Star (Wars) of David

Rating: 8/10 (13 May 2017)

I was left more than a tad underwhelmed by the Alien prequel that was 2012's Prometheus. It started well, had a spectacular finish and sucked like a smelly Alien egg in the middle. Expectations for this one were almost as non-existent as Theresa May's integrity but, against my better judgement, I went to see it anyway in the desperate hope it wouldn't suck (at least not too much). I'm delighted to report that, for the most part, it doesn't.
A sleek and highly intriguing opening sequence quickly paves way to a more-of-the-same, spaceship-crew-awake-from-hypersleep-to-answer- distress-signal-on-hospitable-planet-and-unwisely-check-it-out shtick. And then it gets really good!
I won't spoil it too much for you, but what Ridley Scott delivers this time around is a visually arresting, very exciting and thoroughly engaging mash-up of Alien & Prometheus surrounded by slasher movie tropes with gleeful riffs on Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and a jaw-dropping moment lifted straight from the prologue of John Boorman's Zardoz shaping its centrepiece. Hell, he even cheekily integrates key beats from his own Blade Runner which, hopefully on this evidence, is a good omen for things to come from Dennis Villeneuve's imminent sequel.
But, just like its predecessor, AC's real ace trump is Michael Fassbender, returning not once, but twice as the 'idiosyncratic' David, and his doppelganger upgrade 'brother', Walter. He excels in both roles, but it's the former who gets right under your skin. Via Fassbender's android Hannibal Lector spin, we get the perfect vessel to deliver Scott & screenwriters John Logan & D.W. Harper's impressively bleak musings on the future of mankind. It's also interesting that this is the second set of prequels from one of Fox's biggest tent poles (see Star Wars episodes 1-3) to feature an anti-hero at its core. Kudos says I.
Sure, there's plenty wrong with it too: there are no annoying characters around like there was on tap in Prometheus, but most of the cast are mere Facehugger/Xenomorph grist for the mill. Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup & Danny McBride give strong, solid performances and do enough to register interest, but next to Fassbender's powerhouse turn, its weak tea.
Also, Scott relies too much on repeating dialogue, action and music cues from his 79 original (and even Cameron's Aliens) than try and create something fresh. He executes everything with maximum efficiency and the set pieces come off more enthralling & attention grabbing than they've any right to be. But its crystal clear Scott's heart is firmly with David & the big existential questions.
The creatures are a hit & miss bunch too: the Pan's Labyrinth like Neomorphs are suitably ghastly and effective, but the more traditional monsters come over like brand obligation bit-players in their own movie. They're far from a box office red herring, but they're not much more than an after-thought either.
Griping aside, Scott has largely redeemed himself with a pacy hybrid of bloody exploitation slice & dice action and hardcore life-the- universe-and-everything science-fiction philosophising that resonates loudly with the gloomy here and now. This is a Summer blockbuster with brains and a vision that, even at its most predictable and downbeat, never forgets to entertain. You may be able to spot the pay-off to AC coming a mile away, but it gets the one it needs and the one you want to see. And Sir Ridley doesn't let you down. Roll on Episode Three!