Prometheus Directed by: Ridley Scott Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron Rating: Not Yet Rated Release Date: June 8, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 9/10
Thoughts by TSR: When it was announced that Ridley Scott’s next project would have some connection to Alien – one of my favorite horror films – I was equal parts concerned and excited. On the one hand, I didn’t know if I necessarily wanted a “prequel.” But part of me was excited at the prospect of another film set in the same world. I’m not sure I want to see a film that explains all the events leading up to what happens on the Nostromo, but I’m hoping returning to this world puts Scott back at the top of his game. Everyone involved has been playing coy about just how this is related to Scott’s 1979 masterpiece. This makes it clear it’s connected by revealing the title in the same way as the original Alien trailer. I’m thrilled that it merely hints at how it’s connected without spoiling anything in a major way.
Connections to Alien or not, I would still be excited. I haven’t loved a Ridley Scott film since 2003’s Matchstick Men, but the man has proved he is capable of great work worth anticipating. There are plenty of reasons to be excited in addition to these as well – the cast accounting for many of them. We don’t get more than fleeting glimpses of anyone, but just having names like Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, and Idris Elba attached is enough for me.
Instead of divulging much about the plot or cast, this trailer is all about setting a mood. In that regard it is one of the most effective trailers I’ve seen in a while. Scott seems to have succeeded at creating an unsettling atmosphere, one thing I was looking for from this film. There are a lot of intriguing shots – one such being an alien head on an autopsy table – that suggest further connections without revealing too much.
The film’s title and tagline hint at big ideas and an epic scope that cement what the footage in this trailer already proved: if I could only see one film this summer, I would make it Prometheus.