Good visuals and a strong Fassbender performance make 'Prometheus' spasmodically enjoyable.

Rating: 6/10 (21 June 2015)

'Prometheus', the anticipated prequel to the 'Alien' franchise, follows a team of archaeologists and scientists on an interstellar investigation into the origins of man. The film is graced by great visual effects, and the cast, in my opinion, is generally better than the ensemble of the later 'Alien' films. Idris Elba and Charlize Theron handled their roles well, but I think that the true star of 'Prometheus' was Michael Fassbender. His approach to the 'Lawrence of Arabia'-loving android, David, was fantastic. I'd also commend one particular scene, which I guess I'm not spoiling by labelling it "the surgery scene". It's my favourite scene from the 'Alien' franchise since the famous John Hurt one. Look out for this scene; it's very well-constructed. I think that the positives more or less end here, however. The "all hell breaks loose" moments in 'Prometheus' generally aren't as captivating or nearly as original as they were in the earlier films. Furthermore, generally good suspense is consistently followed by disappointing delivery. The desire to capitalise on the strong visuals seemed to compromise the story in places, for instance in the scene which had many viewers asking, "why didn't they run sideways?" I'm also quite critical of the character of Dr Charlie Holloway, as his portrayal really didn't convey intellect or expertise, as one would expect; he seems to fit in more with the convicts of 'Alien 3'. I was also particularly disappointed by the first "big encounter"; its delivery, again, failed to mirror the earlier, far more atmospheric films. Overall, there were some enjoyable moments of 'Prometheus', but without Fassbender's performance it would have been interminable.