--- title: "Prometheus: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/prometheus/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/prometheus" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 25 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Prometheus (2012): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 25 reviews: 14 positive, 7 mixed, 4 negative. Most critics come down on the side of Prometheus, though rarely by much. The praise gathers almost entirely around how it looks: the production design, the scale of the environments, the creature effects and the crisp photography are singled out by nearly every review, including the hostile ones. Michael Fassbender’s android David is the performance most often named, with Noomi Rapace a close second, and several critics pick out the same surgery-machine sequence as the film’s most frightening stretch. The reservations are just as consistent. The script is called thin, the characters foolish, the big questions about creation raised and then dropped, and the comparison with Alien goes against it almost every time. The spread is wide. RogerEbert.com treats it as a major work of ideas; The New Yorker finds nothing in it but bombast; Empire, reviewing earlier than most, judges it hollow. In between, a large middle finds it entertaining and not much more. ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2012. The critic calls it a magnificent science-fiction film that raises profound questions about the origin of human life without providing answers, in the tradition of golden-age sci-fi. He singles out the staggering visuals, expert horror sequences, mind-challenging ideas, and the performances, especially Noomi Rapace's resourceful lead. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/prometheus-2012) ## The AV Club — Tasha Robinson Rating B+. 7 June 2012. Technically and visually impressive with gorgeous design and a thoughtful exploration phase, but undermined by foolish character decisions, dropped ideas and a shift into silly blockbuster action that leaves it more intellectual than visceral and not fully satisfying on either level. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/prometheus-1798173073) ## IndieWire — Matt Mueller Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 1 June 2012. The critic highlights the film's eye-popping visuals and its role as an 'Alien' origin myth. He praises Ridley Scott's direction for delivering a visually spectacular experience that expands the franchise's lore. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-ridley-scotts-prometheus-offers-eye-popping-alien-origin-myth-181345/) ## Radio Times — Terry Staunton Rating 4/5. The critic praises the film as a rattling space opera that explores themes of creation and mortality while delivering a thrilling, well-paced story with solid performances and arresting visuals. They highlight how it shares DNA with Alien but stands as a precursor with profound questions. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-eup9l3/prometheus/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2012. Festival review. The critic highlights Ridley Scott's striking sense of vision and ability to deliver intelligent and visceral filmmaking in this anticipated sci-fi epic. They single out the masterful visualisation of environments, perfectly shot sequences, and the film's capacity to thrill and provoke audiences. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/prometheus/5042830.article) ## The Telegraph — Tim Robey Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2012. Ridley Scott's elaborate sci-fi freakout is majestic to look at and full of tentacular mayhem, pushing the genre into queasy new places with fresh terror in key sequences. It struggles with tone and expectations as a partial prequel but delivers vigorous spectacle worth revisiting. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/9300098/Ridley-Scotts-Prometheus-first-screening-review.html) ## Total Film — Jonathan Crocker Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2012. Ridley Scott returns to sci-fi with a visually stunning, ambitious film that builds mythology around the Alien universe's Space Jockey, featuring strong performances especially from Michael Fassbender, though it lacks the primal horror of the originals. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/prometheus-1-review/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2012. The critic finds Ridley Scott's return to the Alien universe grandiose and muddled, though very watchable with a scene-stealing performance from Michael Fassbender as the android David. It lacks the central killer punch, satirical brilliance and tough rationalist attack of the original Alien. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/may/30/prometheus-review) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 30 May 2012. The critic finds it a visually stunning but not classic return to sci-fi by Ridley Scott that caters too much to audience expectations; praises the technical achievements and performances but notes it falls short of being a benchmark like Alien or Blade Runner. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/prometheus-film-review-330414/) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 June 2012. The critic finds it a tremendously enjoyable if slightly cheesy return to the Alien universe with familiar pleasures, praising the entertainment value despite not being groundbreaking. They single out the grotesque alien birth scenes and Fassbender's android for note. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/hei-fi/entertainment/scott-s-space-odyssey-is-spot-on-7810723.html) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 June 2012. The critic finds Prometheus not quite up to the hype and closer to the original Alien than claimed, being overblown and overlong with a bossy score, but praises its scary monsters, Fassbender's terrific android performance, and its status as a fascinating franchise development and amazing spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/prometheus-review-7804441.html) ## Vulture — David Edelstein Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 8 June 2012. Praises the film's exploration of origins and sci-fi saga elements, noting it tells a bigger story well with satisfying climax, but misses the visceral body horror and Giger influence of the original Alien, making it feel inorganic. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2012/06/movie-review-prometheus-alien-prequel.html) ## Little White Lies — Matt Bochenski Rating 5/3/3. 1 June 2012. The critic calls it an overreaching folly that is visually spectacular but intellectually wayward and narratively unfocused, with a logical flaw at its heart. They single out the exquisite visuals and strong performances, particularly Michael Fassbender as the android David and Noomi Rapace in a standout scene. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/prometheus) ## The Times — Cosmo Landesman Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 3 June 2012. The critic praises wonderful moments and subtle details but criticizes serious flaws including it being hard to follow with creature confusion by the end. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/prometheus-3j2d0lc6t60) ## Time Out — Tom Huddleston Rating 3/5. 21 July 2011. Calls it an expensive, ideas-heavy sci-fi horror but ultimately just another monsters-in-space movie with a flat script and thin characters. Praises the crisp photography, stunning design and bracing set pieces but notes it falls short of expectations. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/prometheus) ## Empire — Ian Nathan Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2011. The film boasts Scott's visual flair and ambition in exploring big ideas and the Space Jockey backstory but suffers from a poor script, thin characters, lack of suspense and atmosphere, leaving viewers with an empty feeling. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/prometheus-2-review/) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 6 June 2012. The film pesters audiences with thin profundities and cornball cosmic mysticism while attempting fan-service through unresolved plot threads and high-minded pretensions that fail to deliver satisfying answers or thrills. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/prometheus/) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 8 June 2012. The review dismisses the film as lacking inspiration, substance, and humor, relying instead on pseudo-mythological bombast and a lumbering audiovisual scheme. The earnestness and cast are singled out for complaint. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/what-not-to-see-this-weekend-prometheus) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan 7 June 2012. The film is seen as a disappointment by the director's high standards, with less to say than it thinks, though it delivers thrills and involvement beyond much summer fare. Production design, cinematography, and storytelling skill are praised. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/science/la-xpm-2012-jun-07-la-et-prometheus-20120608-story.html) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott 8 June 2012. The critic finds visual grandeur and awe in the first hour but notes disappointment as the story and themes become clearer. Scott's sense of scale and the 3-D are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/08/movies/prometheus-by-ridley-scott-with-noomi-rapace.html) ## Variety — Justin Chang 30 May 2012. The film remains earthbound in narrative terms despite elaborate visuals, hinting at higher intelligence without showing much of its own. Visual design and a squirm-inducing sequence are highlighted positively amid complaints about volume and lack of menace. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/prometheus-1117947665/) ## Collider — Matt Goldberg Rating B. 7 June 2012. The film overreaches in trying to answer questions from the original Alien while delivering a self-contained mystery. It succeeds through its gorgeous visuals, thrilling pace, sci-fi horror, and strong performances, especially Michael Fassbender's. [Read the review](https://collider.com/prometheus-review/) ## Eye for Film — Anton Bitel Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 June 2012. The critic finds it a film full of big ideas and even bigger spectacle, praising the grand scale, creature effects, and philosophical questions about origins of life, while noting it may disappoint hype but stands on its own terms. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/prometheus-film-review-by-anton-bitel) ## /Film — Germain Lussier Rating 7/10. 4 June 2012. The critic finds the film overly ambitious and entertaining but flawed, with too many plot threads that muddy the narrative. They single out the dense, exciting first half and original visuals for praise while noting the lack of focus compared to Alien. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/521459/prometheus-review-ridley-scotts-overly-ambitious-entertaining-almostalien-movie/) ## NME — Owen Nicholls Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 June 2012. The critic acknowledges flaws in plotting and characterisation but urges viewers to see the film anyway, praising its stunning visuals in every frame and Michael Fassbender’s standout performance as the android David. The verdict highlights the film’s audacious ambition despite its imperfections. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/blogs/the-movies-blog/prometheus-youll-be-spitting-acid-by-the-end-credits-769286) ## Digital Spy — Emma Dibdin Rating 3/5. 30 May 2012. The review calls the film consistently entertaining with fresh body horror and breathtaking visuals but ultimately empty at its core, lacking cumulative dread or emotional impact. It singles out Noomi Rapace’s performance as providing the needed heart amid the spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a384564/prometheus-review-ridley-scott-returns-to-his-alien-sci-fi-roots/) ## The Wrap — Alonso Duralde Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 4 June 2012. The critic finds 'Prometheus' a sleek but ultimately disappointing prequel that delivers scares and strong performances yet fails to match the original 'Alien' films. He singles out the tension and horror in a surgery-machine sequence involving Noomi Rapace for praise while criticizing the overly explanatory script. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/prometheus-review-serviceable-sci-fi-flick-doesnt-live-alien-legacy-42641/) ## Den of Geek — James Peaty Rating 2/5. 31 May 2012. The critic finds the film a disappointment that fails to deliver on its hype, undermined by weak story logic, lack of tension, and an inability to balance pretensions with franchise conventions. He singles out the director’s strong eye for set design and visual composition, especially on the ship and in isolated sequences, for praise. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/prometheus-review/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/prometheus.md