Alien Vs Predator (2004)
In an bizarre twist during the filming of Alien Vs Predator, the production crew unearths 16 missing years of Anthony Michael Hall's career.
Starring: |
Lance Henrickson
|
Released By: |
20th Century Fox |
Released In: |
2004 |
Rated: |
PG-13 |
Reviewed By: |
Adam Mast |
Grade: |
C |
Alien Vs. Predator has been kicking around Hollywood for many years. Looming out there like a fantasy, like a movie-geek's wet dream. Now, after going through various directors and several different re-writes, the film finally arrives with a (PG-13) rating (WHAT?), an all-too-brief 90 minute running time (ARE YOU KIDDING ME?), and often ridiculed director Paul Anderson at the helm (NOOOOOOO!).
As if the much vaunted galactic grudge-match didn't already have enough strikes against it, it's been the target of tons of negative buzz in the past few months. The film has lurched about beneath a big black cloud since it started production and with good reason. In the eyes of many a movie fan (myself included), Mr. Anderson doesn't have the best track record. (This is the Paul Anderson who's given us Mortal Kombat, Event Horizon, and Resident Evil, not the Paul T. Anderson who gave us Boogie Nights and Punchdrunk Love).
Alien and Predator are beloved properties, and most certainly, many of us had hoped that either James Cameron, Ridley Scott, or even John McTiernan would have stepped up to the Captain's console. Still, no matter who the director, I'm always willing to give a flick a fair chance (I've even watched all of Joel Schumacher's films - and
actually liked a couple of them).
AVP (as the ad campaign calls it - it's logo resembling a porno outfit - Adult Video Productions or something) pits the almighty Predators against the sleek and fierce Aliens. The gist of the plot (which takes place in 2004) revolves around a group of diverse specialists called upon by entrepreneur Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen), when he discovers an ancient pyramid buried two thousand feet beneath the ice in Antartica (It's a wonder they didn't throw The Thing and The Blob into the mix).
Lead by a mountain climbing expert (Sanaa Lathan), the assembled team of experts embark on a harrowing expedition only to find that they've been lead into a trap set by a race of Predators who hope to re-engage in a war with their old foe, the Aliens, who just so happen to reside in the pyramid. For a (PG-13) affair, this movie has a hefty body count and there are certainly unexpected deaths in this picture. Too bad we don't really get to know any of these people.
First of all, AVP has one of the worst screenplays in recent memory. I suppose it could be argued that a film like this is all about the action, but the human characters must still engage in conversation and the dialogue here is beyond laughable (i.e. "My enemy's enemy is my friend."). These so called specialists converse in stilted platitudes that smack of leftover cardboard cut-out characters from Roland Emmerich's recent Day After Tomorrow. Most of the human cast run around
frantically overstating the obvious, and what's worse, the film is so damn short that we don't even get a chance to figure out exactly who they are, much less why we don't care about them. The proceedings are underdeveloped beyond belief.
The story itself was developed by Anderson, original Alien scribe Dan
O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett, Jim Thomas, and John Thomas, but Anderson gets a lone screenwriting credit for AVP. I wouldn't be surprised if the other writers decided to remain unidentified. While there are certainly interesting revelations made about the history of the Alien and Predator races, the movie doesn't always make sense, especially given the time lines presented in both franchises.
For example, I was completely dumbfounded by the inclusion of Charles Bishop Weyland (the character who would invent android Bishop in his own image) in this picture, because he makes an appearance in Alien 3 which takes place 100's of years later. Perhaps we are to assume that Weyland was cryogenically preserved, or perhaps he was cloned many years later. Maybe the Weyland in Alien 3 was just another android. Who the hell knows. AVP is riddled with plot holes and a severe lack of logistical cohesion.
Paul Anderson the director actually gets things right - to a certain extent. AVP has an outstanding visual style and it moves at a bullet's pace once our specialists reach the pyramid. The Alien/Predator battles are thrilling, bringing to mind the cyborg duels in The Terminator films. I've heard complaints about the Matrix style face-huggers that jump through the air in slow motion, but I wasn't at all bothered by them.
While watching the action of AVP unfold it did occur to me that Anderson is in fact a fan of both franchises. He even pays homage to various techniques that Cameron and Scott used in their films. I also loved the art direction and editing in this picture, although it
certainly lends itself more to the Alien films than the Predator movies. The technical execution is near perfect, and I was truly surprised by the effects work. Many of the Aliens are CGI but they are seamlessly intergrated amongst the live performers. Even the Alien Queen (which is virtually identical to the one in Cameron1s picture) is a marvel to behold, although I'm not quite sure how she and her egg sack were preserved underneath that ice for so long.
I'm not going to spend a bunch of time discussing performances, because none of these actors bring much to the table, but how could they. The
characterzations (or lack thereof) are positively awful. Anderson is easily one of the most disliked genre directors working today. It's disheartening really, because he certainly isn't without talent. For whatever reason, he continues to make below-average movies, and AVP doesn't exactly buck this trend. Anderson has assured Alien and Predator worshipers everywhere that he too is a fan, and this certainly shows in the action sequences, but sadly there is zero chemistry between the human players.
The film also takes a sour detour in the final act, and as a result, it almost becomes comical. The Predator's unlikely alliance is punctuated by a bizarre flirtation that almost seems sexual in nature. And, of course, Anderson can't resist opening the door for a follow-up by offering a finale that, while expected, had the audience howling with laughter. It is meant to be taken seriously, but is so goofy in appearance that it reminded me of a similar moment in Bride of Chucky (which was clearly played for laughs).
So in the end, there are a few ways to rate this movie;
As an Alien or Predator flick, I enjoyed it more than Alien: Resurection and Predator 2, but it's a far cry from Ridley Scott and James Cameron's contributions to their respective franchises, and it can't match the gothic grandeur of David Fincher's underrated Alien 3. And as solid as the action content is, it lacks the in-your-face explosiveness of John McTiernan's first Predator picture.
As a franchise merger, I suppose the movie delivers the goods. The
Alien/Predator battles are exciting (save for a CGI overkill flashback
sequence) and the way the film makers bring the two species together is
interesting, if a tad silly. Where this fairly new trend of putting
franchises together is concerned, I was more entertained by this than I was Freddy Vs. Jason, but it's not really a fair comparison, because the Alien and Predator movies are held to a higher standard than the Friday and Nightmare films.
And finally, as yet another landmark on Anderson's already legendary resume, I'd honestly have to say that AVP is his most entertaining film. Resident Evil was trash and an absolute abomination of everything I hold dear in the zombie universe (a genre I hope will be revitalized with the arrival of the brilliant Shaun of the Dead). Mortal Kombat was just further proof that movies based on video games are crap. Event Horizon is a tough one. While it had an interesting premise, Anderson didn't do anything interesting with it. It was like Hellraiser in space, only dull and devoid of decent scares.
I guess I can't look anyone straight in the face and tell them AVP is a
great film, but I can look you straight in the face and tell you it isn't complete garbage. Perhaps that's because I went in with the lowest of expectations. As dumb, silly and illogical as much of AVP is, it offers up some pretty damn entertaining action. This movie may not be what fans were hoping for, but it certainly could have been much worse.
On a side note, the (PG-13) rating does not prove to be a major factor. The movie is surprisingly violent. No, we don't get any graphic shots of aliens bursting from chests but there's plenty of carnage on display.
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