Ridley Scott comes back to the Alien franchise he helped create with a film that is set before the first but isn't a prequel. Must depend on your definition of prequel. It is true the story doesn't lead directly into Ripley's own but it so heavily anticipates it that prequel seems a fair label. That said, the film stands alone perfectly well without requiring any prior knowledge of past films.
The plot boils down to archaeologists discover maps to alien worlds. Rich executive sends them to a far away planet. Exciting discoveries are made there. Then the screaming and the running start. But in amongst all the grooey scenes of extra-terrestrial terror, taking great delight in rendering people helpless, questions start to rise. Who made us? Who made them? Why do we care? Does it matter? Can androids learn to be human? How does alien evolution work? None of these really get answered which for me was a strength of the film. It dares to paint a picture big enough to ask those questions and leave you to ponder them providing great rewatch value and pub conversation.
On top of all this the film is fantastic to look at. Classic dark alien interiors, tunnels and spaceships are supplemented with expansive barren wastelands broadening the scope of the saga and making it feel more epic than before.
Viewed on its own terms this is an outstanding return to sci-fi from the great director. It doesn't feel like other Alien films because it doesn't really follow the predator and hunted template, nor does it derive much tension from the scenes where things are going wrong. But the fact it is different does not mean its bad. I predict in time a lot of negative critics will see how wrong they got it and realise how good this film is.
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