I adore films that immerse the viewer. They take them on a journey causing the viewer to sit back and melt into their seat and enjoy the experience. Being immersed by a film is why a person watches movies, to be apart of a different world and to experience characters and how they interact with each other and the situation they're in. One such film is Prometheus. The 2012 science fiction film, directed by Ridley Scott, is an interesting one that brings viewers on a journey into a space to a far-away planet. The film's plot, acting, and visual effects make it stand out, providing a thought provoking experience for viewers.

The story of Prometheus is actually one of its weaker parts. The premise, which is very convoluted at times, is at least interesting. The plot revolves around creation and where humans came from. Its main ideals question human inception and what happens when death occurs. An interesting scene in the beginning involves the main character as a child questioning her father about what happens when you die, "Everyone has their own word. Heaven. Paradise. Whatever it’s called, it’s some place beautiful." her father says as they sit watching a group of people carry a dead man. It's a chilling scene that creates a sort of thought worthy tension in the viewer. While the prologue asks the deep questions, the rest of the film does not quite carry the tone of contemplation that the beginning provides, which is a shame because so much more could of been done with the interesting theme. At some points it seems as if the film threatens to fall apart under the ambition of its theological questioning. The thick of the plot involves a group of rag-tag humans traveling aboard their ship to a planet in which two main characters, Elizabeth Shaw and her boyfriend, Charlie Holloway believe holds their creators. The whole expedition is funded by the mysterious “Weyland Corporation” for reasons that are later revealed. What they find is not what they expect as the situation goes from bad to worse for the crew. The overall plot of the film is not as strong as it could be and it raises more questions than it answers, leaving myriad plot holes as the credits roll.

The performances of each character in the film are by far one of its strong aspects. Every character puts in believable acting with standouts from the main protagonist Elizabeth Shaw and the android, David. An interesting factor of this film's characters is their characterization. None of the characters are particularly likeable. While most films provide characters that you root for, Prometheus uses an interesting approach to character. I found myself not really rooting for any character; a fact that I only realized after the film was done. Perhaps this tactic was used so that you only cringe as most of the character are brutally killed and put into uncomfortable situations. As previously stated, Elizabeth is well done and very believable. There’s an overly disgusting scene involving the character, which is easily one that stands out among the others and one that everyone will surely discuss after seeing the film, it’s truly that grotesque. David, an android, is performed to spectacular level. David is the first main character that the viewers see. His introduction is done incredibly well. The viewers see the figure wandering around a seemingly lifeless ship. The scene is interesting and well performed and creates a certain tension that only some films can create. His character is of award winning standard and is by far the stand out one of the group. He is as sinister as he is charming. He can easily make a moment lighthearted as soon as he creates darkness, he’s certainly interesting. The viewer will continue to question his robotic motives as the film progresses. Mentioning the two-standout performances does not belittle the supporting cast. The rest of the acting is well done and believable. The performances of this film really bring the overall tone and believability to fruition.

Visually, Prometheus is outstanding and is easily the strongest facet of the film. Money was absolutely poured into making the movie as visually striking as possible. The special effects and artwork provided are ones of true beauty. The powerful fidelity of the 3D camera used provides an absolutely stunning visual feast. From backdrops of space, the flight of a ship, the view of a baron planet, visually everything is gorgeous. Any film award that Prometheus would win would certainly be involved in its visual department and art direction. One could simply Google images of Prometheus and see its initial visual design and how state of the art it is. The film is simply beautiful and the bar has been set for future science fiction movies of the like.

Everyone enjoys different genres of film; people have their own preferences and personal favorites. The uniting factor of film viewers is the want to be engrossed in a movie. People want to escape from their life for a short period of time, and sit back and watch a story unfold before their eyes. This phenomenon does not exclusively apply to film, but every form of media. Even though Prometheus is not the greatest film ever, it still succeeds in providing a rich fictional world. The plot is believable and the setting and tone of the film creates a sense of seclusion and mystery for the viewer. Overall the film is visually remarkable but the story and characters are often tied together with a rather thin plot. The movie serves as a fitting prequel to the Alien films but in the end offers something more to be desired.