Prometheus is a science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott and released in 2012. It serves as a prequel to the iconic Alien franchise. The movie managed to gross over $403 million worldwide, making it a notable success commercially. Its strong box office numbers reflect the audience’s interest in its blend of science fiction and suspense. The film’s success also paved the way for further exploration of the “Alien” universe and left a lasting impact on fans of the genre.
Prometheus Plot Summary
The events of the movie take place at the end of the 21st century as a crew of researchers and explorers board the spaceship Prometheus to investigate a distant moon called LV-223.
Ancient star maps found on Earth lead them there, where they’re confronted with stunning alien landscapes and a dome-shaped structure. As the team explore the building, they find proof of a highly-developed extraterrestrial species that could have had an influence on human development. On their search, they also come across some peculiar, perhaps artificially created biological entities which they refer to as “Engineers”.
Although the initial reaction of the team was filled with wonder and exhilaration, it quickly changed to dread and confusion when they noticed signs of a terrible outbreak. It became clear they were not the sole beings on the moon, and the Engineers’ aims were not necessarily as kind as they had supposed. As they exposed the reality behind the extraterrestrial species and its relationship with humans, they had to confront both the dread within the building and the moral quandaries posed by their findings.
It explores the ideas of creating, seeking knowledge, and the results of human curiosity. It inquires about the beginnings of life, the obligations of those who create, and the potential risks of tinkering with powers beyond human understanding. The team members are faced with difficulties that challenge their convictions, objectives, and their capability to stay alive.
Why Did The Engineers Want To Kill Humans?
In a 2012 interview with Movies.com, Ridley Scott was asked if the engineers killed humans because they had destroyed one of their representatives, Jesus Christ. He responded-
Ridley Scott: We definitely did, and then we thought it was a little too on the nose. But if you look at it as an “our children are misbehaving down there” scenario, there are moments where it looks like we’ve gone out of control, running around with armor and skirts, which of course would be the Roman Empire. And they were given a long run. A thousand years before their disintegration actually started to happen. And you can say, “Lets’ send down one more of our emissaries to see if he can stop it. Guess what? They crucified him.
It is also argued that the Engineers, who are capable of creating planets, are responsible for introducing life to the universe. This is demonstrated at the beginning of Prometheus, as it is revealed that the Engineers have been returning to Earth over the course of history, as evidenced by their symbol pointing to a constellation of stars.
As soon as the movie begins, an Engineer consumes a mysterious dark liquid, which sparks a course of events that renders a lifeless planet to existence. This fluid is so potent, it can transform a desolate world into a vibrant one. When the crew of the Prometheus touches down on the alien planet and ventures into the burial chamber, their steps awaken ancient worms that are still alive and squirming. The containers holding the black liquid begin to seep and the worms mix with it. These worms evolve into serpent-like creatures that later attack two of the crew members trapped in the tomb.
Later, the Prometheus captain is the only one to refer to the black cylinders as bombs or armaments. When Elizabeth is conversing with David, she inquires as to why the Engineers would want to obliterate Earth, to which David responds with, “Sometimes before you can create you must destroy.”
