It all began with a giant elephant-like creature more than 30 years ago. Dubbed 'the Space Jockey', it appeared seated in a pod-like device in the original Alien film. The creature - featured in books and comics - has not been shown in any other film in the series. Until now.
In the new Alien prequel, Prometheus, a trillion-dollar project seeks to find 'our maker' and unlock the mystery of our existence.
Scientists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) ride aboard the Prometheus spacecraft. Others on board include power-crazed chief Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and a robot David (Michael Fassbender).
Before long, the mission begins to go haywire as the crew members are infected by alien DNA and attacked by face-huggers and chest-busters. The message: if you defy our creator, you will be punished, like the titan Prometheus of Greek mythology.
The film is on a par with the likes of Tron: Legacy in terms of epic special effects and the overall visual tone.
Director Ridley Scott, the man behind the original Alien, is in charge of the prequel. The films are separated by three decades, but there are clear similarities between them. Scott has brushed the cobwebs off his sci-fi wand and created another masterpiece.