After 30 years, acclaimed director Ridley Scott returns to the science fiction genre with “Prometheus,” a highly anticipated summer blockbuster that sets apart from all the rest.

The film’s plot immerses us in the future where a pair of archaeologists lead an expedition to a distant moon that may hold the answer to the age-old question of who is our creator. What is initially thought of as an “invitation” to the stars to discover our origins turns out to be more of a threat against the crew of the expedition and to planet Earth.

While the film serves as a prequel to Scott’s 1979 sci-fi/horror classic “Alien,” “Prometheus” shares so many qualities with its predecessor that it could be considered a loose remake of the popular film franchise. However, it still manages to be unique in its own right with a script co-written by “Lost” series co-creator Damon Lindelof.

In an all-star cast that includes Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Guy Pearce, the stand out cast member is Michael Fassbender as the ship’s well-versed android, David. Despite being an artificial human, he exhibits human qualities. He is made in our image, much like how God is said to have created us.

The validity of religion and creationism is questioned and plays a major part of the film. It is handled in an intelligent and entertaining manner. These qualities have been missing in recent science fiction films, though they have been a staple of the genre since it first started.

Audiences might not agree about the film’s quality, due to it not being an action-adventure, in the tradition of “Avatar,” “John Carter” or the recent “Star Trek” film.

The misleading marketing of the film being horror based, like “Alien,” will be more of a disappointment for the fans of the series.

What sets it apart from recent sci-fi films and its predecessors is how thought provoking the film is. It didn’t have to spell everything out for the audience at the end. This leads to various interpretations, much like Scott’s “Blade Runner.” Hopefully, a future follow-up won’t spoil those unique interpretations, like what “2010: The Year We Make Contact” did for “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

A special note goes to the filmmakers for the extremely impressive and believable special effects, and for utilizing Fredrick Chopin’s “Raindrop” composition during the end credits, a perfect classical piece to match the film’s mood.

“Prometheus” proves to be a solid and immersive film set apart from other summer blockbusters for its more thought provoking nature, rather than just a spectacle for the mind’s eye.