Prometheus, BEST cinematography 2012?

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For some particular reason, I am finding it impossible to collate a complete review for this modern masterpiece; perhaps I have been unknowingly impregnated by an alien, and its fetus is controlling my mushy brain. Regardless of the plausible Sci-Fi explanation, this post is entirely dedicated to the hauntingly beautiful visuals of this Ridley Scott Epic.

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Although it is only July, I am rather confident that Prometheus will take home the Oscar for cinematography. Simple fact is, the story arc is an age-old explorers' tale - a plot-line that has been heavily exploited in Sci-Fi; the moment you view the trailer, you know that most of the characters are fated to die. I would use the term *meet their maker*, but that can be greatly ambiguous with this film. It is Prometheus' graphically stunning execution of the material that entices us, and provokes us to thoughtfully consider its grand questions. Similar to Scott's earlier masterpiece, Blade Runner, Prometheus' futuristic universe compels the audience to call into question every aspect of our existence. Any action film, with a standard plot, that can evoke such insights is amazing, and should be cherished.

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Too dumb to live is how some viewers have described the characters; I mean, removing their helmets whilst exploring a cavern in an alien pyramid isn't exactly a brilliant move, even if the atmosphere is cleaner than ours, but if you desperately desire to scrutinise the situation, these are mad scientists who have been asleep for two years, LITERALLY. So, as you can imagine, the urge for fresh air can be rather uncontrollable, and scientists can be very romantic and sentimental about a livable atmosphere.

 Oh, and since we're already engaged in this discussion, if a character is exposed to a storm of flying debris, she is going to die even if she runs sideways. Scott is resourceful enough to end her life with an intense BANG instead of a dull, fatal injury; pardon the man for purposefully using special effects!

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Phew, okay, now that I am finished with being overly sarcastic, we can finally discuss the film's divine cinematography. The opening scene consists of marvelous, expansive scenery, and the ingenious director isn't just enthralling us with powerful CGI and great shots for the aesthetic value of it. Observing this natural utopia, we can't help but realise that we are minute, microscopic particles in this vast universe. This establishes the brave and broad strokes of the film; these shots, accompanied by a score that can be described as celestial, thrust us into a spaceship, and demands us to savor the ride.

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The film poses the momentous questions of creation and destruction, and leaves the questions unanswered. Millenia of Science have yet to solve this puzzle, and you expect answers from a two-hour film!? Even if this becomes a compact duology or a successful trilogy, and it absolutely can, I don't think we'll ever get a neat answer. Some mysteries will always remain unraveled and unsolved, and this doesn't concern me. What concerns me is that we are persistently endeavouring to play god - meeting our creators and becoming creators ourselves - our abuse of Science is and will continue to disrupt the natural order. Are we pausing to reconsider the possible apocalyptic outcomes? Or are we too driven  by our agendas, commercial or otherwise, to waste any time? 

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They Went Looking For Our Beginning, What They Find Could Be Our End.

This simple tagline captures the essence of the thematic concerns; as one of the character says we do because we can, and that arrogance is our fatal flaw. Even when pit against monumental architectures and an enemy that can tear them apart from the inside, the characters persevere in their quest to discover some sort of miracle. The grandiose cinematography not ONLY illustrates our insignificance, but also our raging impulse to be heard and to be known. The Prometheus spacecraft puts any Avatar airship to shame, and the P spacecraft plays a crucial role in the story - not that we're doing a comparative study. I feel as though I'm writing an essay, so I'll end on this note.

The cinematography of Prometheus is flawless in every sense of the word, these visuals accentuate the scope of the story, from the crevices of the human soul to the endless waterfall of the universe.
We, once again, lose ourselves in Scott's Alien world, but little do we realise that we are actually peering into the deepest and darkest caverns of our souls. That is one unforgettable experience.

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P.S. This took a million years to write, and I'm sorry if it takes a million years to read. Love y'all.