Prometheus (2012)

Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba, Charlize Theron, Logam Marshall-Green, Guy Pearce, Sean Harris, Rafe Spall
Certificate: 15
Genre: Horror, Sci Fi
Awards: None

Prometheus takes place in the same universe as the Alien franchise and follows a group of scientists as they travel to LV-426 (the moon where the alien eggs were found in Alien) to find out who created the human race. There things start to go wrong.

The android David (Fassbender) steals the film. He is a likeable character but you don't trust him. Unlike Alien, you don't really get to know most of the crew. As there are seventeen of them, most don't live long enough for you to care about them.

The film is visually stunning, but some parts of the story seem to not add up. The beginning scenes don't seem to make sense with the rest of the film at all.

Prometheus raises more questions than answers. Nothing is really explained, but a sequel was hinted. I would be interested in seeing the sequel so the film did it's job. The ending however, is absolutely perfect.

****Good

Prometheus Trailer

28 Weeks Later (2007)

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
Starring: Mackintosh Muggleton, Imogen Poots, Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner
Certificate: 18
Genre: Horror
Awards: None

28 Weeks later is the sequel to 28 weeks later. It shows us what happens after the infection of Britain dies and London is repopulated .

The beginning scenes are really good; showing how Don (Carlyle) survived the first outbreak. It is a really intensive scene helped by a brilliant score by John Murphey.  You can relate to all of the characters - even the general who condemns the people to death as you understand why he did it. Usually when a character dies in a film, I don't care that much. In 28 Weeks Later, you follow all the characters and get to know them. When they die, you're heart broken.

28 Weeks Later has matched up to it's predecessor. Both films are modern masterpieces that will be a milestone in British Films. There are rumours that a 28 Months Later may be made. If so, it has a lot to live up to.

*****Brilliant

28 Weeks Later trailer

The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Certificate: 12
Genre: Superhero, action
Awards: Best sound editing, Best supporting actor (Heath Ledger)

Batman is back and been put to new limits. Batman has always had at least two villains in each film since returns and this time it's the Joker and Two Face. Batman has been doing quite well since we last saw him and Gotham seems to be cleaning up. Unfortunately, the Joker has other ideas is hired by the mafia to take own the three heroes of Gotham City. Batman, Commissioner Jim Gordon and the new district attorney Harvey Dent. Together the three may be able to take him down.

The Dark Knight seems a lot darker than it's predessesor. It also focuses less on Batman. Batman Begins was the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman and therefore he was the star. The Dark Knight follows a lot more characters making Batman just another player in the game. The Joker absolutely steals the show with his maniacal personallity and cackling voice.

There are however some things I felt could have been done better. The beginning scenes where Batman is chasing the Scarecrow seems unnesesary. In Batman Begins, the scarecrow escapes and says that he will be back. Just arresting him and then not showing him for the rest of the film just makes it look like Christopher Nolan changed his mind and didn't know what to do with him anymore.

Overall, TDK is a very good superhero film. I prefer Begins for the scarecrow and Liam Neeson but both are extremely good films.

*****Brilliant

The Dark Knight Trailer

Aliens (1986)

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henrikson, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein, William Hope

Certificate: 18

Genre: Action, Sci Fi, Horror

Awards: Best visual effects, Best sound effects

Aliens is set 57 years after the original Alien. Ellen Ripley (Weaver) has been in stasis for the whole time. When she wakes up, she learns that the planet they found the xenomorph on has now been colonised and  the company has now lost contact with the colony. Oh dear...

Ripley and a group of marines then enter the colony to see what's up. The battle between Alien and human then begins.

Aliens is a very different pace compared to Alien. Aliens is a war film and is more about facing the aliens than the actual horror. It is still quite intense however, such as when Ripley and Newt (Henn) are locked in a room with face huggers. It's more action packed. I personally prefer Alien but both are exceptionally good.


*****Brilliant