“This project started life as an intended prequel to ‘Alien’ but morphed into something else

(CBS News) Reviews are in for outer-space thriller “Prometheus,” and they’re mostly positive.

The film, which marks “Alien” and “Blade Runner” director Ridley Scott’s return to sci-fi, has scored a 74 percent “Fresh” rating from critics on RottenTomatoes.com.

Here’s what some of them had to say:

Pictures: Designing “Prometheus”Pictures: Summer films 2012

“‘Prometheus’ elicits ‘Alien’ memories for viewers who have them, but works on its own, too, as a model of a contemporary (and, as is the contempo mode, long-winded) sci-fi horror pic.” – Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly.

“Strikingly beautiful, expertly paced, vividly detailed and scary as hell, it holds you in its grip for its entirety and doesn’t let go. You’ll squeal, you’ll squirm – at one point, I was curled up in a little ball in my seat in a packed screening room – and you’ll probably continue feeling a lingering sense of anxiety afterward. That’s how effective it is in creating and sustaining an intensely suspenseful mood.” – Christy Lemire, Associated Press.

“The virtuosity on display makes the weakness of the story – the screenplay is by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof – all the more frustrating. I’ll avoid spoilers here, but “Prometheus” kind of spoils itself with twists and reversals that pull the movie away from its lofty, mind-blowing potential. Geeks and dreamers will hold onto scraps of splendor and wish for more.” – A.O. Scott, New York Times.

“‘Prometheus’ damn near lives up to the unsustainable hype, at least at the level of cinematography, production design, special effects and pure wow factor.” – Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com.

“Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ is a magnificent science-fiction film, all the more intriguing because it raises questions about the origin of human life and doesn’t have the answers. It’s in the classic tradition of golden age sci-fi, echoing Scott’s ‘Alien’ (1979), but creating a world of its own. – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times.

“This project started life as an intended prequel to ‘Alien’ but morphed into something else. Unfortunately, the closer it comes to a climax, 토토사이트 the more you feel the elements being lined up to set the stage for a sequel to this film, most of all in a coda that feels like a craven teaser trailer for the next installment.” – Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter.

Tell us: Do you plan to see “Prometheus”?