Alien fans are still divided on Prometheus, 13 years after it released in theaters, but the film actually plays better now than it did in 2012. Directed by Ridley Scott, Prometheus functions as a quasi-prequel to his 1979 sci-fi horror classic, Alien. Set around 30 years before the events of Alien, the film follows Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and the crew of the Prometheus spaceship, who travel to a distant world on a mission to research humanity’s origins. There, they discover an abandoned structure housing a lethal alien threat.
Prometheus introduces an early form of the creatures known as xenomorphs (the “Deacon“) at the earliest point in the Alien franchise timeline, chronicling the beginning of humans’ contact with them. The movie also incorporates the android David (Michael Fassbender), who plays a pivotal role in Alien’s established lore in Prometheus and beyond, as David returns in Scott’s 2017 film Alien: Covenant, which is a direct sequel to Prometheus.
As the fifth installment of the Alien franchise, Prometheus received mixed reviews from critics and audiences in the wake of its release. The film earned praise for its detailed visuals and storytelling ambition, yet was criticized for a somewhat weak script with plot inconsistencies and lack of a strong connection to the rest of the franchise. Despite some viewers’ dissatisfaction with Prometheus, Alien fans should take the opportunity to revisit the prequel. Prometheus has aged better than the franchise’s other entries, and it’s well worth rewatching after 13 years.
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Prometheus Has Aged Well Thanks to Several Factors
At the time Prometheus came out, it was hard to consider it a true Alien movie. Although its premise certainly lined up with previous installments, Prometheus takes a more philosophical approach to sci-fi/horror, sacrificing endless action set pieces for a thoughtful exploration of the history of humans. Thankfully, Alien: Covenant nicely continues the story and makes Prometheus feel more connected to the Alien franchise. A new crew’s arrival on the planet Dr. Shaw and David set off for at the end of Prometheus sparks the next chapter of the narrative. Like its predecessor, Covenant examines the origin of xenomorphs. David’s return appearance also provides some necessary answers concerning Dr. Shaw’s fate and the xenomorphs. Covenant makes Prometheus a more complete story, and watching the two back-to-back makes for a thrilling and satisfying experience.
Furthermore, Prometheus still serves as a great gateway to the Alien franchise. With seven movies released as of 2025 and presumably more to come, Alien continues to expand its universe. However, this can make it difficult for new audiences to introduce themselves to Alien, especially given that the films have not been made in chronological order. Thus, Prometheus‘ place at the very start of Alien’s timelines makes it the perfect first movie for one to delve into before the others. Prometheus lays some vital groundwork surrounding the Xenomorphs’ backstory and brings about the franchise’s most compelling android arc through David.
Beyond the film’s narrative appeal, Prometheus has held up extremely well on the technical side of things. Over a decade later, the movie’s visuals still look amazing and frightening. Even though Prometheus starts a bit slow, the final third of the film provides riveting action sequences and genuine scares — such as the always-disturbing birth of a xenomorph. Prometheus compares to the gorgeous visual effects and elevated horror elements of 2024’s Alien: Romulus, though Scott’s 2012 movie holds more value in the franchise in the long run.
Prometheus May Not Be the Alien Franchise’s Best Movie, but It’s Still Underrated
Prometheus doesn’t stack up to the best of the Alien franchise, but it’s still a strong addition to the franchise. To date, Alien and its 1986 sequel Aliens, remain the IP’s highest-regarded titles thanks to their excellent characterization of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), hair-raising suspense, and terrifying xenomorph scenes. The characters in Prometheus evidently haven’t left an indelible mark on fans the way Alien’s first two movies did, nor have the film’s scares lived up to the timeless effect of Alien’s original chestburster scene or Ripley’s battle with the Xenomorph queen in Aliens. Prometheus is a drastic departure from other Alien movies, but that isn’t a bad thing. The last 13 years have been kind to Scott’s film, as its technical prowess and intellectually deep narrative still offer a visually entrancing and intellectually stimulating movie-watching experience today.
Prometheus is currently available to stream on Hulu.
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