Alien vs Predator (2004)

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Ah yes. Who in my age group could possibly forget the era of the "vs" movies, where two long, long-awaited titles would follow the formula of some of the old black & white horror classics, pitting one monster up against another? While the tradition started with titles like 'Dracula vs Frankenstein' and 'Godzilla vs (anything and everything)', an update on the concept felt necessary after so long with 'Freddy vs. Jason' and 'AVP' here, which already had its own game, but definitely gave us a concept that was begging for a screenplay.

Much like 'FVJ', 'AVP' came out to an interesting mixture of reviews. That is to say that while  they were mostly reviled, a few of us fans still held on. Speaking personally, neither concept allowed for me to take them too seriously. To me, they were made for the fans as a fantasy wrestling/boxing match of sorts. I GET why a good chunk of fans don't like them, especially with massive changes in lore (Jason becomes afraid of water, the Predator attacks someone unarmed, etc.) but its never been enough to take me out of things as long as the rest of the concept can deliver. In other words, if I have fun, I'm satisfied enough.

Having said all that, it doesn't mean audiences shouldn't demand better. I still see those changes in lore as massive errors. I just also see things I want to see in these movies. What IS irksome, however, is that this kicks things off, rewinding us to present day (2004), where we meet Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen), founder of Weyland Yutani (the big bad company of the 'Alien' franchise). We're not supposed to meet the real, non-android Bishop until the events of 'Alien 3' (2179), but hey, gotta put butts in seats somehow, because lord knows the name of the movie wouldn't be enough. But I digress.

Weyland makes the discovery of a lifetime when, through thermal imaging, he discovers a pyramid buried deep beneath Bouvetøya, an island off the coast of Antarctica. He assembles a team to go explore the area which includes our film's heroine, a pro mountaineering guide named Lex Woods (Sanaa Lathan). Upon their arrival, they discover a perfectly made tunnel in the ice that just so happens to lead towards the pyramid they're attempting to explore. Unbeknownst to them, but know to us, this hole was put there by a Predator ship.

As the team explores the underground pyramid, they make some shocking discoveries that lead to what I consider a fascinating extension of Alien/Predator lore. Long story short, the pyramid was meant as a sacrificial chamber, where an Alien queen was held captive, humans were face-hugged, birthed Xenomorphs, and gave the Predators an ultimate prey to hunt. The humans, being a mixture of different civilizations, worshipped the Predators as some kind of Gods who visited once a century to take part in this massive hunt as a right of passage.

While I'm sure there are plenty of enthusiasts and historians who dislike/dismiss the concept, I think that if we can just think of things on a fantasy level, there's no real harm done. In m opinion, it's a cool way to get these creatures together, and while perhaps not perfect, it works for the film's needs. Anyway, I know I haven't said a lot about the main plot, but essentially, Weyland is there to research something huge before his imminent death, (almost) everyone else turns into horror meat one way or another, and Lex finds herself caught in the middle of this Alien/Predator war.

If I have any real complaints about the film, it's mostly just that it feels a little slower than we're used to with either franchise. Otherwise, it's yet another chapter of the 'Alien' series I think gets a worse rap than it deserves. It's still full of some badass imagery and freaky moments that are clearly meant to be fan service, but very acceptable back in '03. Maybe I'm the odd one out on liking this movie for what it is, despite anything irksome. But honestly, if you think this chapter is bad, just wait until my next review.

3/5

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