Every Alien Movie - Ranked From Worst To Best

Prometheus might have been received more warmly if director Ridley Scott had been more open about its true nature, rather than being coy about whether or not the film was actually a prequel to his 1979 hit.

This gave audiences a muddled perception of the project before they'd even seen it, which could have impacted their thoughts upon leaving the cinema. "What did I just watch? What was that opening scene all about? What does it all mean?!"

But if you do go into Prometheus knowing that it is in fact a prequel to Alien and an expansion of the franchise's lore (and you don't expect a traditional Alien horror movie), you may find it quite an interesting watch.

It does feel slightly refreshing because it deviates from the formula - vicious creatures attacking helpless people that are trapped in a relatively confined space - of every Alien film that came before it. It's a quieter, more thoughtful movie about a team of explorers navigating a desolate planet, and on that basis, it succeeds.

But that's also the same reason it disappointed many. There aren't any Xenomorphs until the final shot, there isn't much horror and the scares are limited. Prometheus also raises as many questions as it answers, lending the overall product a feeling of pointlessness.

It also suffers from that tried-and-true horror movie trope of humans acting stupidly, to a frustrating degree. A member of the crew encounters a slimy, silver-grey alien creature and proceeds to... pet it? Okay. Another crew member notices something growing on his eyeball, but doesn't mention it to anyone. Smart move.

It may not have been what every fan wanted, but that doesn't mean it's without merit. Prometheus is flawed, but worthwhile if you know what you're getting into.