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[Future]

That actually stuck out to me as well. He should have shown up with the mask on.

But that would have made it harder for the squid thing to get access to his mouth and face! Which it needed to do so we could see the classic alien at the end!

Another prime example of a scene that makes sense by itself to advance a plot point, but makes no sense in the greater scope of the movie. This movie was filled with scenes like this. Didn't even catch this one in the theater

 

[linkboy]

Feel free to shoot me the verse that describes Jesus when he was alive (i.e. when he would have been an Engineer and I can't believe I just wrote that sentence). I am not a scholar but do not recall any readings in Catholic church about his description, have always heard that there is no description of him in "what did Jesus look like" shows/articles/etc., and can find no sources in a search right now. Am always interested in being corrected when I am mistaken though.

To be fair, if you're trying to spread a particular story about someone for religious purposes, you're going to sugar coat it.

Saying he's an 8ft tall pale white creature from from another planet really isn't going to gain you a lot of followers.

 

[Cake Boss]

I ignored the whole Engineer going after Shaw for some reason because I was still trying to understand how the fuck he survived another ship exploding right into his cockpit without any injuries. And it doesnt look like they have super natural abilities since you see one of them had his head cut off by the door. SO WTF.

 

[ThoseDeafMutes]

To be fair, if you're trying to spread a particular story about someone for religious purposes, you're going to sugar coat it.

Saying he's an 8ft tall pale white creature from from another planet really isn't really going to gain you a lot of followers.

He doesn't have to be an 8 foot tall pale while creature. They can create a member of their own species modified to look indistinguishable from a human, or alternatively modify a human to have some neat powers. Shit, if his powers are coming from tech and not from biowankery, they can literally just raise an unmodified human as one of their own for the role.

 

[JB1981]

There were two "easter eggs" in this movie that I found neat.

1.) Streitenfeld uses the original theme from Alien in the scene where Weyland greets the crew in the hologram.

2.) I believe it is Holloway that yells "We are leavviinnnng" to one of the crew members before the sandstorm rolls through.

They were neat nods to the old movies. I'm listening to the score on youtube right now and I think it's pretty effective.

What also doesn't make sense about the Space Jesus angle is, the Engineers don't seem like very nice people. And Ridley has also said that their home planet "Paradise" is a mean and nasty place. So why would they care if we killed Jesus? It doesn't seem like they are a loving God anyway.

 

[andycapps]

I ignored the whole Engineer going after Shaw for some reason because I was still trying to understand how the fuck he survived another ship exploding right into his cockpit without any injuries. And it doesnt look like they have super natural abilities since you see one of them had his head cut off by the door. SO WTF.

Did it show where the cockpit was of the engineer ships? I don't remember that.

 

[The Interrobanger]

I ignored the whole Engineer going after Shaw for some reason because I was still trying to understand how the fuck he survived another ship exploding right into his cockpit without any injuries. And it doesnt look like they have super natural abilities since you see one of them had his head cut off by the door. SO WTF.

Uhhh, the Prometheus didn't slam into the cockpit. And considering that the ship seemed to be incredibly well built/durable I don't see how it was a stretch that a super buff/strong person could survive.

 

[Solo]

Guys, I went and jacked off in a fountain on lunch break. I got some weird looks, but that's the price you pay to create life.

 

[linkboy]

He doesn't have to be an 8 foot tall pale while creature. They can create a member of their own species modified to look indistinguishable from a human, or alternatively modify a human to have some neat powers. Shit, if his powers are coming from tech and not from biowankery, they can literally just raise an unmodified human as one of their own for the role.

Here's what I'm assuming what Scott is going for.

We know that the Engineers have been coming down to Earth to check on us at various times, the cave paintings prove that.

One comes to pay us a visit and is treated as a a god by the citizens of Earth and the Roman Empire takes an issue with that. They end up weakening him somehow and crucify him.

I'm not saying that the Engineers created the Jesus story. I'm saying that an Engineer was the basis for the Jesus story and mankind created the Jesus story an an attempt to get people to believe in Christianity.

 

[Mondriaan]

Maybe that last surviving Engineer was severely brain damaged, kept in stasis, and was going to be transported back to the home planet to be repaired when all hell broke loose.

My theory is that the moon they landed on caused brain damage to everything that landed on it.

 

[linkboy]

What also doesn't make sense about the Space Jesus angle is, the Engineers don't seem like very nice people. And Ridley has also said that their home planet "Paradise" is a mean and nasty place. So why would they care if we killed Jesus? It doesn't seem like they are a loving God anyway.

How many times have we seen a story where the life form that was created (us in this case) pisses off their creator (the engineers in this case) and the creator goes from being benevolent to violent.

Hell, its even happened in the Bible, where a benevolent God turned vengeful because mankind was turning away from him and he decided to wipe the vast majority of them out with the flood.

If they did send an Engineer down to check on our status and we killed him, that would be a good reason for them to consider us a failure and get pissed.

Also, an artificial life form like David would also be affront to them.

 

[AVclub]

That actually stuck out to me as well. He should have shown up with the mask on.

I thought they said you could survive 2 minutes outside without any breathing assistance.

Maybe that last surviving Engineer was severely brain damaged, kept in stasis, and was going to be transported back to the home planet to be repaired when all hell broke loose.

My theory is that the moon they landed on caused brain damage to everything that landed on it.

This is a brilliant theory, btw.

 

[The Elite]

Maybe that last surviving Engineer was severely brain damaged, kept in stasis, and was going to be transported back to the home planet to be repaired when all hell broke loose.

My theory is that the moon they landed on caused brain damage to everything that landed on it.

Reminds me of an episode of Star Trek: TOS.

 

[Erigu]

there's no indication in the film that the engineers weren't able to breathe the air of the planet they were on.

So they made the air inside the ships breathable for human beings because...?

What also doesn't make sense about the Space Jesus angle is, the Engineers don't seem like very nice people. And Ridley has also said that their home planet "Paradise" is a mean and nasty place.

Well, now they're angry. The skirts and the crucifixion?

 

[MjFrancis]

I'm never "that guy" when I watch a movie for the first time in the theater, unless the plot holes are complete nonsense. For instance, the only things that stood out to me on a first viewing were 1) Why is this scientist interacting with this snake creature? Did he completely forget they were trying to avoid any possible life at all costs just a short while earlier? And 2) Why is Wayland and Co. so oblivious to this half-naked, stitched-up and bloody woman in their presence?

Every other nitpick has been poignant, but as a result of being able to tune it out on a first viewing I'm still quite impressed with Prometheus. I may actually watch it in theaters again, and should the problems stick out on a more critical viewing I'll probably shy away from purchasing it for home viewing.

The theories range from batshit insane to sort-of-interesting, but I'm most intrigued on how Scott will handle them in a Prometheus sequel. It's inevitable at this point, right?

Like the characters in the film, I'm interested in the reasons the Engineers created life on Earth and subsequently found it unworthy. Even if it means sitting through a sequel to discover their ultimate motivations.

 

[Marleyman]

I was pretty much blown away by this movie. Yeah, there are some nagging issues that have been brought up already however I had a great time and left the theater with tons of questions about some deep issues I have with humanity. Noomi Rapace was very solid in her role as was Fassbender as David. I am definitely all for this series continuing and felt this was one of the better sci-fi movies I have seen in awhile.

 

[Confidence Man]

Just to think that strange looking alien in the pilot seat from Alien was basically a more evolved human, oh and they actually created us and one of them was Jesus and they wanted to wipe us out because the Romans crucified him.

Fuck this.

 

[ncsuDuncan]

The soundtrack for this movie was baffling at times. Random scenes would have music that felt like it came from Superman Returns.

The movie starts with a exploration/discovery tone and the theme worked for that, but after the first instance of horror/suspense it should never have tried to bring back that innocent wonder style.

 

[The Elite]

Just to think that strange looking alien in the pilot seat from Alien was basically a more evolved human, oh and they actually created us and one of them was Jesus and they wanted to wipe us out because the Romans crucified him.

Fuck this.

Small universe.

 

[Replicant]

Just to think that strange looking alien in the pilot seat from Alien was basically a more evolved human, oh and they actually created us and one of them was Jesus and they wanted to wipe us out because the Romans crucified him.

Fuck this.

When you put it that way, it does sound LOL-worthy.

I just realized another question that wasn't answered by the film: Is David a "Pleasure model"?

 

[andycapps]

So they made the air inside the ships breathable for human beings because...?

Like most things in the movie, what we're given is inconclusive. There's a lot of things that are brought up and then we're on to the next thing before a full answer can be given. Which gives rise to conjecture over what things mean, or to people saying "LOLZ LINDELOF AT IT AGIN!!11"

I was more of just throwing that out there. We don't know anything about the engineers other than our DNA matches theirs identically. I would guess that they made the ships breathable for themselves, and because we're so similar to them, humans can breathe it in as well.

The guy was a one minute run from his home ship to the pod that Shaw was in. It's more likely that he just held his breath to run there.

Just to think that strange looking alien in the pilot seat from Alien was basically a more evolved human, oh and they actually created us and one of them was Jesus and they wanted to wipe us out because the Romans crucified him.

Fuck this.

People wanted answers from this, now they're mad at the answers that Scott gave them.

 

[JB1981]

Perhaps that small section was "breathable" for humans because they invited us there? You know kind of like having a comfy couch for us to sit in? Or giving us a false sense of security. It was a trap (I think). But that makes no sense since they were well on their way to kill us before that, so why would they want to lure us there in the first place? I guess the originally wanted to lure us there as invitation, like hey come over to my pad and hang out. But the initial invitation was to a military installation containing terrifying weapons of mass destruction. So the intial invitation was not peaceful from the beginning.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

Why do people keep talking about this movie asking "deep questions"? I left the film feeling like I had been spoon-fed shit philosophy by a freshman college student.

Edit:

If they did send an Engineer down to check on our status and we killed him, that would be a good reason for them to consider us a failure and get pissed.

Hahaha no it's not it's a terrible reason.

"Holy shit they killed Freebo Slystomper for causing societal upheaval!"

"Those animals! We'll destroy them all!"

"Well guys, you have to remember that we were pretty barbaric when we were a young species too, so I don't think this is really cause to do anything dra--"

"TURN THEM ALL INTO WEIRD LITTLE ALIENS!!!"

 

[Ether_Snake]

Ok, just saw it haven't read the thread yet.

-Whole story is about sex.
-Engineers have no females/worship death.
-Engineers live for a long time.
-With no women, there's no way for them to procreate except in death.
-They use seeding planets as some sort of weird ritual outlet for sex.
-Since they worship death, the process of wiping out the planet they seeded is an honor for them.
-Explains why the one engineer that killed Wayland smiled at David.
-The xenos are the enginner's DNA manipulation/process of the yin to their yang.
-All aliens are female, the exact opposite of their race.
-And the engineers worship the alien because it's everything they want all wrapped up in a living entity. A death dealing female organism.

Basically, I think the whole Alien story is a just a fucked up way for a group of sexually repressed higher beings to get off. Explains a ton of the sexual imagery.

Might be wrong, gonna read other theories now. Love the movie. Fuck Damon Littleoff.

Cool idea, also fits with the idea that Engineers=Fallen angels.

edit: Just read the last few pages, this thread has turned to shit.

 

[andycapps]

Cool idea, also fits with the idea that Engineers=Fallen angels.

That is actually a cool idea. I wish that this thread had more theories in it like that.

 

[ncsuDuncan]

Question:

The scanner picked up a lifeform. What was that? It was floating at the end of tunnel leading to the entrance of the ship, did it really detect the sleeping Engineer through the doorway AND the cargo hold?

 

[JB1981]

Holy cow at Bob White's theory. That would make a ton of sense.

 

[Ether_Snake]

Question:

The scanner picked up a lifeform. What was that? It was floating at the end of tunnel leading to the entrance of the ship, did it really detect the sleeping Engineer through the doorway AND the cargo hold?

It detected something (probably moving since it stopped). It was past the dead dudes with bursted chests. No idea what it was, could have been whatever burst out of their chests, or just some worms, who knows.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

It detected something (probably moving since it stopped). It was past the dead dudes with bursted chests. No idea what it was, could have been whatever burst out of their chests, or just some worms, who knows.

Didn't those little guys zip through the temple room, too? Wouldn't they have freaked out seeing as how the place was chock full of maggots?

 

[andycapps]

Question:

The scanner picked up a lifeform. What was that? It was floating at the end of tunnel leading to the entrance of the ship, did it really detect the sleeping Engineer through the doorway AND the cargo hold?

Doesn't seem to have been answered in the movie. Didn't they theorize in the movie that the engineers were running from something? Maybe the sensor registered all of the "life" in the jars.

 

[Jarmel]

Guys I got this. The reason the Engineers are so pissed off is because they can't have sex.

There are no female Engineers to release all this pent up frustration and the only way they reproduce is by suicide. Shitty life right? So they see us with women like Theron and got jealous leading to them wanting to wipe us out. That's why that Engineer was heading to Earth, to get some action. It's also why he chased after Shaw at the end as he wanted to make sweet music with her.

 

[andycapps]

I wish we could start a new thread for people that actually want to discuss the movie instead of assuming that the story is shit because they don't want to think about what Scott and Co were getting at. You can say it's bad writing if you have to think about these things and theorize, or you can say that it's not spoonfed and that it leaves a lot to the viewer.

 

[Dan]

Question:

The scanner picked up a lifeform. What was that? It was floating at the end of tunnel leading to the entrance of the ship, did it really detect the sleeping Engineer through the doorway AND the cargo hold?

It didn't make sense, just like everything else in the movie.

If they did send an Engineer down to check on our status and we killed him, that would be a good reason for them to consider us a failure and get pissed.

If this was an experiment/project lasting millions of years, I'd say it's remarkably stupid to react to one little incident of an emissary being killed.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Drew McWeeny looks into the unexplained plot points of the film

This article, in full, is the best piece on Prometheus I've read. For those that didn't click, it's not just the questions segment quoted, as that's about 1/3 of the article. It's worth reading.

This in particular is spot on:

I think some people like to just tell good yarns, and themes in their work are somewhat unintentional, arising more from the way they tell the story and the choices they make within than any conscious decision to write "about" something. But some people work from theme to story, and "Prometheus" feels like a film where a few big images, a few big ideas, and a few franchise touchstones were all thrown together and then connective tissue had to be created to try to make some sense of those elements. It is not a film that feels like it fully explores any of the ideas it raises, and a few big things it introduces are almost incidental in the end.​

 

[Clydefrog]

Guys I got this. The reason the Engineers are so pissed off is because they can't have sex.

There are no female Engineers to release all this pent up frustration and the only way they reproduce is by suicide. Shitty life right? So they see us with women like Theron and got jealous leading to them wanting to wipe us out. That's why that Engineer was heading to Earth, to get some action. It's also why he chased after Shaw at the end as he wanted to make sweet music with her.

do they even have penises?

 

[Erigu]

That's why that Engineer was heading to Earth, to get some action. It's also why he chased after Shaw at the end

It's all clear, now! Coming soon in the director's cut: the Engineer tries to woo Shaw by playing something sexy on Chekhov's piano (why do you think they had that alien ship be controlled by a flute? to establish the guy is talented! foreshadowing, peeps!). But she lures him to the "bedroom", and you know the rest: dramatic irony!

 

[linkboy]

Edit:

Hahaha no it's not it's a terrible reason.

"Holy shit they killed Freebo Slystomper for causing societal upheaval!"

"Those animals! We'll destroy them all!"

"Well guys, you have to remember that we were pretty barbaric when we were a young species too, so I don't think this is really cause to do anything dra--"

"TURN THEM ALL INTO WEIRD LITTLE ALIENS!!!"

When the life form that was created rises up against his creator, the creator almost always responds with violence. Its not something that's unique to Prometheus, its been done before in sci-fi.

We see it in the bible when God punishes people with the flood

We see it in the Matrix when the robots rise up and our response is to go to war with them.

 

[Dresden]

When you put it that way, it does sound LOL-worthy.

I just realized another question that wasn't answered by the film: Is David a "Pleasure model"?

Obviously not, considering David's status and relationship to the founder of the company.

Coincidentally the very beginning (where we see David living out those intervening years in space travel) was some of the best in the film. Just the sight of a man android slowly going insane in isolation.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

When the life form that was created rises up against his creator, the creator almost always responds with violence. Its not something that's unique to Prometheus, its been done before in sci-fi.

We see it in the bible when God punishes people with the flood

We see it in the Matrix when the robots rise up and our response is to go to war with them.

To apply the situation in Prometheus to The Matrix would be like if humanity started the war with the machines for having the gall to start using transistors instead of vacuum tubes. The motivation there was that humanity was losing its spot as the prime species and had to stop the machines before they lost control.

In Prometheus they send a guy to Earth who starts fucking around with the established power structure and then gets killed for his trouble. What were they afraid we were going to do? Was the Roman Empire going to develop FTL travel and wipe the Engineers from the galaxy?

No. It doesn't make any sense and it's an incredibly half-assed motivation for their actions.

 

[commedieu]

Obviously not, considering David's status and relationship to the founder of the company.

Coincidentally the very beginning (where we see David living out those intervening years in space travel) was some of the best OF THE ENTIRE film. Just the sight of a man android slowly going insane in isolation.

fixed

I loved the feel of where that film was going. Imagine if all the characters, or at least, 1 other, was fleshed out so well.

Infinite alternate universe, there is a good Prometheus film!

This article, in full, is the best piece on Prometheus I've read. For those that didn't click, it's not just the questions segment quoted, as that's about 1/3 of the article. It's worth reading.

This in particular is spot on:

I think some people like to just tell good yarns, and themes in their work are somewhat unintentional, arising more from the way they tell the story and the choices they make within than any conscious decision to write "about" something. But some people work from theme to story, and "Prometheus" feels like a film where a few big images, a few big ideas, and a few franchise touchstones were all thrown together and then connective tissue had to be created to try to make some sense of those elements. It is not a film that feels like it fully explores any of the ideas it raises, and a few big things it introduces are almost incidental in the end.​

I really REALLY enjoy that snippet, and the one positive thing about all of the negativity, regarding Prometheus, is its the same one note. Everyone is definitely on the same page here. It was just a mess and credits.


and a straight line run death scene.

 

[zulfate]

Me and my lady saw it last night and we loved it. Yeah it wasn't perfect but i really enjoy the subject. Here is what I got from it:

I think the engineers look at the xenomorphs as a major threat to them and maybe the whole universe. In an attempt to get rid of them I think they tried to create a bio weapon using some of the xenomorphs dna and there own. What happened at the beginning, I took as, them testing it out to see what happens, but without the risk of harming their own kind. That's why they went to a remote planet. This is something Idras Elba even suggested early in the movie. Something to the effect of "They aren't dumb enough to test it on their own planet."

Maybe they came back to visit us once they realized that they created a new race. Kind of the way scientists monitor lab rats. The engineers could have been peaceful and when they realized that they created a new life form(us) they gave us the directions to seek them out? But maybe there was a rogue group of engineers that didnt like that idea, hence the only living angry engineer. He could have killed the others by sabotaging them. He was obviously on his way to kill us next. He showed signs of endearment toward David, slowly touching Davids face. It's almost like he was touched emotionally for a split second, then became filled with rage and knew he had to destroy us. Lab rats experimenting on lower forms of life?

Also, since I think they're using xenomorph DNA, it will always eventually reach the point of becoming one, regardless of the hosts they infect. The DNA has an ultimate goal of becoming a xenomorph. It may take several host to get there, but it will always get there. The black goo affects each individual differently. Regardless of the host it infects, its goal will always be a xenomorph. The DNA is very strong parasite with an ultimate goal in mind. Thats why the worm/squid things were both versions of the facehuggers.

I also think we will never fully understand things because we simply can't understand an alien race.

I love the story but the dialogue can be annoying. I was also expecting it to be slower paced like how ALIEN was, but in todays cinema i rarely see that anymore.

after reading alot of this thread i guess my idea is out the window lol. i still really enjoyed this flawed masterpiece

 

[Erigu]

I loved the feel of where that film was going.

Same here. No dialogue, for one thing.

 

[Dresden]

fixed

I loved the feel of where that film was going. Imagine if all the characters, or at least, 1 other, was fleshed out so well.

Infinite alternate universe, there is a good Prometheus film!

allow me to indulge in fanfiction:

- everyone dies in cryo due to a malfunction

- David lands alone on the moon

- three hours of David walking in silence through the ruins

- no dialogue save for David muttering lines from the movies he watches

 

[commedieu]

Xenos were such a major threat, the engineers built a seeming shrine to them? I think if anything is to be believed, the Xenos are a higher lifeform than the engineers. I just want to see how this is played out, as we have only been exposed to them as intelligent animals really. Sure, the hives are pretty impressive, but its not really like they are using tools or flutes.


We can't ignore the shrine & the tomb with the green diamond on it. Although the entire cast did, we simply can't.

 

[BuddyJoeHooker]

Question:

The scanner picked up a lifeform. What was that? It was floating at the end of tunnel leading to the entrance of the ship, did it really detect the sleeping Engineer through the doorway AND the cargo hold?

It did detect the sleeping Engineer, that's why David jumped at the chance to offer to repair it. He wanted to see what it detected leading him to the sleeper.

 

[zulfate]

Xenos were such a major threat, the engineers built a seeming shrine to them? I think if anything is to be believed, the Xenos are a higher lifeform than the engineers. I just want to see how this is played out, as we have only been exposed to them as intelligent animals really. Sure, the hives are pretty impressive, but its not really like they are using tools or flutes.


We can't ignore the shrine & the tomb with the green diamond on it. Although the entire cast did, we simply can't.

its not unheard of a culture or tribe to acknowledge a powerful foe

 

[Jarmel]

after reading alot of this thread i guess my idea is out the window lol. i still really enjoyed this flawed masterpiece

Inception was a flawed masterpiece. This isn't.

 

[NathanMcMahon]

allow me to indulge in fanfiction:

- everyone dies in cryo due to a malfunction

- David lands alone on the moon

- three hours of David walking in silence through the ruins

- no dialogue save for David muttering lines from the movies he watches

That sounds like a student film...

utterly horrible

 

[zulfate]

Inception was a flawed masterpiece. This isn't.

hahaha very true but i cant help but love it since i have a weakness to stories like these, i just love the idea of trying to understand what we are as a human race and all that jazz.

 

[GhaleonEB]

It did detect the sleeping Engineer, that's why David jumped at the chance to offer to repair it. He wanted to see what it detected leading him to the sleeper.

I didn't understand why it only detected it intermittently. Wait, I do actually. It detected intermittently so that it could plausibly be a glitch and David could dispatch himself to check it out without raising suspicions, because that was the best the writers could come up with.