Cheesy But Fun Crossover – Alien Vs Predator (2004) MOVIE REVIEW

Today I continue my Road To Prey with Alien Vs. Predator on my marathon of Predator movies reviews! You can read my review of Predator here and my review of Predator 2 here.

This was a moment from my childhood that I could not be more excited about. Alien and Predator, two of my favorite franchises ever made finally coming to the big screen for a crossover! This was like seeing the Avengers coming together for the first time.

I already had the Aliens Vs. Predator video games on PC as a kid so I was more than ready. When I saw it back in 2004, I remember being equally pleased and disappointed. Mostly, I was a dumb kid and my big complaint was that it was on Earth and not on an alien planet like in the games.

So, where do I land now rewatching Alien Vs. Predator as an adult? Well, it’s definitely not what would expect from an AVP film but I can’t lie I had a smile on my face.

IT’S DEFINITELY A PAUL W.S. ANDERSON FILM

I mean that as a good and bad thing. I don’t think Paul W.S. Anderson is a terrible director, I still have a love for the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, I think Event Horizon is an absolute horror gem, and despite their flaws, I still have some fond memories of the first two Resident Evil films.

So, when I rewatched Alien Vs. Predator, I found that it is a perfect display of all of Anderson’s strengths and all of his flaws as a filmmaker. When Paul W.S. Anderson does good, he delivers some awesome scenes but when he trips, he falls hard.

For example the first act of Alien Vs. Predator is a bit of a drag. I wasn’t expecting the movie to just be Aliens and Predators fighting for 2 hours but AVP takes way too long with the setup in my opinion. I like a lot of the concepts in the setup but it feels like it takes ten to fifteen minutes too long to get to the stuff audiences came for.

The biggest reason why the setup is uninteresting is mainly because of the characters that we follow. Other than a few standouts like Charles Weyland, Lex Woods, and Graeme Miller, pretty much all of the characters are generic fodder for the two titular monsters.

Weyland is the best human character and that is mostly due to Lance Henriksen continuing to be a show-stealer. He even gets to fight a Predator which is one of the only times I actually felt a little bit sad for a human character’s death.

Lex is a fine protagonist. She’s definitely an analog for Ripley: the confident and wise character that clearly knows what she’s talking about but nobody listens to her. Sanaa Lathan gives a nice performance that actually gets better as the movie progresses, especially when it’s just her and a Predator working together.

Ewen Bremner is a delight in everything he does and I genuinely liked his character. He’s one of the only characters who have some sort of development. But other than that, I couldn’t really care less about the characters in Alien Vs. Predator.

Paul W.S. Anderson also reuses a lot of tropes from the first Resident Evil movie in this and sometimes it’s a bit distracting. From holographic maps of the pyramid which are just like the Hive holograms from Resident Evil to some of the traps and kills being uncannily similar, it gets a little annoying.

However, Paul W.S. Anderson delivers on so many other things. I think the Antarctic setting brings a different but refreshing aesthetic that allows it to be set in the modern day without it feeling too contemporary. The icy wasteland already feels like something on another planet and combined with the pyramid, I think it is an interesting setting for Alien Vs. Predator.

When the characters actually enter the pyramid, I think the set design is phenomenal. The ancient architecture and design with an extraterrestrial twist give a chilling atmosphere; mixing claustrophobia and elegance into one. You can see elements of Event Horizon in the world-building and the set design and though it’s not a horror movie, both franchises’ roots in horror are ever-present and it’s clear that Anderson has a love for both.

IT DELIVERS ON THE TITLE

Despite its rocky start, the second and third acts are much stronger. Mostly because, when the Xenomorphs and the Yautja Hunters finally meet? It is when this movie goes from decent at best to a total thrill ride.

Ian Whyte portrays all three Predators in this one and Tom Woodruff Jr. portrays the Xenomorphs and it is a match made in heaven. Both of these performers excel as these monsters and it’s enough to make anyone grin since they each are given a fair amount of time to show off how both monsters have their strengths and weaknesses.

I can’t lie, when the Celtic Predator is throwing down with the lead Xenomorph known as Grid, I have the biggest grin on my face. This is where Paul W.S. Anderson shines: he knows the ins and outs of these aliens and he effectively showcases what each can provide in a fight.

And this continues throughout the rest of the film: anytime it focuses on the two factions of monsters battling, it is the best part of the movie. Even when it’s just one of each monster, I find it enjoyable. Xenomorphs are much smarter here and we see more of how the Queen communicates with her swarm of soldiers to do her bidding.

Fans also get to know more about the Yautja Hunter lore and their culture. I love the idea of the Xenomorphs being the ultimate rite of passage, where the Hunters who survive graduate from a Youngblood to an Elite Hunter. I’m a sucker for lore and even though these two Alien Vs. Predator movies are no longer canon, they did leave an impact since future Alien and Predator games would take inspiration.

Even just small details sprinkled throughout the film that reflects previous movies in both franchises are a delight. It may not be the smoothest film ever made but it clearly respects the Alien and Predator movies to deliver a fun experience throughout.

WHY SETTLE WITH PG-13?

I’ll be honest, I’m not someone who needs everything to be super gory and hyper-violent. I think it’s a complaint that is not only overused but showcases that some people are a little twisted in the head when they beg for it. However, Alien Vs. Predator is one of those times where I wish it was rated R.

Thankfully, creature gore is not considered the same as human gore so when a Yautja or Xenomorph dies, the movie does not hold back and I heavily appreciate that. However, there is almost no blood when it comes to humans and sometimes it’s fine, other times it feels like a waste.

See, the reason why the gore works in both Alien and Predator movies is that both are showcasing how much of a threat they are. Xenomorphs are pure evil and all they care about is killing and reproducing: that’s all. Yautja are the most ruthless hunters in the galaxy with methods that are meant to show how formidable they are.

As a result, when little to no blood and gore is displayed, it definitely makes both titular monsters come off as nerfed. Especially since the Predators are all equipped with plenty of iconic weapons such as the Net Gun, the combistick, the Plasmacaster, and new ones such as the shuriken. This should have been the most brutal of the films but it’s actually the tamest.

Thankfully this is something that the sequel improves upon…probably the only thing.

SEBASTIAN THE EXPOSITION MAN

This is not the actor’s fault, Raoul Bova was simply given the most annoying part as Sebastian. This character’s entire role is to be nothing but the greatest archaeological genius on the planet and as a result, he delivers nearly every bit of exposition to the audience when it comes to the Xeno and Yautja lore.

By the third act, his schtick actually gets so annoying that I felt relieved when the xenomorphs captured him. And when he’s killed off, it’s supposed to be this super sad moment for Lex, but I literally felt nothing for his death. Actually, I got more reaction when the Predator catches his chestburster and kills it with his thumb.

SCAR IS A BADASS PREDATOR

I mentioned earlier how Ian Whyte delivered with Celtic when it comes to the action scenes, but he gives an even better performance as Scar. Scar is the main Yautja who outlives his two brothers and becomes the star Predator of the movie.

Even though he has no dialogue, Ian Whyte gives Scar so much personality that I couldn’t help but fall in love with this guy. Small things such as showing respect to Lex or explaining that his wrist computer is going to explode, he’s just a joy to watch throughout the last half of the film.

Scar even has easily one of the funniest gags in the entire franchise when the Queen rises out of the ground and he just drops his jaw in disbelief. Almost like he’s saying, “Oooooooooh sh*t!”

I mentioned it prior but I really like the alliance between Lex and Scar. It reminds me of some of the AVP comics from Dark Horse where it’s a bit cheesy but still manages to work; such as when he creates a spear and shield out of the remains of a Xenomorph corpse.

THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS TO WATCH

So, if anybody is curious about checking out Alien Vs. Predator, I just wanted to alert to everyone that there are three versions of the movie to watch.

1. The theatrical cut is fine. It’s still a fun time.
2. The extended cut. This one adds a new prologue and a little bit of extra footage. It’s better but it’s not anything drastic.
3. The “unrated” cut. Stay. Away. From this version. Yes, it adds all the blood that we were all asking for, but it is some of the worst CGI blood that was clearly just superimposed onto the theatrical cut.

Stick to the Extended Cut. It’s the best version. Alright, PSA is over.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

So, my opinion has changed over the years, but I still maintain that Alien Vs. Predator is a mixed bag. For everything it does really well, it also disappoints in other aspects. The actual Alien and Predator stuff is stellar but it has pretty forgettable human characters of both franchises.

The action scenes are really fun but sometimes rely too much on high-framerate shakycam and the lack of blood is sometimes annoying. It respects the movies as well as the AVP comics but can come off as kind of cheesy at times.

I think the best way to describe Alien Vs. Predator is that it’s a prime example of a popcorn flick. It’s not a masterclass of action or horror but it does just enough right that if you put it on, have some food, and maybe watch it with friends and family, it’s a cheesy monster flick that delivers on having these iconic monsters fight each other.

I’m going to give Alien Vs. Predator a 6.75/10. It has plenty of flaws to poke fun at but I still think it’s a decent experience. Especially in comparison to the sequel that I do not look forward to talking about.

You’re all SO SWEET for making it this far and I hope you all enjoyed this article! I write about anything geek-related, especially comic book-related stuff so if you want to stay up to date with all the reviews, news breakdowns, and lists I do, make sure to follow this blog or follow me on Twitter @MelodyMacReady where I am much more active! Love you all!