Erich Von Däniken first popularized the Ancient Astronaut theory way back in 1968 with the release of his controversial Chariots of the Gods?, which suggested that human civilization was influenced by extraterrestrials that inspired primitive religions. Though the book has been heavily criticized by academics due to its misleading presentation of legitimate historical findings, its popularity has led to everything from sensationalist TV shows to online conspiracy groups, with many people becoming obsessed with this peculiar bit of pseudoscience.
Ancient aliens would explain many coincidences and inconsistencies in our species’ history, so it makes sense that people would become captivated by an idea that acts as a bridge between faith and science, mixing traditional evolution with hints of creationism. While the rise of Fake News and science deniers has made conspiratorial discussions a contentious subject, you’ve got to admit that these concepts make for compelling genre narratives. After all, the hallmark of good science fiction is using futuristic technology and fringe theories to explore intrinsically human concepts like faith and existentialism, so it stands to reason that Ancient Astronauts have become a part of popular fiction.
And the way I see it, there’s one particular movie that stands out with its chilling use of the concept, which would be Ridley Scott’s controversial Alien prequel, Prometheus. It’s been a decade since I first watched it in theaters, but I still look back on the film with a mix of wonder and fascination. Don’t get me wrong, the movie is no masterpiece by any stretch of the imagination, suffering from a clunky script, questionable action sequences and some shallow character work, but the picture is built around a series of burning questions that still resonate 10 years later, which is why I’d like to talk about it.
A follow-up to 1997’s Alien Resurrection was actually in the works since 2002, when James Cameron reached out to Sir Ridley Scott with the intention of producing the next chapter in Ellen Ripley’s xenomorph-busting saga. These plans were ultimately canceled when Fox decided to focus on the development of Alien vs. Predator, which led to a falling out with Cameron. However, seeds of that unmade project would eventually lead to Jon Spaihts writing Alien: Engineers in 2009, with that screenplay becoming the predecessor to Prometheus.
It may not be completely superior to the finished product, but I’d highly recommend checking out this original script as it makes a bit more sense than the final draft and some of the set pieces are scarier. Engineers actually led directly into the events of 1979’s Alien, adding a Lovecraftian spin to the origins of both humanity and the xenomorphs as it filled in some of the gaps left in by the original series. In fact, the story was so Lovecraftian that this production ended up sabotaging Guillermo Del Toro’s proposed At the Mountains of Madness adaptation, which featured nearly identical action scenes and plot twists.
There’s no denying the flick’s Lovecraftian influences.
However, Scott ended up consulting with Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof before production began, with the writer suggesting that the project be revised into an open-ended spin-off only tangentially related to the Alien films. Not wanting to repeat himself, Scott ultimately agreed, hiring Lindelof to rework the story with him during the next couple of months. While I have several objections with the alterations made to Spaihts’ script, even I have to admit that making Prometheus stand on its own was the right move.
Even so, the finished film’s overall plot was mostly unaltered. It still followed a group of scientists travelling to a distant planet after archeologists discover a series of clues suggesting that extraterrestrials visited mankind in the past, leaving behind star maps so that they could one day make contact. This Weyland (pre-Yutani) funded expedition ultimately leads the team down an ancient aliens inspired rabbit hole as they discover the sinister intentions that these Alien Engineers had for our species.
Along the way, the story makes use of several religious references, incorporating everything from horrific virgin births to multicultural creation myths and even alluding to the Alien Jesus conspiracy theory. While this important bit of lore is excised from the finished film, Scott would later admit that one of the Engineers’ main motivations for wanting to exterminate humanity was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who was apparently a peaceful alien emissary sent by a superior species to aid us in our cosmic evolution.
While removing such a controversial idea makes sense from a marketing point of view, it’s a shame that Scott wasn’t allowed to go all-out with these batshit crazy theories. The director is clearly fascinated with religious and existential themes, and even if you’re not a fan of Prometheus, you’ve got to admit that these are brave concepts to explore in a big-budget blockbuster. Scott would even revisit several of these ideas later on in both Alien: Covenant (another underrated sci-fi/horror romp that deserves its own re-evaluation) and the tragically underseen HBO series Raised by Wolves.
Prometheus is actually filled to the brim with references to Scott’s other work, with several sci-fi elements harkening back to Blade Runner. Weyland’s “I want more life” motivation is clearly a nod to Rutger Hauer’s Roy Batty, and Michael Fassbender’s entire character seems to be a riff on the themes explored in the iconic Phillip K. Dick adaptation. While David is technically not a replicant, the film’s supplemental material hints that Weyland and the Tyrell corporations once competed to produce synthetic life, placing the two franchises in the same universe.
David is the real star of the show.
Beyond the esoteric story, the rest of the film is also a masterful achievement in filmmaking. Thanks to the regal influence of Sir Ridley Scott, this pulpy sci-fi thriller boasts a surprisingly star-studded cast, featuring the likes of Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and the always-lovable Benedict Wong. Even the stereoscopic photography is top-notch, with Dariusz Wolski making this one of the most impressively shot 3D movies out there.
The horror elements are also quite effective, with sinister touches like composer Marc Streitenfeld making the orchestra play his score (and unused Alan Silvestri compositions) backwards and then reversing the music so it sounded eerie in the final film. This creative approach to the film’s scares also extends to its visual design, with the production team originally wanting to avoid copying H.R. Giger’s iconic visuals. However, they soon realized that it was impossible to get away from the artist’s biomechanical nightmares when designing a anything xenomorph-related, so Giger was inevitably brought on board as a consultant. Prometheus is actually the final motion picture to benefit from the Swedish artist’s input, with Giger contributing to the project with several new extraterrestrial designs.
These qualities don’t quite excuse infamous blunders like Rapace engaging in intense action sequences minutes after undergoing horrific surgery or less-than-intelligent moments like supposed experts endangering the entire expedition due to unprofessional behavior, but I firmly believe that the creative intent here outshines the film’s flaws. If you think about it, these blemishes only stand out because the filmmaking surrounding them is so damned good in the first place, not because they ruin the experience.
In all honesty, the only issue that truly bothers me here is the bloated ensemble, which doesn’t allow for talented thespians like Elba and Guy Pearce to fully develop their admittedly interesting characters. The over-reliance on supplemental materials like the viral marketing campaign (which produced a series of brilliant short films and in-universe advertisements) to fully comprehend the story is also a bit annoying, especially when so many cool concepts and monster designs wound up on the cutting room floor.
While it’s fun to speculate about the film that Prometheus could have been, I still think that it’s a miracle of a movie despite its numerous flaws. It’s definitely the most creative property to come out of the Alien franchise since the 1979 original, and I think the prequel’s reputation as a missed opportunity is mostly unjustified. In a world where interesting intellectual properties are usually wasted on boring rehashes, Scott somehow managed to gift us with an intelligent standalone thriller that still boasts plenty of treats for hardcore Alien fans, and that’s why it’s still worth revisiting 10 years down the line and beyond.
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