1,500 reviews
Alien vs. Predator (2004) is a movie in my DVD collection that I recently watched on Amazon Prime. The storyline follows a research expedition that recently was discovered miles under the ice. The research team doesn't know the pyramid was setup as a hunting playground for Predators to test their hunting skills against the ultimate beings...and we aren't talking about humans.
This movie is directed by Paul W. S. Anderson (Event Horizon) and stars Sanaa Lathan (Love & Basketball), Lance Henriksen (Pumpkinhead), Ewen Bremner (Rundown), Tommy Flanagan (Gladiator), Raoul Bova (Under the Tuscan Sun).
The storyline for this picture was actually okay and was a good setup for this premise. I enjoyed the settings and the cast. I'd never complain about Lathan and Henriksen movies. The special effects were awesome and the kill and action scenes were very good, loved the depiction of both the Aliens and Predators. The alien vs predator fights were excellent, including how the face huggers were mixed in.
Overall is this a perfect movie? No, this premise had no chance of that. Is this worth viewing and entertaining? Absolutely. I'd score this a 6.5-7/10 and strongly recommend seeing this.
This movie is directed by Paul W. S. Anderson (Event Horizon) and stars Sanaa Lathan (Love & Basketball), Lance Henriksen (Pumpkinhead), Ewen Bremner (Rundown), Tommy Flanagan (Gladiator), Raoul Bova (Under the Tuscan Sun).
The storyline for this picture was actually okay and was a good setup for this premise. I enjoyed the settings and the cast. I'd never complain about Lathan and Henriksen movies. The special effects were awesome and the kill and action scenes were very good, loved the depiction of both the Aliens and Predators. The alien vs predator fights were excellent, including how the face huggers were mixed in.
Overall is this a perfect movie? No, this premise had no chance of that. Is this worth viewing and entertaining? Absolutely. I'd score this a 6.5-7/10 and strongly recommend seeing this.
- kevin_robbins
- Nov 20, 2021
- Permalink
I went into this expecting a horrible movie. From all the reviews that I read I thought it would be HORRIBLE! I've seen many, many worse movies than this.
A previous comment stated the movie went a bit too fast in explaining things and developing the characters. While I can certainly agree on the former, the latter, well, you just know most of the people are going to get wasted so character development isn't that necessary. We came to see Predators hunt and fight with Aliens.
One thing I didn't like was the movie showed the Aliens more powerful than the Predators. I believe the canon shows the Predators are much more powerful than the Aliens. Regardless, I liked this movie.
This movie surprised me because there were many things I didn't expect. Were some scenes over the top? Absolutely, but this is Hollywood and we're talking Aliens V Predator here :) IF you are a fan of these genres you really should give this movie a chance.
A previous comment stated the movie went a bit too fast in explaining things and developing the characters. While I can certainly agree on the former, the latter, well, you just know most of the people are going to get wasted so character development isn't that necessary. We came to see Predators hunt and fight with Aliens.
One thing I didn't like was the movie showed the Aliens more powerful than the Predators. I believe the canon shows the Predators are much more powerful than the Aliens. Regardless, I liked this movie.
This movie surprised me because there were many things I didn't expect. Were some scenes over the top? Absolutely, but this is Hollywood and we're talking Aliens V Predator here :) IF you are a fan of these genres you really should give this movie a chance.
I first saw in in a theatre in 2004.
Revisited the 109 mins unrated version recently.
This is the first film installment of the Alien vs. Predator franchise, bringing together the creatures of the Alien and Predator series. In this one, scientists are caught in the crossfire of an ancient battle between Aliens and Predators as they attempt to escape a bygone pyramid. The film is fast paced with tons of action, aided by top notch special effects n amazing set design. Thankfully it doesnt have any shaky cam stuff, no flickering lights n none if the scene is shot in dark light. We can make out what is going on. Compared to most films where too much darkness takes away the fun, this one doesn't have bad lighting. They have toned down the human body count n reduced the gory moments. Nonetheless, it is a good monster action flick. Gore wise, it is nowhere close to the original Predator.
This is the first film installment of the Alien vs. Predator franchise, bringing together the creatures of the Alien and Predator series. In this one, scientists are caught in the crossfire of an ancient battle between Aliens and Predators as they attempt to escape a bygone pyramid. The film is fast paced with tons of action, aided by top notch special effects n amazing set design. Thankfully it doesnt have any shaky cam stuff, no flickering lights n none if the scene is shot in dark light. We can make out what is going on. Compared to most films where too much darkness takes away the fun, this one doesn't have bad lighting. They have toned down the human body count n reduced the gory moments. Nonetheless, it is a good monster action flick. Gore wise, it is nowhere close to the original Predator.
- Fella_shibby
- Dec 30, 2020
- Permalink
Just watched it again yesterday - it's striking how good the action is compared to the ridiculous dialogue. I completely understand why this movie got such terrible reviews; after all, it marked the first "let's make a quick buck" entry in the two beloved Alien and Predator franchises and was done by a director who many felt didn't treat the material with the respect it deserved. When I watched it yesterday I got angry at times because some of the dialogue - well, most of it, actually - is truly awful. It's hard to take characters or a story seriously when nearly every sentence spoken resembles lines from a parody of cheap science-fiction and horror movies from the fifties and sixties. But despite all those flaws I have to admit I enjoyed the movie from start to finish - because of the amazing set- and creature-design and the more than decent action sequences and special effects. Whoever designed those really scored and seems to have a great love for the art of Giger and the previous films. So if you can get past the silly characters and you're able to ignore the more obvious shortcomings (like the idiotic decision to make the film PG-13) you're in for a fun ride. My vote: 6.5 out of 10.
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
- gogoschka-1
- Oct 23, 2013
- Permalink
- zumo-16908
- Dec 24, 2016
- Permalink
AVP is one of my favourites from both the Alien and Predator franchise. It does not attain the golden standard that the first two movies in both franchises have set, but no other movie has done that. And it's now 20 years and several sequels/prequels later. I have to say AVP aged really well.
But I always liked it from the start. It's very entertaining. There's all kinds of interactions between humans, predators and aliens. There's a lot going on at once, it's not simply linear when it comes to the action scenes. The same doesn't really go for the story itself (yes the plot could be a bit thicker here or there). However, while it may not be perfect, I had absolutely no problem running along with the story. I also like the setting and how it gives off this part sci fi, part thriller, part action movie vibe.
It's still good after all this time, possibly even better when you compare it to many of the so called blockbusters that are poured out over us nowadays, a lot of which ar so lacking in quality and originality.
Maybe it's not iconic enough for the general public, like Alien and Aliens. Those were groundbreaking, I admit that. I guess I happen to be a fan of the genre and this movie fits right in.
But I always liked it from the start. It's very entertaining. There's all kinds of interactions between humans, predators and aliens. There's a lot going on at once, it's not simply linear when it comes to the action scenes. The same doesn't really go for the story itself (yes the plot could be a bit thicker here or there). However, while it may not be perfect, I had absolutely no problem running along with the story. I also like the setting and how it gives off this part sci fi, part thriller, part action movie vibe.
It's still good after all this time, possibly even better when you compare it to many of the so called blockbusters that are poured out over us nowadays, a lot of which ar so lacking in quality and originality.
Maybe it's not iconic enough for the general public, like Alien and Aliens. Those were groundbreaking, I admit that. I guess I happen to be a fan of the genre and this movie fits right in.
- marseloDutch
- Jan 13, 2024
- Permalink
We don't go to see movies about dueling alien species for deep themes and intricate character development, but a little sympathy would be nice. I didn't feel any sympathy for the characters in 'Alien vs. Predator' because they were all unlikable clichés: The Heroine, The Hero, The Nerd, The Tomboy, The Gruff Leader, et al. These carbon cut out characters we've seen in hundreds of other films are all assembled together by Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) in 'AvP' to venture into the Antarctic, where they uncover an ancient pyramid recently discovered by Weyland's multi-million dollar satellites hovering about in space.
The movie is based, of course, upon the iconic 'Alien' and 'Predator' films the rights to which are both owned by Fox Studios. The concept for the project originated with 'Predator 2' (1990), when a cop (played by Danny Glover) ventured into a Predator spaceship. There, in the 'trophy room,' was the distinct skull of an Alien.
This small in-joke reference (similar to that of Freddy Kruger's claw appearing in the 'Evil Dead' sequel) sparked a phenomenon of fans speculating as to the meaning behind the very brief big-screen insinuation. And due to strong requests, the two fictional species were finally united together for a string of comic books, videogames, novels and action figures in the early-'90s. By the year 2002, 'Alien vs. Predator' had become one of Fox's most profitable off-screen franchises. So, it was only reasonable to demand a film be made. By October 2003, production was underway, with sets in Prague being assembled.
And the film's director, Paul W. S. Anderson, has always excelled at set design. In 'Event Horizon' he perfectly captured the dark essence of the 'Alien' series; with 'Resident Evil' he managed to mimic the Gothic structure of all great zombie movies. But, to be honest, that's about it. He's never been any good at three other vital elements of film-making: story, characters and direction. 'Alien vs. Predator' - a project that took 14 astonishing years to bring to the big screen (longer than 'Freddy vs. Jason') - doesn't do much to change this.
Yes, his set design here is fantastic (it's no surprise that a great amount of pre-production work went into creating these enormous surroundings). The pyramid is buried deep within the wastelands of the Antarctic (2,000 feet, actually), which provides us with some great cinematography and stages.
The plot could have used extra work, though. After venturing deep into the pyramid, the team of scientists soon realizes that the pyramid is - surprise, surprise! - actually the home of an alien hive. And furthermore, a pack of teenaged Predators -- on an annual 'manhood' hunting ritual -- are there, too, and they begin to draw the humans into their fight, using them as bait.
The movie's cast is comprised of many newcomers and they are all unimpressive. Sanaa Lathan ('Out of Time'), as Alexa, the heroine, is rather annoying. Raoul Bova, playing the hero Sebastian, is the most likable of the characters, but even then, he's simply no Arnold.
Furthermore, the dialogue is completely lame. Sure, 'Predator' had lame dialogue too ('Knock, knock!') but at least it was funny and delivered with charisma. This movie unfortunately takes itself way too seriously. I've heard many people quote lines from 'Predator' over the years ('I ain't got time to bleed!' being a popular one). I can't imagine anyone ever *wanting* to quote dialogue from this film.
Even Henriksen seems like he's just in it for the paycheck. (His character, Charles 'Bishop' Weyland, is the billionaire who according to 'Alien' mythology -- creates the Bishop androids seen in 'Aliens' and 'Alien 3,' which are modeled after his own image.) Is it any coincidence that the only returning cast member from either series of films happens to be the same actor whose career has devolved into straight-to-video duds recently?
However, kudos must be handed to "'AvP's' creature effects artists (mainly Tom Woodruff, Jr.). I had expected lots of CGI, but there are also many close-ups of the Predators and Aliens played by thankless actors in suits (and some good IL'-fashioned animatronics). Kevin Peter Hall (the original Predator) passed away shortly after the release of the film's sequel, but Anderson has comprised an acceptable team of replacements (most of the actors being some seven feet tall!).
That, and the set design, and one or two OK action sequences, makes 'AvP' adequate for 'regular' cinema-goers expecting nothing more. If you're just looking for the average Saturday night blow-'em-up action flick, you could certainly do worse. But, for any true die-hard fans of the films, this movie continually disappoints and worst of all, due to its restrictive PG-13 rating, the fights (which take place all too often and rapidly become boring) are all over the place. We are not 'allowed' to see anything, which hinders the flow of the film. There was more violence than I had expected, but still not enough. (For the record, 'AvP' is the only film from either of the two series to ever receive an under-R rating.) After negative test screenings, Fox Studios decided to go against the will of the film's own director and brutally chop the movie apart so that it could fit into a more marketable age demographic. (So, the awkward flow in many of the sequences cannot be entirely contributed to Anderson's directing skills.) The day the official rating was released, fans across the world united online to protest it. I can't say I blame them.
I had personally been looking forward to seeing this movie for quite some time now, being a fan of both 'Alien' (1979) and 'Predator' (1987). Yet I tried to view 'AvP' unbiased, and judge it on its own terms, as a movie, and not particularly a sequel. It was a difficult task, but the truth of the matter is that the film as a stand-alone project is still not particularly enthralling. With its shameful rating, poor acting, awful writing and mediocre direction, 'AvP' disappoints the fans at every turn, and will probably leave non-fans feeling a little wishy-washy. Fox has taken two of their greatest franchises and turned them into a joke. 'AvP' is nothing more than typical action fare which, all considered, isn't much of a compliment at all.
2.5/5
The movie is based, of course, upon the iconic 'Alien' and 'Predator' films the rights to which are both owned by Fox Studios. The concept for the project originated with 'Predator 2' (1990), when a cop (played by Danny Glover) ventured into a Predator spaceship. There, in the 'trophy room,' was the distinct skull of an Alien.
This small in-joke reference (similar to that of Freddy Kruger's claw appearing in the 'Evil Dead' sequel) sparked a phenomenon of fans speculating as to the meaning behind the very brief big-screen insinuation. And due to strong requests, the two fictional species were finally united together for a string of comic books, videogames, novels and action figures in the early-'90s. By the year 2002, 'Alien vs. Predator' had become one of Fox's most profitable off-screen franchises. So, it was only reasonable to demand a film be made. By October 2003, production was underway, with sets in Prague being assembled.
And the film's director, Paul W. S. Anderson, has always excelled at set design. In 'Event Horizon' he perfectly captured the dark essence of the 'Alien' series; with 'Resident Evil' he managed to mimic the Gothic structure of all great zombie movies. But, to be honest, that's about it. He's never been any good at three other vital elements of film-making: story, characters and direction. 'Alien vs. Predator' - a project that took 14 astonishing years to bring to the big screen (longer than 'Freddy vs. Jason') - doesn't do much to change this.
Yes, his set design here is fantastic (it's no surprise that a great amount of pre-production work went into creating these enormous surroundings). The pyramid is buried deep within the wastelands of the Antarctic (2,000 feet, actually), which provides us with some great cinematography and stages.
The plot could have used extra work, though. After venturing deep into the pyramid, the team of scientists soon realizes that the pyramid is - surprise, surprise! - actually the home of an alien hive. And furthermore, a pack of teenaged Predators -- on an annual 'manhood' hunting ritual -- are there, too, and they begin to draw the humans into their fight, using them as bait.
The movie's cast is comprised of many newcomers and they are all unimpressive. Sanaa Lathan ('Out of Time'), as Alexa, the heroine, is rather annoying. Raoul Bova, playing the hero Sebastian, is the most likable of the characters, but even then, he's simply no Arnold.
Furthermore, the dialogue is completely lame. Sure, 'Predator' had lame dialogue too ('Knock, knock!') but at least it was funny and delivered with charisma. This movie unfortunately takes itself way too seriously. I've heard many people quote lines from 'Predator' over the years ('I ain't got time to bleed!' being a popular one). I can't imagine anyone ever *wanting* to quote dialogue from this film.
Even Henriksen seems like he's just in it for the paycheck. (His character, Charles 'Bishop' Weyland, is the billionaire who according to 'Alien' mythology -- creates the Bishop androids seen in 'Aliens' and 'Alien 3,' which are modeled after his own image.) Is it any coincidence that the only returning cast member from either series of films happens to be the same actor whose career has devolved into straight-to-video duds recently?
However, kudos must be handed to "'AvP's' creature effects artists (mainly Tom Woodruff, Jr.). I had expected lots of CGI, but there are also many close-ups of the Predators and Aliens played by thankless actors in suits (and some good IL'-fashioned animatronics). Kevin Peter Hall (the original Predator) passed away shortly after the release of the film's sequel, but Anderson has comprised an acceptable team of replacements (most of the actors being some seven feet tall!).
That, and the set design, and one or two OK action sequences, makes 'AvP' adequate for 'regular' cinema-goers expecting nothing more. If you're just looking for the average Saturday night blow-'em-up action flick, you could certainly do worse. But, for any true die-hard fans of the films, this movie continually disappoints and worst of all, due to its restrictive PG-13 rating, the fights (which take place all too often and rapidly become boring) are all over the place. We are not 'allowed' to see anything, which hinders the flow of the film. There was more violence than I had expected, but still not enough. (For the record, 'AvP' is the only film from either of the two series to ever receive an under-R rating.) After negative test screenings, Fox Studios decided to go against the will of the film's own director and brutally chop the movie apart so that it could fit into a more marketable age demographic. (So, the awkward flow in many of the sequences cannot be entirely contributed to Anderson's directing skills.) The day the official rating was released, fans across the world united online to protest it. I can't say I blame them.
I had personally been looking forward to seeing this movie for quite some time now, being a fan of both 'Alien' (1979) and 'Predator' (1987). Yet I tried to view 'AvP' unbiased, and judge it on its own terms, as a movie, and not particularly a sequel. It was a difficult task, but the truth of the matter is that the film as a stand-alone project is still not particularly enthralling. With its shameful rating, poor acting, awful writing and mediocre direction, 'AvP' disappoints the fans at every turn, and will probably leave non-fans feeling a little wishy-washy. Fox has taken two of their greatest franchises and turned them into a joke. 'AvP' is nothing more than typical action fare which, all considered, isn't much of a compliment at all.
2.5/5
- MovieAddict2016
- Aug 12, 2004
- Permalink
Reading some of the harsh reviews I thought I would comment. The big disappointment for me in the movie was the lack of gore , fox did get it wrong to make it a pg13 even though they tried to substitute it with monster gore. All that being said this movie is a visual master-peace, the effects are top notch with very good fight scenes and creature effects with the best looking Alien Queen to hit the screens, The story is pretty cool and it gives more insight of the Predators, It takes a while for the introduction of the creatures but once the ball is rolling its none stop action. Not the horror feast we all wanted but fun.
- shakermakerman
- Sep 8, 2007
- Permalink
- littlejimmy835
- Apr 22, 2006
- Permalink
The 'Aliens versus Predator' storyline has been with us ever since the 'Predator 2' when Danny Glover huffed and puffed his way across what looked like an alien's skull in the Predator's trophy cabinet. This brief image sparked a storm among fans, whose dreams and wishes were subsequently realised by volumes of comics and graphic novels regarding the subject matter. And they were actually pretty good! Having read a fair few of them, it seemed no end to the possibilities of pitting two of the big screen's most famous monsters against each other. With so many ideas as to what could be done, how could they possibly lose?
The answer: they gave it to Paul W S Anderson. Now, Paul W S Anderson is a very competent director who can stylishly bring action scenes to life. However, his films' major flaws all are that they're 'almost great.' They're not bad. They're watchable. And that is their major crime. They leave you thinking that if you were given $60 million to make a film (in this case one starring the aliens and the Predator) then you could do better than him. And there's a reason for this - you could. And so could I.
Aliens vs Predator sports the tagline 'Whoever wins - we lose.' Isn't that the truth? The film gets its rating taken down from an 18 to a watery 12A, removing all gore and much of the suspense with it. Instead of brutal tough Predators we have a trio of young, inexperienced ones who are - quite frankly - a bit rubbish at killing aliens. Instead of the gun-totting Colonial Marines from Aliens, we have a team of bland, disposable scientists who are there simply to increase the body count. At least the aliens perform on camera, but the battles you may expect between the two races are few and far between. Also, if you saw the trailer and witnessed a million aliens tearing towards some Predators on top of an weird and wonderful pyramid, that's only a flashback. That's about the best bit of the film.
It sort of tries to tie into both the 'Aliens' and 'Predator' mythology, but fans really don't want it to. Like I say, it's not bad. I know I'm making it sound terrible, but it really isn't. It has action, special effects and, um, that's about it. It's perfect for your average sci-fi monster-munching movie. However, when you have either an Aliens film or a Predator film, people expect a little more than something that's 'just okay.'
At least it was more understandable than Prometheus I suppose.
http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/
The answer: they gave it to Paul W S Anderson. Now, Paul W S Anderson is a very competent director who can stylishly bring action scenes to life. However, his films' major flaws all are that they're 'almost great.' They're not bad. They're watchable. And that is their major crime. They leave you thinking that if you were given $60 million to make a film (in this case one starring the aliens and the Predator) then you could do better than him. And there's a reason for this - you could. And so could I.
Aliens vs Predator sports the tagline 'Whoever wins - we lose.' Isn't that the truth? The film gets its rating taken down from an 18 to a watery 12A, removing all gore and much of the suspense with it. Instead of brutal tough Predators we have a trio of young, inexperienced ones who are - quite frankly - a bit rubbish at killing aliens. Instead of the gun-totting Colonial Marines from Aliens, we have a team of bland, disposable scientists who are there simply to increase the body count. At least the aliens perform on camera, but the battles you may expect between the two races are few and far between. Also, if you saw the trailer and witnessed a million aliens tearing towards some Predators on top of an weird and wonderful pyramid, that's only a flashback. That's about the best bit of the film.
It sort of tries to tie into both the 'Aliens' and 'Predator' mythology, but fans really don't want it to. Like I say, it's not bad. I know I'm making it sound terrible, but it really isn't. It has action, special effects and, um, that's about it. It's perfect for your average sci-fi monster-munching movie. However, when you have either an Aliens film or a Predator film, people expect a little more than something that's 'just okay.'
At least it was more understandable than Prometheus I suppose.
http://thewrongtreemoviereviews.blogspot.co.uk/
- bowmanblue
- Jul 23, 2014
- Permalink
This movie is the perfect epitome of Hollywood taking something beloved, running it straight to hell (Predator 2, Alien 4) and then taking it even one step further by completely disjointing the stories and continuity, *ahem* alienating the fans and basically wasting everyone's time while marring the original (Caddyshack 2 anyone??) all in the name of the mighty dollar bill. Seeing this movie only eggs them on people! This is a movie that you immediately wish you could UNWATCH and erase from your memory banks.
I would be highly surprised if more time went into the script of this film than the actual marketing. I'm not even going to complain about the PG-13 rating because it is what it is.... just a bad movie.
Horrible acting. Pointless plodding sub-plots. Decent action sequences and a precious few cool moments in what should have been a fan-boy's wet dream. The lead in this movie is a demographic friendly woman with barely enough acting ability to make a shampoo ad believable. Any mildly entertaining characters were immediately destroyed in the first twenty minutes of the film with zero payout. Even the marquee monsters end up looking bored as the audience is lead along in a by numbers popcorn sales ploy.
I would be highly surprised if more time went into the script of this film than the actual marketing. I'm not even going to complain about the PG-13 rating because it is what it is.... just a bad movie.
Horrible acting. Pointless plodding sub-plots. Decent action sequences and a precious few cool moments in what should have been a fan-boy's wet dream. The lead in this movie is a demographic friendly woman with barely enough acting ability to make a shampoo ad believable. Any mildly entertaining characters were immediately destroyed in the first twenty minutes of the film with zero payout. Even the marquee monsters end up looking bored as the audience is lead along in a by numbers popcorn sales ploy.
- sixtwentysix
- Aug 16, 2004
- Permalink
I don't understand the low rating. I see a review complaining about dialogue... considering the second half of the movie has nearly zero dialogue in it, I wonder if this person actually watched the whole movie, or maybe watched a different movie altogether...
HOW MUCH ECCENTRIC AND INTELLECTUAL DIALOGUE SHOULD AN ACTION MOVIE HAVE? Looking back at the classic action movies, AVP is right on par with the dialogue of the others, and actually above average.
Everything about this movie is better than or far above the usual in every manner. The visuals are great, and in fact, being from 2004, the visuals are better than most action movies that have come out in the past decade.
The acting is great, the cast is great, the storyline is fantastic and actually makes sense and has substance to it.
Once the action starts, the rest of the movie is nonstop action and one really cool scene after another. There were actually some moments with the predator acting that were genius and so well done.
Such a good movie. Easily in the top 100 all time action movies.
Everything about this movie is better than or far above the usual in every manner. The visuals are great, and in fact, being from 2004, the visuals are better than most action movies that have come out in the past decade.
The acting is great, the cast is great, the storyline is fantastic and actually makes sense and has substance to it.
Once the action starts, the rest of the movie is nonstop action and one really cool scene after another. There were actually some moments with the predator acting that were genius and so well done.
Such a good movie. Easily in the top 100 all time action movies.
- derek-a-charette100
- Aug 21, 2021
- Permalink
If you're a massive fan of the first four "canon" films (like me) the best way to approach this film is to say to yourself this is a separate thing. It's easy to do so, as apart from a few nods to previous events, this film has sod all to connect it to the canon. The script is dreadful, and the cast make a game attempt to do their best with it, but this isn't what most people come to this film for. The action sequences are excellent, especially the first fight between Xeno and Predator which is pretty jaw dropping, and the plot (what there is of it) is silly and enjoyable - there's plenty of decent stuff going on, right up to the incredibly violent climax, and you can always play "Spot The Plot Hole" if you DO get a bit bored. That will keep you busy.
You can see why people who love the canon films hate this so much - it's pretty brainless, and it lacks so many of the things the other four have. There's too little of the bone-freezing horror of "Alien", none of the superb character development that made "Aliens" such a huge hit with audiences, not enough of the chilling echoey industrial art-terror of "Alien 3", and none of the gorehouse comedy and atavistic dread from "Resurrection". Give your brain the night off, and you'll really enjoy this.
You can see why people who love the canon films hate this so much - it's pretty brainless, and it lacks so many of the things the other four have. There's too little of the bone-freezing horror of "Alien", none of the superb character development that made "Aliens" such a huge hit with audiences, not enough of the chilling echoey industrial art-terror of "Alien 3", and none of the gorehouse comedy and atavistic dread from "Resurrection". Give your brain the night off, and you'll really enjoy this.
- ricardodeforce-72353
- Jun 20, 2022
- Permalink
Many people castigate Paul Anderson for destroying both the Alien and Predator franchises. I must say that they have no clue and the director/writer is a true genius for having pulled this movie off. Notice that I did'nt say that this movie itself was great but it was a work of genius. So what is the movie like? It is by far one of the worst and most disgusting pieces of crap that will kill your interest in both the Alien and predator. But don't you get it? That's the point.
Paul Anderson obviously hates the fans of the franchises and has been hating them for a while now. He hates them beyond anything and they must be made to pay dearly and suffer. So in a brilliant plan, he manages to fraud the fools at Fox to give him the project. He did that despite the fact that his previous movies were laughable. Now isn't that just genius? Anderson has made a joke out of every single thing that made the concepts stand out. Your innocent curiosity will make you sit through his parody in hopes of some big twist but it never happens. Scene after Scene is one joke after another. How can anyone possibly imagine a bullet-time mode for an Alien attack? All this has been done very intentionally and nobody realises that. Once you've watched this movie, there's nothing you can do about it. You've lost and Anderson has won. His revenge on fans is complete. Hes also left room for a sequel by including a predalien birth at the end, further putting a big hole in future stories. He makes a ton of money too. Genius.
Oh, I should have said EVIL genius.
UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR INTEREST IN ALIENS AND PREDATORS KILLED OFF, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Paul Anderson obviously hates the fans of the franchises and has been hating them for a while now. He hates them beyond anything and they must be made to pay dearly and suffer. So in a brilliant plan, he manages to fraud the fools at Fox to give him the project. He did that despite the fact that his previous movies were laughable. Now isn't that just genius? Anderson has made a joke out of every single thing that made the concepts stand out. Your innocent curiosity will make you sit through his parody in hopes of some big twist but it never happens. Scene after Scene is one joke after another. How can anyone possibly imagine a bullet-time mode for an Alien attack? All this has been done very intentionally and nobody realises that. Once you've watched this movie, there's nothing you can do about it. You've lost and Anderson has won. His revenge on fans is complete. Hes also left room for a sequel by including a predalien birth at the end, further putting a big hole in future stories. He makes a ton of money too. Genius.
Oh, I should have said EVIL genius.
UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR INTEREST IN ALIENS AND PREDATORS KILLED OFF, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
A team assembled by a billionaire investigate a heat signal that reveals a pyramid below the surface of a whaling station in Antarctic. However, the pyramid is a hunting ground for Predators who kill Aliens as a rite of passage and the team find themselves caught in the middle of their hunt.
It shouldn't have been mixed, Paul W.S. Anderson's AVP: Alien vs. Predator was more so unjustly panned by critics and fans due to the hype and anticipation. It has the feeling of an Alien film, a great premise, good cinematography, some amazing effects and a fine score.
Paul W.S. Anderson is successful in bringing the franchises together, respecting ideas from both Alien and Predator movies. I haven't seen a bad film that he's made and I'm not sure why there is such a geek gang hatred against the mans work. The ever-improving Uwe Boll he is not! The strong leads include Sanaa Lathan as the heroine and Raoul Bova. However, unfortunately actors Carsten Norgaard as Rusten Quinn and Tommy Flanagan as Mark Verheiden disappear far too early. Overall the acting is good, Lance Henrikson shows up as the 'real' Bishop but some of the characters lack development and the editing feels choppy in places.
The Predators and Aliens look great apart from some badly executed CGI. It not Ridley Scott or John McTiernan, but Paul Anderson pulls off the almost impossible task of putting these to aliens together on screen.
If there was not an Alien or Predator film prior to this it may have been haled as a science fiction adventure classic, but alas that's not the case.
It shouldn't have been mixed, Paul W.S. Anderson's AVP: Alien vs. Predator was more so unjustly panned by critics and fans due to the hype and anticipation. It has the feeling of an Alien film, a great premise, good cinematography, some amazing effects and a fine score.
Paul W.S. Anderson is successful in bringing the franchises together, respecting ideas from both Alien and Predator movies. I haven't seen a bad film that he's made and I'm not sure why there is such a geek gang hatred against the mans work. The ever-improving Uwe Boll he is not! The strong leads include Sanaa Lathan as the heroine and Raoul Bova. However, unfortunately actors Carsten Norgaard as Rusten Quinn and Tommy Flanagan as Mark Verheiden disappear far too early. Overall the acting is good, Lance Henrikson shows up as the 'real' Bishop but some of the characters lack development and the editing feels choppy in places.
The Predators and Aliens look great apart from some badly executed CGI. It not Ridley Scott or John McTiernan, but Paul Anderson pulls off the almost impossible task of putting these to aliens together on screen.
If there was not an Alien or Predator film prior to this it may have been haled as a science fiction adventure classic, but alas that's not the case.
First off, I'll try to make this short. Second off, I generally just don't write reviews as there's already plenty out there, mostly covering just about everything you'd want to read already.
That said, I watched AVP last night for the first time in I don't know how many years (probably since the 00's) and I must say, this flick absolutely does not deserve the hate it generally gets from fans and critics.
What you have here is an absolutely ridiculous concept taken from comic books adapted for a movie, and to be honest, it's constructed better than one would think for something of it's nature.
For a 2004 sci-fi flick combining two VERY heavy hitting characters and concepts, you've got the a blend that works well here story wise, and is it completely out there and unbelievable? YES, and that's exactly what you'd want to witness from an Alien Vs Predator flick.
Script: Well written and out there enough and still flows.
Set design & Cinematography: Kept my eyes peered to the screen the whole time, looking around every frame, trying to catch all the little details.
CGI: What use it has, honestly looks pretty sharp for 2004, and twenty years later, absolutely holds up compared to many other flicks in that era.
Concept: Totally insane and awesome, and as stated, executed rather well for what it is.
I flew through AVP's 100mins like it was a 18min short film, and honestly could have used a little more, even though it wrapped itself up setting itself up for a sequel (let's not talk about that one) in about as hilarious and daunting fashion as it could.
My one main complaint here is how all this fits into the whole franchise:
Other than that, this flick packs an out there concept into a tightly knit package that does it's best to stay true to both franchises, while blending it in a way that surprisingly Paul W. S. Anderson pulls off here, and well enough that I may just put this right under Event Horizon as his other best flick.
I hope I covered everything I wanted to that was swimming around in my head after watching this last night.
Long story short - this one actually holds up and is 1000000% worth another fun rewatch.
That said, I watched AVP last night for the first time in I don't know how many years (probably since the 00's) and I must say, this flick absolutely does not deserve the hate it generally gets from fans and critics.
What you have here is an absolutely ridiculous concept taken from comic books adapted for a movie, and to be honest, it's constructed better than one would think for something of it's nature.
For a 2004 sci-fi flick combining two VERY heavy hitting characters and concepts, you've got the a blend that works well here story wise, and is it completely out there and unbelievable? YES, and that's exactly what you'd want to witness from an Alien Vs Predator flick.
Script: Well written and out there enough and still flows.
Set design & Cinematography: Kept my eyes peered to the screen the whole time, looking around every frame, trying to catch all the little details.
CGI: What use it has, honestly looks pretty sharp for 2004, and twenty years later, absolutely holds up compared to many other flicks in that era.
Concept: Totally insane and awesome, and as stated, executed rather well for what it is.
I flew through AVP's 100mins like it was a 18min short film, and honestly could have used a little more, even though it wrapped itself up setting itself up for a sequel (let's not talk about that one) in about as hilarious and daunting fashion as it could.
My one main complaint here is how all this fits into the whole franchise:
- How did we not know this was here before?
- Is this why the Weyland Corporation even sends Ripley's team out into space in the original Alien?
- Will we ever hear from the Queen at the bottom of the ocean again?
Other than that, this flick packs an out there concept into a tightly knit package that does it's best to stay true to both franchises, while blending it in a way that surprisingly Paul W. S. Anderson pulls off here, and well enough that I may just put this right under Event Horizon as his other best flick.
I hope I covered everything I wanted to that was swimming around in my head after watching this last night.
Long story short - this one actually holds up and is 1000000% worth another fun rewatch.
- skoinfinite
- Aug 25, 2024
- Permalink
Alien Vs Predator can probably best be described as pure entertainment, in one of its most honest forms.
The titular contenders have never looked better, with the variety of three fully armed Predators shaking up the usual 'single hunter' formula, paired with the intense ferocity of the Xenomorphs posing as a threat not felt since 'Aliens'. The practical effects; costumes, miniatures, and set design are all really well-constructed and detailed. And the blend of occasional uses of CGI feels effectively complementary. The action and tension are decently directed. Sanaa Lathan as Alexa Woods was a strong lead, able to sell the quipy dialogue and the terror near-seemlessly. Lance Henriksen as Charles Bishop Weyland was a great casting choice, showing a concern for legacy and creating empathy from that. The rest of the cast did enough to not feel too generic, even if they were ultimately just quipy body bags. And the story, although almost bordering on blatantly campy, offers fun new lore that can best be i interpreted as good fan-fiction.
However, the Aliens and Predators, two creatures arguably most known for their abilities to remain hidden in the shadowy darkness, are very noticeably at each other's throats in very blunt manners, detracting from one of the factors that makes them very unique and at times m making them look like wrestlers in cosplay. The PG-13 rating causes a lot of cutaways and underwhelming kills, and the Unrated Cut is worse, with the addition of an almost pointless cold open, and distractingly useless stains of very obvious CGI blood.
Overall, AVP is a pretty good crossover film that, although misses the gore, manages to make up for it in great visuals and endlessly entertaining action.
The titular contenders have never looked better, with the variety of three fully armed Predators shaking up the usual 'single hunter' formula, paired with the intense ferocity of the Xenomorphs posing as a threat not felt since 'Aliens'. The practical effects; costumes, miniatures, and set design are all really well-constructed and detailed. And the blend of occasional uses of CGI feels effectively complementary. The action and tension are decently directed. Sanaa Lathan as Alexa Woods was a strong lead, able to sell the quipy dialogue and the terror near-seemlessly. Lance Henriksen as Charles Bishop Weyland was a great casting choice, showing a concern for legacy and creating empathy from that. The rest of the cast did enough to not feel too generic, even if they were ultimately just quipy body bags. And the story, although almost bordering on blatantly campy, offers fun new lore that can best be i interpreted as good fan-fiction.
However, the Aliens and Predators, two creatures arguably most known for their abilities to remain hidden in the shadowy darkness, are very noticeably at each other's throats in very blunt manners, detracting from one of the factors that makes them very unique and at times m making them look like wrestlers in cosplay. The PG-13 rating causes a lot of cutaways and underwhelming kills, and the Unrated Cut is worse, with the addition of an almost pointless cold open, and distractingly useless stains of very obvious CGI blood.
Overall, AVP is a pretty good crossover film that, although misses the gore, manages to make up for it in great visuals and endlessly entertaining action.
- Kademan-02092005
- Sep 5, 2024
- Permalink
Many fans want different things from this film. Many fans, including myself, were hoping to see lots and lots of action. One Alien & Predator battle after another. Some fans were hoping for a edge of your seat, truly terrifying horror movie much like the original Alien. No matter what you want, hope, or expect from this film you will be disappointed.
The direction this film takes is a horror route. It tries to be like the original Alien movie in the sense that the horror has to come more from the characters and their fear than from the monsters themselves. Paul Anderson tries to show as little Alien & Predator as possible without being ridiculous and let the actors & characters sell us the fear. Now this sounds like a good approach to a film and normally it would be. Here however it is the reason the films fall flat on its face. The problem being is that the characters aren't interesting and their actually paper thin cut outs. And after a short while the characters become boring and un-interesting and then u begin to long for either an Alien or a Predator to show up and start killing people.
But as I said, Paul Anderson tries to hide the monsters and show as little as possible much like the formula Ridley Scott & James Cameron used for their films. And thats where the film fails. Fans come to see this movie to see Aliens & Predators fighting. They don't come to see Sanna Lathan and the other people run around a dark pyramid. Fans didn't wait 14 years to see paper thin characters run around all over the place. They go to see Aliens & Predators.
The film should have taken the action route and gives us large amounts of AVP battles. However Paul Anderson only gives us ONE, count them One, true fight scene between an ALien & predator. And that fight scene doesn't occur until half-way through the film and it only lasts 2 minutes. 2 minutes. As a fan I did not wait this long to see a AVP movie only to have one battle that lasts 2 minutes.
Above I said "true battle" because there is technically another battle. It is between a Predator, Lex, and an Alien Queen. Much like the first AVP battle it is disappointingly short and 90% of the battle focuses on lex fighting the queen than it does focus on the Predator. After a while you begin to think the title "Alien vs. Predator" is inappropriate and instead should be called "The Adventures of Lex". Paul Andersons direction leaves out the two title characters.
The idea of hiding your monsters appearance till half way through the film and rely more on your characters is a formula that has worked in the past. It even potentially could have worked here but in order for that to happen you need to do one thing. Make the characters more interesting. If your characters are paper thin then the audience aren't going to care about them and then they quickly become bored. The film should have done is focus less on characters and more on the monsters. It amazes me so much on how the film lacks on what the title promises.
The direction this film takes is a horror route. It tries to be like the original Alien movie in the sense that the horror has to come more from the characters and their fear than from the monsters themselves. Paul Anderson tries to show as little Alien & Predator as possible without being ridiculous and let the actors & characters sell us the fear. Now this sounds like a good approach to a film and normally it would be. Here however it is the reason the films fall flat on its face. The problem being is that the characters aren't interesting and their actually paper thin cut outs. And after a short while the characters become boring and un-interesting and then u begin to long for either an Alien or a Predator to show up and start killing people.
But as I said, Paul Anderson tries to hide the monsters and show as little as possible much like the formula Ridley Scott & James Cameron used for their films. And thats where the film fails. Fans come to see this movie to see Aliens & Predators fighting. They don't come to see Sanna Lathan and the other people run around a dark pyramid. Fans didn't wait 14 years to see paper thin characters run around all over the place. They go to see Aliens & Predators.
The film should have taken the action route and gives us large amounts of AVP battles. However Paul Anderson only gives us ONE, count them One, true fight scene between an ALien & predator. And that fight scene doesn't occur until half-way through the film and it only lasts 2 minutes. 2 minutes. As a fan I did not wait this long to see a AVP movie only to have one battle that lasts 2 minutes.
Above I said "true battle" because there is technically another battle. It is between a Predator, Lex, and an Alien Queen. Much like the first AVP battle it is disappointingly short and 90% of the battle focuses on lex fighting the queen than it does focus on the Predator. After a while you begin to think the title "Alien vs. Predator" is inappropriate and instead should be called "The Adventures of Lex". Paul Andersons direction leaves out the two title characters.
The idea of hiding your monsters appearance till half way through the film and rely more on your characters is a formula that has worked in the past. It even potentially could have worked here but in order for that to happen you need to do one thing. Make the characters more interesting. If your characters are paper thin then the audience aren't going to care about them and then they quickly become bored. The film should have done is focus less on characters and more on the monsters. It amazes me so much on how the film lacks on what the title promises.
- robertmaybeth-159-426447
- Nov 27, 2023
- Permalink
- rudagar666
- Jul 1, 2006
- Permalink
- mentalcritic
- Dec 11, 2004
- Permalink
- TheMovieDoctorful
- Dec 28, 2018
- Permalink
I am a big Alien and Predator fan. So I was excited to watch this, but wow this was disappointing. First off, why would you make an Alien Vs Predator movie PG-13? Secondly there were way to many plots. And the character development was very poor. Even then, I wish they wouldn't make the human characters a main part of the film. You spend to much time with them before you even see the Alien or Predator start attacking anyone. I will say though, the film was not boring. There is lots of shut your brain off entertainment in this film. I thought the lore of it was neat. And the Alien and Predator action was fun. Overall its a film that is entertaining but has very clear faults and for a film like this, it shouldn't have to many faults.
- owenpont-70803
- Jun 29, 2022
- Permalink
Okay, I'll confess that the only reason I registered at this site is to tell people how bad this movie really is.
AVP is embarrassing, the whole thing gives you the impression of an empty commercial exploitation on the well-known monsters images.
Anyone who comes to this kinda of review sites and gives this movie a 10 out of 10 is either a Fox films employee or related to the film crew somehow. Don't fall for it.
The whole idea of teen Predators hunting Aliens to become "real warriors" is idiotic. How can you compare a high tech civilization that is able to travel space to Indians? Okay, maybe It is possible they would have the same kind of ritual, after all why can't highly developed species have their rituals...
I was intrigued about how the first time a Predator blew itself up on top of the Pyramid it did not damage the construction at all.... Of course, the second time that another Predator did that, the whole thing fell apart.
It is laughable the friendship among the hero-chick and the teen Predator. I could almost see them holding hands and running away in the end of the movie. It turns out that the Predator developed feelings for her. I wonder why the Predators first came down from the sky shooting the hell out of the other guys who stayed in the abandoned whailing facility, no questions asked. Still wondering...
I didn't like the "new" Alien life cycle. The face-hugger burst out as an alien in 40 seconds. This is truly ridiculous. Anderson did not even take the time to watch the original Alien movie.
On top of that, the cast is composed by a bunch obscure nobodies in shallow roles. Even if they were any good, the lines they received would just have made them look as bad as they did.
As an Alien and Predator fan I felt I was disrespected. If you are too, you will know what I am talking about
AVP is embarrassing, the whole thing gives you the impression of an empty commercial exploitation on the well-known monsters images.
Anyone who comes to this kinda of review sites and gives this movie a 10 out of 10 is either a Fox films employee or related to the film crew somehow. Don't fall for it.
The whole idea of teen Predators hunting Aliens to become "real warriors" is idiotic. How can you compare a high tech civilization that is able to travel space to Indians? Okay, maybe It is possible they would have the same kind of ritual, after all why can't highly developed species have their rituals...
I was intrigued about how the first time a Predator blew itself up on top of the Pyramid it did not damage the construction at all.... Of course, the second time that another Predator did that, the whole thing fell apart.
It is laughable the friendship among the hero-chick and the teen Predator. I could almost see them holding hands and running away in the end of the movie. It turns out that the Predator developed feelings for her. I wonder why the Predators first came down from the sky shooting the hell out of the other guys who stayed in the abandoned whailing facility, no questions asked. Still wondering...
I didn't like the "new" Alien life cycle. The face-hugger burst out as an alien in 40 seconds. This is truly ridiculous. Anderson did not even take the time to watch the original Alien movie.
On top of that, the cast is composed by a bunch obscure nobodies in shallow roles. Even if they were any good, the lines they received would just have made them look as bad as they did.
As an Alien and Predator fan I felt I was disrespected. If you are too, you will know what I am talking about
- davidandradeneto
- Jun 4, 2006
- Permalink