The Last Duel (Scott, 2021)...

[StuSmallz]

Prometheus wasn't perfect, but for me it def fell into a category I call "suddenly audiences are upset at basic things that happen in every movie but blaming this movie as if it doesn't happen in every movie ever".

"Why does that character breathe that way?" So weird.
"Why didn't character say he may be infected with something?" Why didn't they quarantine in the first Alien?

While I have to repeat that I still don't feel that plot holes as a make-or-break issue when it comes to movies, and the ones that exist in Prometheus aren't the main reason why I didn't like it (since that would be the fact that it's a pretentious, dead end of a "shaggy God" story that coasts off of a vague association with a classic series that didn't need a half-assed origin movie in the first place), I also have to note that the comparison to the original film doesn't hold water, since... [

Show Spoiler

Ripley did want them to quarantine according to procedure, and the only reason why they didn't is because Ash disobeyed her due to his secret orders from Weyland-Yutani...



...which is something Ripley confronts him about. Also, Captain Dallas later says that they're all going to have to go into quarantine anyway when the Nostromo gets back to home base, and they jettison Kane's body after the chestburster pops out of it, reducing the amount of Xenomorph contamination still left on the ship, so the movie's quite consistent and believable in that regard.

]

[transmogrifier]

Prometheus is different for me because its well-educated scientists doing things that would be completely against all protocol and knowledge. It's been a bit, but the cobra-looking alien was clearly defensive, and there was zero awareness to it. That sticks out to me as one.

That is one of the most idiotic scenes I have ever seen in a purportedly "intelligent" mainstream film. And in the same movie a bunch of scientists with GPS maps and full contact with someone outside manage to get lost in a cave system. It's a lazy, dumb film trying to be smart.

[megladon8]

Yes that is the stuff that drives me nuts.

The guy with the map is the only one who gets lost. Like...wtf?

And yes, as Skitch said, other movies are guilty of crap like this regularly. But...

A) this movie presents itself as something much more than a standard horror or slasher flick. It thinks it is a smart movie (which it is in some ways...but then it does stuff like that)

B) these characters are supposed to be the smartest and best that humanity has to offer. They aren't teenage camp counselors.

[Skitch]

Who says its a smart movie? Who says these characters are supposed to be the best? They're hired by a mega-corporation, which makes for a questionable "scientist" anyway. Weyland wasn't the brightest bulb, he though he could just walk up to an alien and ask for more life. I think its safe to say his hiring process is up for debate.

[Dukefrukem]

This is a bad counter, though, because you're basically arguing that "Prometheus" is just another dumb horror movie, so dumb horror movie tropes should be expected and allowed ... which, okay ... but is that really where anyone wants to set the bar?

Yeh you're right. I don't know why I ssaid that because I'm not even sure I believe it.

[megladon8]

Who says its a smart movie? Who says these characters are supposed to be the best? They're hired by a mega-corporation, which makes for a questionable "scientist" anyway. Weyland wasn't the brightest bulb, he though he could just walk up to an alien and ask for more life. I think its safe to say his hiring process is up for debate.

This feels a bit like you just aren't going to accept any criticism of it. Which, okay, fine. But the criticisms are still valid.

[Dukefrukem]

Who says its a smart movie? Who says these characters are supposed to be the best? They're hired by a mega-corporation, which makes for a questionable "scientist" anyway. Weyland wasn't the brightest bulb, he though he could just walk up to an alien and ask for more life. I think its safe to say his hiring process is up for debate.

So I like the angle that space travel is so common that you're not a trained astronauts to go on these expeditions. There's no mental tests. No one wants to go to space. It's high risk, dirty, long hours, dangerous... the original crew of the first movie were just a bunch of commercial logistics employees there were only there for a paycheck.

[Skitch]

This feels a bit like you just aren't going to accept any criticism of it. Which, okay, fine. But the criticisms are still valid.

The criticisms are totally valid. I completely recognize things in this movie exist that are against common sense. Who the hell pets a space snake?

I'm only saying I feel there is a hypercritical eye to these things in Prometheus that are overlooked or completely ignored in extremely well-reknowned films within the same ballpark of genre films. That's all.

I feel like I get into the same arguments with The Last Jedi.

[Skitch]

So I like the angle that space travel is so common that you're not a trained astronauts to go on these expeditions. There's no mental tests. No one wants to go to space. It's high risk, dirty, long hours, dangerous... the original crew of the first movie were just a bunch of commercial logistics employees there were only there for a paycheck.

...and they were so ill trained that their captain, the dude in charge of the whole shibang, ordered his crew to override quarantine protocols. A decision that killed his whole crew (save one and a cat), and long term killed a settlement, a prison planet, and endangered the entire populace of Earth. Talk about needing a little more operator qualifications and background vetting

[megladon8]

The criticisms are totally valid. I completely recognize things in this movie exist that are against common sense. Who the hell pets a space snake?

I'm only saying I feel there is a hypercritical eye to these things in Prometheus that are overlooked or completely ignored in extremely well-reknowned films within the same ballpark of genre films. That's all.

I feel like I get into the same arguments with The Last Jedi.

Can you name some of the other movies that you feel get a free pass for this stuff?

And The Last Jedi is just a bad movie through and through, Star Wars or not. Yeah, yeah, all the characters have arcs. Great. Still a bad movie.

[Skitch]

You want me to list popular movies where characters to stupid things? It happens in most movies, imo. If everyone did everything smart and right there would be no conflict or movie. Again, I'm not making excuses for Prometheus' dumbasses, I'm just saying I feel its held to a different standard. Maybe I'm wrong, its just how I feel.

TLJ is top 3 SW for me, but I'm not getting into that again.

[DavidSeven]

Listened to a podcast interview with Damon that piqued my interest on this. Apparently, the male perspectives were written together by Affleck and Damon, in their first project together since Good Will Hunting. They brought in Nicole Holofcener to write the female perspective. It may have a Rashomon type quality.

[[ETM]]

TLJ is top 3 SW for me, but I'm not getting into that again.

Me neither but yes, yes it is.