What's the story?
It's the year 2089 and scientists Dr Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) are on the verge of explaining the origins of mankind and our place in the universe.
Having researched mysterious ancient cave paintings that all point to one particular star constellation, the two colleagues believe the paintings are an open invite from the creator of man and, whoever they are, they have come to the conclusion 'they' want us to come and visit them.
Setting out on a quest into deep space in the starship Prometheus, Shaw and Holloway are joined by multi-billionaire industrialist Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce), cold and calculating company executive Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and eerily serene android David (Michael Fassbender) on a mission to the alien planet LV-223.
There, they uncover not only the truth of our origins, but a living, breathing nightmare that may well herald the end for the human race.
Any good?
If you're a fan of Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi/horror classic Alien, then you've probably been waiting with bated breath for the release of Prometheus, an Alien prequel that's been touted as, well, not so much a prequel or origins story but more of a new entity in its own right.
With Alien creator Scott back in the director's chair to take charge in the genre he helped define, there's been a lot of hype surrounding the release of Prometheus. But with the close connection to the Alien/xenomorph universe and a plot and characters that pretty much shadow Alien, it's hard to shake the obvious connections between the two stories.
But that's not necessarily a bad thing – Scott is a master storyteller and a visionary director and, with Prometheus, he's made another sci-fi gem that should appease both fans of the genre and those out for a simple Friday night fright at the flicks.
Creepy
Yes, if Ridley Scott is good at one thing, it's delivering fear, creepy monsters and excellent sci-fi set pieces that leave you breathless and wanting more. Along with absolutely stunning special effects, Prometheus looks amazing and Scott manages to take us to a mysterious world that is as haunting as it is darkly beautiful.
The A-list cast find themselves cast adrift, at the mercy of strange and horrible creatures who pick them off one by one and, if Prometheus has a weak link, it is clearly the somewhat familiar plot that feels decidedly lacklustre and a little unoriginal.
However, Scott still crafts an engaging tale and, if you don't pick too many holes in it, you should enjoy the show immensely. Naomi Rapace, star of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is on great form as Dr Elizabeth Shaw and gives Sigourney Weaver a run for her money, while the excellent Michael Fassbender does a great job of giving the android David a deeply unsettling slant.
Final word
Prometheus does not redefine the sci-fi genre or even rewrite the Alien universe; however, on its own, it stands up as an entertaining slice of moody and evocative science-fiction.
