A decent sci-fi scarefest with pretensions of profoundity

Rating: 6/10 (21 November 2012)

Greek mythology, the origin of humankind, the nature of consciousness all decorate what is actually a haunted house sci-fi scarefest. Squid- like creatures jump out and impregnate space travelers, and duplicitous androids poison people who mutate in Frankenstein Monsters. The film feels very much like underwater alien scare stories like "Deep Six" or "The Abyss". Of course, woven around this is the Alien mythology who seeks to make the non-Darwinian argument that humans are alien creations themselves much like the old "X-Files" mythology does. If you like these "ancient astronaut" stories you'll adore the film, if you think they are a lot of hokum, you'll still find some entertainment here. The cinematography, set design and visual effects are masterful. Noomi Rapace, despite her wandering accent, is a mesmerizing actress very much in the mold of Sigourney Weaver. Charlize Theron, who can do anything, frightens as a cold-blooded (or possibly no-blooded undercover android) corporate manager. They work well with a sometime clunky ("I didn't come half a billion miles from any men to get laid") and wildly unrealistic script. For example, after landing on an alien world some 10X23 kilometers from earth, finding an ancient military base, and leaving 2 crew members to die there, the whole crew settles in to get either high or drunk. I would imagine someone actually in this situation wouldn't need to artificially liven up the day by getting baked and would be too damned scared to throw a few back. More time spent on the script would have helped realize the films potential of being a true classic which it may achieve anyway depending on the success of the sequel.