A prequel to Alien, set in 2093. A band of explorers, including scientists and archaeologists are on an unofficial mission to find the origin of humanity. They arrive at a moon millions of miles away from home. When they spot signs of a a previous civilisation, they go to investigate, which becomes more than just signs. But some have hidden agendas for being on the expedition, such as the Weyland Corporation. They are convinced that this is where humanity comes from. Though after a thread of exciting discoveries and calamitous events, an archaeological and scientific expedition soon to turns from a pursuit of knowledge to one of survival.

What our crew find is less pleasant than knowledge, and a whole lot slimier and bloodier. When they touchdown on the rocky terrain with The Snake AKA android David (Michael Fassbender), robotic hardass Vickers (Charlize Theron), cigar-chomping captain Janek (Idris Elba) and others, they come across a giant construction embodied in the ground. Could this monumental structure hold the key to our origins? Is it the source to meaning of life? Is the quest for answers really worth travelling millions of miles for? In the name of closure, our characters travel. Was it really worth it?

Having watched it the other week as part of the ‘Alien Superticket’, seeing it on the big screen was a good experience. The cinematography and photography is sharp and crisp with stunning design that really blew me away, reminiscent of the previous film Alien, made thirty-odd years earlier in 1979. There are a number of fantastically-done set pieces that really make one’s stomach churn. Mine went for walkies, like a washing machine sounding like an airplane preparing for takeoff. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) in the medical pod is one suspenseful scene and its ending made my gut heave mountains. Yikes. That scene was rough, but brilliant.

Prometheus has horror scenes comparable to Alien too. That said, this modern prequel relies more on action sequences and badass fight scenes than its predecessor, which uses lighting and silence to a great degree. Some of the best scenes involved crew members exploring the cave, including Fifield (Sean Harris) and Millburn (Rafe Spall) and their adventures with some alien beings, which came to gruesome end. I hated David (Fassbender) but I loved his performance. He embodies every meaning of the word, snake. He can solve any problem, knows alien languages and will not hesitate to poison you with unknown substances just to see what it would do.

What is it with Charlize Theron? She’s chilling to watch as the “bad guy” and looks good while doing it. Meredith Vickers represents a corporation that financed the Prometheus. She treats others like they’re subhuman (employees). Captain Janek doesn’t pretend to be anything but the driver, or pilot. He goes from the wisecracking driver in the start of the movie to a man who shows great insight in seeing the truth behind the expedition the crew were manipulated into embarking on. I also enjoyed the banter between Fifield (Harris) and Millburn (Spall). Even on death’s door, the two acted as the film’s comedic relief.

The most interesting element of the film is how it makes one think. Are we the only humans in the universe? It provokes the sort of discussions one only thinks about at 4am. The idea of two identical DNA strands is alarming. How did humanity get from here to there? And coincidence is too good to be true, and quite frankly, I don’t believe in it. Charlie Holloway (Logan Marhsall-Green) banters with Elizabeth suggesting the twins’ existence disproves her previous ideas. This problem is wrapped in an science fiction adventure film with epic visuals and chilling horror, but also mind-bending ideas about what it means to be alive and our place in the universe.