Finally, The Alien Franchise Is Reborn! Thank You Mr. Scott!

Rating: 9/10 (15 August 2012)

It's been a long time since the Alien franchise has had a hit. The first two films are masterpieces of science fiction and cinema in general. Alien 3, the directorial debut of David Fincher, was slammed by fans and critics in 1992, but it was a box office hit. After the 2003 Director's Cut was released, a lot more people began to appreciate it, and I view it as a great horror/survival film that mixes the first two Alien films together in a darker, more serious tone. Then we got the really weird Alien Resurrection in 1997, a film that was penned by Joss Whedon and directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Unfortunately, it was pretty mediocre. The story wasn't that intriguing, the characters were there pretty much only to die, and can we not forget that disgusting Alien-Human Hybrid thing? Then we got the crossover films Alien Vs. Predator and AVP Requiem. They're so bad, I won't even talk about them. Then we got word that Ridley Scott, the director of Alien in 1979, was directing a new prequel to his original film. We got hyped, and when we saw the trailers; wow, it was incredible. This film does not disappoint.
The film takes place in 2093 (30 years before Alien), where two archeologists, Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway (Naomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green) are leading an expedition on the Weyland Corporation-owned spaceship Prometheus. It's captained by Merideth Vickers (a fantastic Charlize Theron) and Janek (an excellent Idris Elba), and has a total of 17 people (most you will never know). Also on the ship is an android named David, played by Michael Fassbender, who I believe deserves an Oscar nomination. He was hands down the best actor in the film. The ship is headed for a planet called LV-223 after Shaw and Holloway discovered a star map in ancient human ruins dating back tens of thousands of years. They are now in search of the "Engineers" (Space Jockeys if you're an older Alien fan), the humanoid alien beings who created humans on Earth.
The crew of Prometheus land on LV-223 and find an ancient structure built by the Engineers. They go inside and discover a chamber holding vase-like objects that secret a black liquid. This liquid actually triggers massive alien growth in different animals. Small worms become slimy snake-like creatures, and humans can be turned into alien zombie-like creatures. David the Android even infects Holloway with the liquid, and this eventually leads to Shaw getting pregnant, and then getting an alien abortion (it's not a xenomorph, more like a squid creature). All hell breaks lose, and the crew start dying like flies. I won't spoil anything else, but the film introduces a new character towards the end, and the last two minutes of the film were designed specifically for Alien fans! Let's just say I got up and cheered!
Now, as you know, I said LV-223, not LV-426 from the first Alien films. Yes, that's right. Ridley Scott decided to make this a prequel, but a prequel that only gives us more questions than answers, in preparation for a sequel. A lot of people walked out of the theater feeling disappointed, but I actually enjoyed myself. I can't wait to see what else this series has to offer. This film is dark, gross, and scary, but it's a beautifully crafted work of science fiction. My only complaint: Damon Lindelof as the screenwriter. This guy wrote Lost, and Cowboys & Aliens, and he throws in a lot of curveballs in the story, but you can see them from a mile away. Also, some of the dialog in this film is pretty bad. I can only hope they get a different screenwriter next time. However, this is a great film that I loved, and is easily one of the best films of 2012! It's good to have you back Sir Ridley Scott! Let's hope you can make an even better sequel!
Final Verdict: 9/10