Review #112: AVP (2004)

Cast/Notable Credits:
Paul W.S. Anderson (Director): Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat (1995), Event Horizon (1997), Death Race (2008)

Sanaa Lathan (Alexa Woods): Blade (1998), Life (1999)

Lance Henriksen (Charles Bishop Weyland): Aliens

Colin Salmon (Maxwell Stafford): Tomorrow Never Dies (1997), The World is Not Enough (1999), Resident Evil, Punisher: War Zone (2008)

Tommy Flanagan (Mark Verheiden): Braveheart (1995), The Saint (1997), Face/Off (1997), Gladiator (2000), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), Sin City (2005), When a Stranger Calls (2006)

Trailer:


A satellite orbiting the Earth picks up a heat signature coming from a remote location in Antarctica. Thermal images shows that the signature outlines an ancient pyramid underneath the ice. The owner of the satellite, The Weyland Corporation, assembles a scientific archaeological team and drilling team to take down to Antarctica to discover the orgins of the pyramid.

Upon arrival, the team finds that a tunnel from the surface to the pyramid has mysteriously been carved out of the ice. Anxious to be the first ones down to the pyramid, the team proceeds down to the ancient ruin without any questioning of the mysterious tunnel. Little do they know that they are walking into a Predator trap.

The Predators uses humans as "hosts" to produce the Aliens so they can hunt them. A long time ago they captured a Queen Alien as keeps her captive and frozen until 100 years pass, and then they thaw her out to produce the facehugger eggs. A few, select Predators return to Earth to hunt the Aliens as a Rite of Passage into manhood (or something like that).

Now the surviving team members must escape the ancient pyramid that reconfigures every ten minutes or become part of the "hunt" and battle between the Aliens and Predators.

Tagline: Whoever wins, we lose

Whenever Paul W.S. Anderson directs, we lose. I swear this guy directs some of the worst "should be cooler" movies ever. How is he the other half of the Milla Jovovich life story? (Pictured right) When I think of him and her, the quote from Talladaga Nights pops up. When Ricky Bobby is telling his wife's dad, Chip, "They only thing you've ever done good in your life is make a hot daughter." Kind of the same concept here. Mr. Anderson, "The only thing you've ever done good in you life is marry a hot girl."

So this is how they bring the two great franchises together. For numerous years the Sci-Fi geeks around the world had awaited this movie. Ever since we caught a glimpse of the Alien skull in the spaceship in Predator 2, we've been teased and held in anticipation for this film. And now it arrives. Finally. And I felt a little ripped off.

First of all, my initial disappointment in this film came upon learning that it was going to be rated PG-13. Really? PG-13? If you don't know me, but I have a certain disliking of slapping the PG-13 label on horror movies. It defeats the purpose of a horror movie. It's like having a PBJ without the peanut butter. A lap dance without the stripper.

Another thing about the PG-13 rating, apparently it's alright to have as much blood as you want, as long as it's green blood. Splatter that all over the screen and it's okay. But human blood, nooo, we can't have any of that. Damn Hollywood. During a random picture search, this picture came up. Whose the Alien and whose the Predator?

So just like all other PG-13 horror movies, I avoided this one at the movie theater. It's my own personal stand against the studios pulling this crap. I eventually saw this movie at work...at least the majority of it. I was a little intrigued and interested in the parts I saw, so I gave in and finally rented it.

My first impression was that it was okay. It was an enjoyable popcorn movie to watch. It definitely was better than Predator 2 and Alien 3. The story focused more on the humans in the film than it did the two species. That was a common argument for the film's disliking. "Blah, blah, blah, character development. We want more Aliens vs Predator!" I agree with that to some degree.

I didn't like that the film brought the two species into modern day Earth. I felt like it violated all the time lines, and lore between the two franchises. I would have preferred to see the two species duke it out on some other planet in another time. But that's just me. Also, I love the Lance Henriksen character in the Alien franchise, but they really didn't need to work him into this one. Made me feel the same way when Star Wars II forced Boba Fett into the story. Some things are just better left alone.

I also wasn't a big fan of the chick teaming up with the Predator at the end. That was pretty gay itself. If I was the Predator, I would be like, "F*ck you lady. You'll slow me down. I'm a trained professional. I'm on my own. Get out of my way." Instead the Predator "embraced" her into the hunt. I would have used her for bait...and many other things. Oh, that chick happened to be Sanaa Lathan (pictured left). It's not exactly the hunt I would take her on.

Overall, it was a decent movie to watch. I do give the studio credit for making each species a formidable opponent to each other. I thought they would make the Aliens into a bunch of pussies (cannon fodder), but they ended up to be a pretty tough match for the technology dependent Predators.

Misc. Movie Trivia:
-Film opened on August 13, 2004 and made $80.2 million at the Box Office ($38.2 million opening weekend)
-1st Alien or Predator movie not to receive a "R" rating
-Arnold Schwarzenegger would have made a cameo appearance if he had lost the election for California governor
-The morse code the satellite at the beginning spells out, "Whoever wins, we lose"
-Three Predators names: Scar, Celtic, and Chopper