The Genesis Story

CAST: Charlize Theron,Michael Fassbender,Noomi Rapace,Guy Pearce

Rating: ***

Prometheus of Greek mythology,the titan who has become a symbol of human striving,is the inspiration for this film. And the questions that plague creation of life,from the hows to the whys,lie at the centre of it. Prometheus explores the concept of “creator” from all angles — from a father who shapes her daughter’s faith and world view and humankind that has made androids possible,to a woman who can’t get pregnant and aliens who may have “engineered” life on earth. It asks the questions,plays with religion,gives tantalising glimpses of what it may be willing to say,and then thudderingly,in largescale 3D-esque destruction,falls back on the unknown.

At one level,it is good to know the film doesn’t portend to have the answers. But the way it ends,makes you wonder: did it ever want to,since it leaves the door open for a sequel?

The film itself arose from Scott’s attempts for a prequel to his pathbreaking Alien. But a lot has changed since 1979,when “beings that we haven’t seen” weren’t so frequently sighted on the big screen. Scott does try,with the spaceship ‘Prometheus’ that flies into a planet thousands of light years from earth,in the year 2093,slowly gliding into a runway that looks too smooth to have risen from god’s mysterious ways. Inside the spaceship,17 crew members have just woken up from a “hypersleep” of two years — the time it has taken to reach the planet. The ship has been manned by an android who is an exact replica of humans. It is played by Fassbender,the actor with the immaculate touch. Not a hair strand out of place,‘David’ has been learning ancient languages of the world even as he laps up his mannerisms from Peter O’ Toole,rides a cycle through the spaceship’s empty corridors and spins a basketball atop it.

The android’s name isn’t the only religious overtone. The crew lands on the planet on Christmas Day and Elizabeth (Rapace),the main scientist,wears a cross around her neck,a constant reminder of her beliefs. David is also the conscience keeper as well as the curious child of the ship,asking questions the others won’t voice. Fassbender is an inspired choice,able to play both coldly detached and intimately involved.

Elizabeth and her scientist boyfriend believe that the planet they are visiting hosts a life form that may have once brought life to Earth. Of course,the aliens don’t turn out to be friendly sorts and soon death in all forms comes to the Prometheus,including a sequence involving Elizabeth and a self-contained auto-surgery machine (you are horrified but the technical wizardry on display makes you unable to look away).

Sadly,most of the action takes place in confined cave-like corridors,cutting off the planet that promised such wonders before. And even though one sequence involves a galaxy magically springing up at the sound of a flute,music or wonder — let there be no doubt — is not what Scott is aiming for here.

shalini.langer@expressindia.com