]His reaction could have also been based on what David said to him..I feel that whatever David said may be the reason the Engineeer attacked them like he did.[\spoiler]
Well, we don't know what David said to it. There is that.
But remember, the humans don't actually know if it was an invitation. They BELIEVE it was, but they don't know for sure. Maybe it was a warning.
For sure, its motivations are unclear. But then again, we humans do that too. Make something and disavow its existence/attempt to bury it. This goes back to our treatment of David.
Perhaps they expected to be worshipped as kings, and we insulted them by demanding answers.
Maybe they learned an awful truth - those things you worshipped as gods are actually jerks. And you're jerks because you were made by jerks.
Or maybe that one dude never liked the idea, and saw his chance to do something about it.
But all in all, I think it ties back to themes of the hazards of investigation, and of our inability to grasp our nature. We tangled with Things Man Was Not Meant To Know, and were burned for it - yet we still strive to know.
It's definitely frustrating because the answer is unsatisfying, but I'm pretty sure that was the point. Bro-husband grappled with the letdown of discovering your ignorance, and the cynicism that results. It's part of the conflict that drives the need to investigate - the clash between idealism and cynicism.
I still would not go in swinging, no matter how rude the rat was to me.
It's even worse that that. It's like your rat, creates an identical little robot rat, that spoke on your rats behalf.
Not really a spoiler, but...
think about this: Those giant's ships were beautiful. Their bridge was amazing, and they used MUSIC to fucking start the thing. They are ARTISTS. Bio artists, life artists, and probably more besides. Lashing out in anger at the humans.. One of their art projects was.. just utterly stupid. And I cannot think of a single reason why he did that.
Prometheus was a purty movie but there really wasn't anything good beyond the visuals. It had way too many characters, yet I didn't feel anything, for any one of them. The dialog felt forced. Charlize Theron seemed to only be there to look good in the trailer.
What a great article. I think this could explain a lot. I feel better about the aggro giant now.
It's an interesting idea, but I think a movie should be judged as is. If it needs an external explanation than the movie doesn't hold up. As is, the movie has characters doing things that simply don't make sense.
Oh hey, I guess Leonardo DiCaprio is playing a millionaire douchebag in two films this year.
I don't think Gatsby was a douchebag...
He does hit on a married woman.
Tom was an old money White Supremacist who cheated on his wife with someone else's wife, and punches his mistress so hard he breaks her nose. Gatsby might be a bootlegger and pursuing a married woman, but he labored tirelessly for what he believed in and took the fall for the woman he loved--eventually dying for her.
Say what you will about Gatsby's ethics, but he's not a douche. I don't think life is as simple as "hitting on married woman = douchebag."
What a great article. I think this could explain a lot. I feel better about the aggro giant now.
It's an interesting idea, but I think a movie should be judged as is. If it needs an external explanation than the movie doesn't hold up. As is, the movie has characters doing things that simply don't make sense.
I think you're conflating "doesn't make sense" with "not wholly rational."
The characters make perfect sense, especially in the context of the religious overtones in the movie. Leaps of faith and mysterious ways and all that.
The space jesus thing is pretty much what I've been saying, except I didn't figure that there was a literal Jesus. That shit is Ridley Scott being insane. But the rest of the themes, the arrogance of the humans - it's all there in the movie.
What a great article. I think this could explain a lot. I feel better about the aggro giant now.
It's an interesting idea, but I think a movie should be judged as is. If it needs an external explanation than the movie doesn't hold up. As is, the movie has characters doing things that simply don't make sense.
I think you're conflating "doesn't make sense" with "not wholly rational."
The characters make perfect sense, especially in the context of the religious overtones in the movie. Leaps of faith and mysterious ways and all that.
The space jesus thing is pretty much what I've been saying, except I didn't figure that there was a literal Jesus. That shit is Ridley Scott being insane. But the rest of the themes, the arrogance of the humans - it's all there in the movie.
No, non-rational characters doing non-rational things could make perfect sense in a movie. That's not what happened in this movie. In this movie, characters do things for no discernible reason and out of character for them up until that point. No overlay of fuzzy overtones could wash away such major story deficiencies.
No, non-rational characters doing non-rational things could make perfect sense in a movie. That's not what happened in this movie. In this movie, characters do things for no discernible reason and out of character for them up until that point. No overlay of fuzzy overtones could wash away such major story deficiencies.
Leviticus Chapter 22, Verse 3 (LV-223)- For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.
I'm still confused as to what people are considering to be out of character behavior. I can't be the only person who thought the whole thing made perfect sense.
Except Space Jesus. Fuck you Ridley Scott. Why did you mean for there to be a literal Space Jesus?
If you see Prometheus expecting to see another Alien, you're gonna have a bad time.
Other than that, this is the sort of film that I fucking love. More questions than answers? Yes please. Awesome lore? Mhmm. Mind-fuckery? Bring it on.
Furthermore, subjective story opinions aside, the film was extremely well made. The actors were very competent (Fassbender far and above the best), visuals were awe-inspiring, and cinematography was top notch.
Comments
But remember, the humans don't actually know if it was an invitation. They BELIEVE it was, but they don't know for sure. Maybe it was a warning.
For sure, its motivations are unclear. But then again, we humans do that too. Make something and disavow its existence/attempt to bury it. This goes back to our treatment of David.
Perhaps they expected to be worshipped as kings, and we insulted them by demanding answers.
Maybe they learned an awful truth - those things you worshipped as gods are actually jerks. And you're jerks because you were made by jerks.
Or maybe that one dude never liked the idea, and saw his chance to do something about it.
But all in all, I think it ties back to themes of the hazards of investigation, and of our inability to grasp our nature. We tangled with Things Man Was Not Meant To Know, and were burned for it - yet we still strive to know.
It's definitely frustrating because the answer is unsatisfying, but I'm pretty sure that was the point. Bro-husband grappled with the letdown of discovering your ignorance, and the cynicism that results. It's part of the conflict that drives the need to investigate - the clash between idealism and cynicism.
Not really a spoiler, but...
Oh yeah, if you haven't heard about this, here's the Space Jesus theory of Prometheus: http://cavalorn.livejournal.com/584135.html
Say what you will about Gatsby's ethics, but he's not a douche. I don't think life is as simple as "hitting on married woman = douchebag."
The characters make perfect sense, especially in the context of the religious overtones in the movie. Leaps of faith and mysterious ways and all that.
The space jesus thing is pretty much what I've been saying, except I didn't figure that there was a literal Jesus. That shit is Ridley Scott being insane. But the rest of the themes, the arrogance of the humans - it's all there in the movie.
Leviticus Chapter 22, Verse 3 (LV-223)- For the generations to come, if any of your descendants is ceremonially unclean and yet comes near the sacred offerings that the Israelites consecrate to the Lord, that person must be cut off from my presence. I am the Lord.
Except Space Jesus. Fuck you Ridley Scott. Why did you mean for there to be a literal Space Jesus?
Other than that, this is the sort of film that I fucking love. More questions than answers? Yes please. Awesome lore? Mhmm. Mind-fuckery? Bring it on.
Furthermore, subjective story opinions aside, the film was extremely well made. The actors were very competent (Fassbender far and above the best), visuals were awe-inspiring, and cinematography was top notch.
TL;DR