2008 Woodie Awards
Monster match-up a colossal disappointment
Patrick Wimp/ Staff Writer
Issue date: 8/26/04 Section: The Verge
Alien vs. Predator
Grade: C
When a "versus" movie featuring two historically rated R franchises is created under a PG-13 rating, questions begin to arise about the seriousness of the film and its truthfulness to the originals. Throw in a man who has written and directed several second-rate video game adaptations and you get "Alien vs. Predator," a mediocre movie and a feeble attempt at bringing two of science fiction's most beloved characters together on screen.
Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil) brings the acid bleeding Aliens and galactic super hunter Predators together in a film that despite its title, focuses far too much on its human characters.
The biggest strength of "AvP" is its incredible fight scenes between the creatures from outer space. When the Aliens and Predators duke it out the battles are spirit lifting and spectacularly bloody, unfortunately these fights are few and far between. By the time the title characters actually get down to business you are worn down from an excessive amount of boring human interaction.
The star power in "AvP" is limited at best, Sanaa Lathan (Blade, Love and Basketball) and Lance Henrikson (Aliens, Alien 3) give strong performances but filling in the shoes of Sigourney Weaver, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover is a tall order. Lathan is the new no nonsense female in charge of
expedition to the Predators' ancient pyramid. Her performance is sound but nowhere near as credible as Weaver's Ellen Ripley. Henrikson's multiple "Alien" appearances add a nice nod to the original films but not enough to power this new incarnation.
The story of AvP is decent, on par with the rest of the film. Anderson's script has a few nice touches such as the Predators serving as gods and creators to all of early human civilization. Even the expedition under thousands of feet of ice to the Predators' temple is believable but this is where it ends. The characters are bland and uninspired, eliciting very little emotion or care for what happens to them. There are attempts to create solid-backed stories for everyone but they flesh out as cheap knockoffs of the team from the original "Jurassic Park."
As aforementioned, the presence of humans on screen gradually becomes more and more irritating and plagues the entire film. Even when most of the team is eliminated, we are treated to a horribly cheesy team up between Lathan's character and the last remaining Predator. Apologies for near spoilers but no one is missing anything if they avoid the ridiculous scene featuring Lathan and the Predator running side by side to escape the Indiana Jones style labyrinth.
"Alien vs. Predator" is a colossal disappointment. Its saving graces are the minority and they cannot make up for the mediocrity of the film. Although the final scene setting up a sequel is very cool, let us hope that we will be spared from another of the series. Perhaps Paul Anderson should take a break from the video game genre and look at the many other beloved licenses that he shamelessly embarrasses.
Grade: C
When a "versus" movie featuring two historically rated R franchises is created under a PG-13 rating, questions begin to arise about the seriousness of the film and its truthfulness to the originals. Throw in a man who has written and directed several second-rate video game adaptations and you get "Alien vs. Predator," a mediocre movie and a feeble attempt at bringing two of science fiction's most beloved characters together on screen.
Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil) brings the acid bleeding Aliens and galactic super hunter Predators together in a film that despite its title, focuses far too much on its human characters.
The biggest strength of "AvP" is its incredible fight scenes between the creatures from outer space. When the Aliens and Predators duke it out the battles are spirit lifting and spectacularly bloody, unfortunately these fights are few and far between. By the time the title characters actually get down to business you are worn down from an excessive amount of boring human interaction.
The star power in "AvP" is limited at best, Sanaa Lathan (Blade, Love and Basketball) and Lance Henrikson (Aliens, Alien 3) give strong performances but filling in the shoes of Sigourney Weaver, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover is a tall order. Lathan is the new no nonsense female in charge of
expedition to the Predators' ancient pyramid. Her performance is sound but nowhere near as credible as Weaver's Ellen Ripley. Henrikson's multiple "Alien" appearances add a nice nod to the original films but not enough to power this new incarnation.
The story of AvP is decent, on par with the rest of the film. Anderson's script has a few nice touches such as the Predators serving as gods and creators to all of early human civilization. Even the expedition under thousands of feet of ice to the Predators' temple is believable but this is where it ends. The characters are bland and uninspired, eliciting very little emotion or care for what happens to them. There are attempts to create solid-backed stories for everyone but they flesh out as cheap knockoffs of the team from the original "Jurassic Park."
As aforementioned, the presence of humans on screen gradually becomes more and more irritating and plagues the entire film. Even when most of the team is eliminated, we are treated to a horribly cheesy team up between Lathan's character and the last remaining Predator. Apologies for near spoilers but no one is missing anything if they avoid the ridiculous scene featuring Lathan and the Predator running side by side to escape the Indiana Jones style labyrinth.
"Alien vs. Predator" is a colossal disappointment. Its saving graces are the minority and they cannot make up for the mediocrity of the film. Although the final scene setting up a sequel is very cool, let us hope that we will be spared from another of the series. Perhaps Paul Anderson should take a break from the video game genre and look at the many other beloved licenses that he shamelessly embarrasses.
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