Alien Vs. Predator - still surprisingly cool

[Kai Lord]

I bought the DVD yesterday and was happy to see that its still every bit as entertaining as when I saw it in the theater. Sure there is a lot of silly stuff and continuity issues with previous Alien/Predator films but taken as its own its still a hell of a fun ride. Some of the sequences (first arrival of the Predator ship and the final duel which I won't spoil here) rank among the best scenes from *both* series. Definitely the pleasant surprise of the year. A better script would have really knocked this one out of the park.

Highly recommended for Alien/Predator fans capable of suspending disbelief (and make no mistake this film will put that capability to the test) and letting continuity from previous films slide. Its fun, looks spectacular, and has some genuinely top notch sequences. Check it out.

 

[Desdichado]

I hear there's some changes from the theatrical version; any word on what changed?

In general I agree with you; I liked it well enough and will eventually pick it up. I'm hanging back a bit to see if the rumored "director's cut" comes out though.

 

[barsoomcore]

You know, we watched it just last night and it was nowhere near as bad as I'd been led to believe. Head and shoulders above such tripe as The Chronicles of Riddick. Good, straightforward stupid monster movie fare.

I wouldn't buy it, and I still think PSWAnderson is a hack, but there's nothing wrong with a little hackery now and then. It was better than Resident Evil, even if the female lead wasn't as good as Milla.

Lots of good tense moments, lots of juicy Alien Versus Predator action (which I felt was kind of the point of the whole thing), lots of death, and a good little ending "twist" that you could see coming from halfway through the film, but that's part of the fun. We watched the "extended version" which didn't feel flabby or over-long AT ALL. Nice, tight little film.

The sort of film my wife and I would be happy making.

I could have wished for an R-Rated film, I could have wished for better writing and direction in the early part of the film (you didn't get the sense of character that a movie like Aliens gives you, and I know, that's comparing it against one of the true classics, but isn't that what classics are for?), and I definitely thought the slow-motion facehuggers were more "giggly" than "squirmy", but otherwise: good stupid fun.

A solid 6 or even a 7 out of 10.

 

[Kai Lord]

I hear there's some changes from the theatrical version; any word on what changed?

As far as I noticed just a couple of minutes at the beginning of the film showing what happened to the residents of the whaling camp in 1904. Nothing spectacular but I thought the very last shot of the new sequence was unexpected in a pretty cool way.

 

[Desdichado]

That's a bit disappointing. There was some talk early on during the movie's theatrical run that there was a lot of stuff cut, including a lot of the violence. Not that I need more gratuitous violence, but the whole point of both franchises are that people die a lot, so this felt like a Lite version of both movies in many respects.

I still liked this movie better than Alien³. Oddly enough, I don't have the same hate on for Alien: Resurrection that most everyone else seems to. I think barsoomcore's account is pretty on the money (although one hears he actually liked the D&D movie, so take his recommendations on movies with a grain of salt. ) Luckily I went and saw it thinking that at best it'd be a stupid fun movie, so my expectations were properly lowered before I saw it. It actually exceeded them in many ways.

 

[Joker[ZW]]

and a good little ending "twist" that you could see coming from halfway through the film, but that's part of the fun.

I liked the movie, but I hated this part. Maybe its because I played the games but this was so clichè, tacked on and useless, that it alone made the film much worse for me.
The rest is good though.

 

[Desdichado]

I heard a lot of folks running around that were bent out of shape that the movie didn't better match the comic books, novels and games. Frankly, I'm quite glad it didn't; I thought those really suXX0red anyway. One of the things PSAnderson got more or less right was that kind of creepy feeling of dread for the first part of the movie. It actually reminded me of "At the Mountains of Madness" in many ways.

 

[barsoomcore]

I thought the very last shot of the new sequence was unexpected in a pretty cool way.

Yep. That was a nice moment.

I still liked this movie better than Alien3. Oddly enough, I don't have the same hate on for Alien: Resurrection that most everyone else seems to.

Better than Alien3? Better than the SECOND HALF of Alien3, I'd say. Alien3 starts out really, really well, I think; the autopsy on Newt is horrifying and the realisation of just how bleak Ripley's plight (and how fragile her safety is even from the humans) is really scary and creepy. Right up to where the alien doesn't kill her. At that point, Ripley walks off into the darkness, presumably to commune with her sticky step-sister and the film turns into a great big pile of steaming pooh.

Alien:Resurrection has Wynona Rider in it. There's that spectacularly idiotic shot, craning up from her feet to reveal 67-pound Wynona trying desperately to look resolute and intimidating, and you can't help but laugh. The whole thing is just beyond stupid, for me. It's tedious and without any coolness or sense of fun to it. Or scariness.

So yeah, I'd say AVP was the best since Cameron's classic. I'd watch a sequel.

 

[ragboy]

Yep. That was a nice moment.

Better than Alien3? Better than the SECOND HALF of Alien3.

I liked Alien3. It had a similar sense of futility (no guns) and interesting adaptation (to kill the alien) that the original movie had. Lots of horror. And the characters were well drawn and extremely well acted.

Alien:Resurrection has Wynona Rider in it.

That and the simulated abortion at the end... What a letdown movie. Like Highlander 2... Interesting concept, though...Ripley coming back as a 'tiefling' alien.

So yeah, I'd say AVP was the best since Cameron's classic. I'd watch a sequel.

I thought AVP was a fun movie. I thought the weird relationship that the heroine had with the Predator was...well weird. Exploration of that bit of darkness could have made it even more interesting. Plus the movie had some great exploitable d20 Modern/Future content. That 'clockwork' tomb was pretty darn cool. I'd rate them as follows:

1 - Alien, Aliens (tie because they were two different movies, but equally good)
2 - Alien 3
3 - AVP
...
null - Resurrection (didn't happen)

 

[Hypersmurf]

Huh. I've only seen Resurrection once, but I recall enjoying it.

Right up until about ten minutes from the end, where Ripley falls through the floor and meets big sticky Barney alien.

Everything after that ruined everything that had gone before, from memory.

-Hyp.