If you are going to make a movie about the possible origins of human life and the universe, then you better have something to say. “Prometheus” is a technically well-made 3D sc-fi motion picture with lots to show that fails to keep its promise of revealing any possible answers to the questions it poses.

After a somewhat nonsensical opening scene with a human-like creature near a waterfall, we then pick up the action in the year 2093 aboard a deep space probe called The Prometheus. It has been launched by the mysterious, ancient owner of a large corporation in an effort to possibly learn about the genesis of humans and life as we know it. Prometheus is headed for a very remote planet because prehistoric cave drawings have been discovered on Earth that seem to point to that direction as  a place where important discoveries will be made.

Not going to happen. Instead we get a lot of imagery that is striking but very reflective and redundant to films like “Alien” and “2001.”  It’s almost like the creatures from these two earlier films are picking up their story in “Prometheus,” still mad, still angry and still with very little to do but to scare and kill for seemingly no purpose.

Charlize Theron, fresh from doing battle with Snow White, returns as a corporate executive of the company that launched the mission who’s there to make sure everything stays on track.

There are some scenes, especially early in the film, when you will get the feeling you’re seeing “life” on a faraway planet. That is well done. But beyond that, the scripting is often just plain silly. Some important theological & scientific questions are presented as if the film will eventually offer some possible answers, which it never does.

Where is Sigourney Weaver when you need her?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1446714/