A visually grand, idea-heavy sci-fi horror prequel that’s more compelling for its atmosphere, design, and existential questions than for its plotting. If you enjoy ambitious, unsettling space mysteries and can tolerate characters making baffling decisions, it’s worth a watch.
Prometheus
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Science Fiction · Mystery
Wed · 2h 4m
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
Overview
A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
Director
Ridley Scott
Cast
Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
Curator Review
Verdict
A visually grand, idea-heavy sci-fi horror prequel that’s more compelling for its atmosphere, design, and existential questions than for its plotting. If you enjoy ambitious, unsettling space mysteries and can tolerate characters making baffling decisions, it’s worth a watch.
Best for
fans of bleak, high-concept science fiction
viewers who prioritize visuals, production design, and mood
people interested in creation-myth and origin-story themes
audiences who like horror with philosophical overtones
Skip if
you need airtight logic and consistent character behavior
you want the tight suspense and simplicity of a lean creature feature
you dislike slow-burn setup before the horror kicks in
you’re looking for a satisfying, self-contained narrative
Overview
Prometheus is one of those big studio sci-fi films that feels both overcooked and strangely fearless. Ridley Scott stages it like a mythic expedition into the void, with immaculate surfaces, eerie machinery, and a constant sense that humanity has wandered into something ancient and indifferent. The result is often mesmerizing, even when the screenplay is working against the movie’s own intelligence.
Top Letterboxd reviews
single white femalien (4★) · 11311 likes
alien abortion still my favorite scene in all of feminist film herstory
Emma Stefansky · 6302 likes
everyone: david, don't touch it david: oops
•lily• (3.5★) · 5594 likes
Ridley Scott: i want to make a prequel to Alien lol producer: oh so a film that explores the origin of the aliens Ridley Scott: [hurriedly sketching a dick shaped spaceship] sorry what did you say
Tentin Quarantino ☭ (2★) · 3720 likes
My issues: -The movie takes a while to get rolling. In ALIEN, the movie pretty much started with the crew waking up. In this film, that happens about 15 minutes in, violating the 'arrive late, leave early' rule. -What was the point of leaving star maps in ancient cave paintings if they lead to a defense installation where the one remaining ambassador is just going to roid out and body slam his guests? -What was the point of Fassbender poisoning… more
Dan (4.5★) · 3573 likes
my mom was like "oh, dan, that's how I had you!" when shaw was getting a c-section to get the baby alien removed like thank you mother,,
Themes
creation and origin, human arrogance, faith versus science, body horror, ancient mysteries, cosmic dread, artificial intelligence, exploration gone wrong
Topics
science fiction, horror, mystery, cosmic dread, body horror, philosophical, slow burn, space exploration, existential, visual spectacle