Ridley Scott's long-gestating unofficial/official is-it/isn't it prequel to the ALIEN franchise (um, yes it is!) has vast ambition with mixed results.

Rating: 8/10 (8 June 2012)

PROMETHEUS (2012) *** Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Logan Marshall-Green, Sean Harris, Rafe Spall, Emun Elliott, Benedict Wong, Kate Dickie, Patrick Wilson. Ridley Scott's long-gestating unofficial/official is-it/isn't it prequel to the ALIEN franchise (um, yes it is!) has vast ambition with a brilliantly designed yet story- weak retread of the original sci-fi classic shocker depicts a crew of scientists sent into deep space to find the answers to the universe: where did we come from? A well-cast, expertly directed and massive undertaking in the jaw-dropping visual effects and production design - to wit: a risky turn by Rapace as the anthropologist/true believer determined to get answers even at her own peril (and I do mean peril!); satin-smooth/scary-smart Fassbender as the synthetic David whose looks (and hidden agenda?) are modeled after Peter O'Toole's LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (!) ; and Arthur Max' amazing eye for details with expert cinematography by Dariusz Wolski and a doom-laden score by Marc Streitenfeld - is only hampered by a rather rote storyline by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof - while touchstoning such echoes of its predecessors, Carpenter's THE THING, 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and even in ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN (OK OK - Rapace's underwear costume at a key point that rivals the original's chest-bursting arrival out of John Hurt's cavity that truly gives new meaning to pregnant pause). Scott still has the eye for detail and epic scope that can only be rivaled by his legacy and that in itself is worthy of applause but perhaps too much wishful thinking that this would be of even weight. And in 3-D IMAX the only way to see!