Prospect : L'Ambre de la lune verte

Prospect is a slow burn of a film. It's the kind of film that asks for a viewer who is willing to appreciate the subtle but deft world-building and peculiarly literate dialog. This is not cheap-thrills scifi, but neither is it navel gazing pedantry. It's a clear story of an often tense struggle in a treacherous and foreign setting.

It is slow, but it is not a slog; on the contrary I found it to be very well-paced. We're never in one place very long, either literally or narratively.

All the acting is good to very good. The photography is excellent. The budget (~3mil) was used well and I found all the props, costumes and effects to be really quite convincing.

I'm glad I took a chance with this one. It paid off.

Modern science fiction films are, mostly, not really science fiction at all. Most of it is really space-fantasy, with laser cannons, explosions, space craft zipping around, fantastic monsters/aliens, etc. None of that is found in "Prospect." This film is grounded in a gritty reality that is extremely believable, more so than in any science fiction film I can remember seeing. In the novel world, stories that stick to some semblance of known scientific fact are known as "hard" sci-fi. Now, to be fair, there isn't a lot of science on display in "Prospect" - it's mostly action, but I will take what I can get! In case you can't tell, I've very much in favour of there being more films like this out there.

I very grudgingly rate this a 7 instead of an 8 or higher mostly for technical / production reasons, that are perhaps in turn due to budget compromises. Special effects, music, and perhaps a bit of the acting was a little b-movie at times. But I quickly got over it and was sucked into the story.

Also Star Wars writers take note: the main female character "Cee" is someone that the audience really roots for by the end of the film. Why? Because instead of being all knowing and all powerful right from the start, her character develops. Some of the characterization was a little lean, and I felt another 10 minutes of screen time devoted to fleshing out the father would have really helped the film, but these are minor nitpicks. Give us more films like this, please!

I found this movie to be a true diamond in the rough, though I had zero knowledge of it prior to seeing it so I wasn't expecting anything one way or the other. I'd definitely recommend everyone experiencing this film the same way, because I can see how it might create unreasonable or inaccurate expectations.

It's a slow burner. Which plays very, very well into the suspenseful undertones. You wont see much in the way of flashy FX or over-the-top action typical in your average Hollywood films. You will, however, be greeted with a well-paced movie that doesn't trip over itself or try to barrage you with a deluge of lore. And you'll also be greeted with solid acting coupled with an intriguing setting. It's also very easy on the eyes, I absolutely loved the color filtering they applied. It's not overpowering but is just 'off-center' enough to stoke that otherworldly feel.

I've seen an absurd number of films. The great ones in my mind are the ones that have stood out, the ones I still remember, the ones I'd be more than happy to watch again. This is one of those films.

As you can see by the reviews posted so far, this little gem polarises the audience.

One share of the Reviews is 7-10, the other 1-3. Almost nothing in between.

Probably this his to to with the expections.

Well, if you're looking for some fast-paced space battle pew pew laser action this isn't the movie you want to watch. This isn't a movie about aliens or about high-tech spacecraft. It's a movie about a few people in a difficult situation.

Made using simple means but with love to the detail. Retro in the best sense. Slow but thrilling. Good acting.

To give away too much of the plot would be a shame. So just watch and enjoy. (Or don't watch if you only like movies with tons of explosions and lengthy chases.)

Damon and his teenage daughter, Cee, are heading to a forested moon where they hope to strike it rich prospecting for precious gems. It won't be easy though; the air must be filtered due to toxic spores and anybody they encounter is unlikely to be friendly. Things go wrong from the start; their lander is damaged as they enter the atmosphere and they miss their intended landing site by some way. An early encounter leaves Cee on her own; if she is to survive and get off the moon again she will have to make an unlikely alliance.

I rather enjoyed this film; it might not be a classic and was clearly made for a relatively small amount but the story is solid in a fairly simply way. It may be set on a distant moon but the plot could come straight from a western. It is somewhat episodic with our protagonist facing a series of dangers that she must overcome but that isn't a problem. The tension is kept fairly high as there is always some danger to be overcome. The small cast does a solid job; most obviously Sophie Thatcher who really impressed as Cee; a character who toughens up nicely as she overcomes various dangers. Also notable are Pedro Pascal as Ezra and Jay Duplass as Damon. There aren't too many special effects but those that there are are pretty good in an unshowy way. The setting looks good; the forest being lush but also somewhat claustrophobic; one can't help feeling it would be easy to get lost there. Overall an enjoyable little sci-fi that is well worth watching.