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Average User Score: 6 (203 sources)

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zophar53

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Anybody who hasn't been living in a box for the past 20 years knows of these two off-world icons. These might be the most popular science fiction creatures ever, excluding anything Star Wars of course. And any fan of these franchises has...
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Anybody who hasn't been living in a box for the past 20 years knows of these two off-world icons. These might be the most popular science fiction creatures ever, excluding anything Star Wars of course. And any fan of these franchises has wanted to see this matchup for a long time. Short of comic books, both series have been quiet for some time, and both have had sequels that were not nearly as well-recieved as the originals.
When this movie was first announced, I rejoiced. FINALLY it was going to happen! When I read the first plot summary, I was slightly disappointed and scared that it was going to be a flop. After I saw the trailer however, I'm glad to report that my fears were unwarrented! This movie was done with obvious care and respect for it's characters while at the same time updating the franchise and giving it a new feel.
AVP is more of a Predator sequel than an Alien one, as we learn much more of their background. It is also more of a prequel. The story begins when Mr. Weyland (the familiar face of Lance Henrickson as Bishop from Aliens and the owner of the company that has always wanted to tame these creatures) detects underground heat in Antarctica. It is revealed to be an ancient pyramid, and the race is on to claim the find and discover it's secrets.
At first the pyramid-in-Antarctica thing sounds lame and dissapointing. The thing is, it's great! It's a refreshing change of pace from the tired spaceship environments that the Alien series has used since day one, while still giving it an isolated, other-worldly atmosphere. Once the team reaches it's goal, they find a deserted underground pyramid, with markings on it from both franchises that are instantly and fondly recognizeable. Eventually we find that Predators use the pyramid as a hunting ground and a kind of right-of-passage test for their adolescents. Humans are luered there every 100 years to breed Aliens, the ultimate prey for the ultimate galactic hunter.
As I said, the utmost respect for these characters has paid off and almost everything is done right. Nothing in the film contradicts what has already been established in the previous films. Also, AVP starts relatively slow, allowing the tension to build as nothing is revealed too soon or too much. Halfway through, we start seeing glimpses of black, slimey teeth and camoflaged, light-bending killers. Once the first Alien and Predator battle each other, it makes an enthusiastic fan want to cheer and root for their favorite, and the ending pays off quite well. LOVE the very last shot of the movie!!! (You'll know what I mean when you see it!)
I highly encourage anybody who enjoys these series to watch AVP. The Predators are given more depth, character, and new weapon additions. Even the visual effects look great. They are used sparingly, and it's difficult to tell what's real and what's not, with one or two exceptions. I loved this movie. It's what you've been waiting 10-15 years for, ever since that scene at the end of Predator 2 that has an Alien skull in a trophy case inside the Predator spaceship!

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Posted feb 13, 2008 11:23 am pt

Michael3312000

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The makers of Alien 3 probably thanked the makers of AVP for disloding the former as the worst movie in the Alien franchise. Two stars just because seeing the Predators and Xenomorphs finally clash was something to behold.

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Posted feb 10, 2008 7:05 am pt

punisherwarzone

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THIS IS A CRAPPY MOVIE GOD DONT SEE THIS MOVIE IT IS AS CRAPPY AS THE ATHF MOVIE THIS IS TWO HOURS OF **** FIGHTING EACH OTHER AND WALKING AROUND CHAMBERS DO YOU SELF A FAVOR BUY IT AND BURN IT AND NEVER LOOK BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Posted jan 29, 2008 2:20 pm pt

futuramafan101

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This movie was good but not great it has some good action scenes with aliens and the predators and had alot violence and gore and the storyline was ok but is still worth watching

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Posted jan 20, 2008 2:35 am pt

Animal-Mother

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Ya know, I usually don't like to go nostalgic put since the sequel is coming out, I've decided to review the original. In short this movie in my book is abysmal. The plot follows the company from the previous alien film's Weyland-Yutani...
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Ya know, I usually don't like to go nostalgic put since the sequel is coming out, I've decided to review the original. In short this movie in my book is abysmal. The plot follows the company from the previous alien film's Weyland-Yutani Corporation's owner Bishop Weyland assembling a team to track a signal from one of his satellites. Upon arriving there they discover an underground temple of some sort, and that's where the chaos of the movie begins. From the acting to the story it's all just a big blur. The predators come how ever many years and test their battle skills. The movie is just hard to explain even the action is so fast paced and unnoticeable, and the ending is something I think is ridiculous, what I'm curious about is how their going to do the second one. But all and all don't waste your time or money, because it's 2 hours you'll never get back

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Posted nov 7, 2007 10:04 pm pt

xpand

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I had the expectation a little bit high for this. When i heard someone was finally picking up the comics and the wonderful franchise that Alien and Predator are, i though there is no way someone can screw this up.. oh well i was wrong.. very very...
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I had the expectation a little bit high for this. When i heard someone was finally picking up the comics and the wonderful franchise that Alien and Predator are, i though there is no way someone can screw this up.. oh well i was wrong.. very very very wrong. Plot has more wholes then a golf course.. its lousy written.. lousy directed and Mr. Paul Anderson should seriously consider thinking very very very hard before he gets to direct anything else!

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Posted nov 7, 2007 3:28 am pt

kaysow

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Bad movie, but entertaining enough to be given a shot. Legendary stupid tagline written by someone who hasn't seen the movie.

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Posted oct 25, 2007 9:16 am pt

Lynxan1

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Overall a good effort, but as with most movies that start out in the R rated area, scaling it back to fit a PG 13 rating will take allot of what was there before out. I like the movie overall. As one that has read many official and fan made...
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Overall a good effort, but as with most movies that start out in the R rated area, scaling it back to fit a PG 13 rating will take allot of what was there before out. I like the movie overall. As one that has read many official and fan made stories in this line, this is hardly the basis I would have put a movie to.

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Posted oct 12, 2007 12:15 pm pt

rockin01

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I'm a completist- I've watched every Alien and Predator movie, so I HAD to see this one. The verdict: It's not horrible, but compared to the original classics, this one suffers greatly. Let's hope the next installment is better, because I'll be...
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I'm a completist- I've watched every Alien and Predator movie, so I HAD to see this one. The verdict: It's not horrible, but compared to the original classics, this one suffers greatly. Let's hope the next installment is better, because I'll be right there watching- again...

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Posted sep 26, 2007 12:27 pm pt

delta_116326

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pretty good. not true to its origins though. but an ok movie.

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Posted aug 30, 2007 8:56 am pt

• [+] The New York Times
  
  50
  Between the Predators' dripping their glow-in-the-dark green blood and the Aliens' getting their rubber cement mucous all over everything, this is certainly a very sticky movie, though not, ultimately, a very frightening or commanding one.

  by Dave Kehr | Read Full Review »
• [+] Los Angeles Times
  
  50
  Surprisingly free of gore, unlike its predecessors.

  by Carina Chocano | Read Full Review »
• [+] Boston Globe
  
  50
  This is one schlockfest that may be enjoyed more by casual viewers than by hard-core fans, since writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson breaks with the established mythology of both properties whenever he feels like it. Like it matters.

  by Ty Burr | Read Full Review »
• [+] Village Voice
  
  40
  With perfunctory battle sequences, cardboard characters, and uncreative scare 'ems, Paul W.S. Anderson's monster mashup isn't quite terrible enough to be so-bad-it's-awesome, but his swift (if forced) plotting and amusingly shoddy costumes mean that there could be worse ways to enjoy air-conditioning.

  by Ed Halter | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Onion (A.V. Club)
  
  40
  It would take a true visionary not to borrow from Alien Vs. Predator's predecessors, but Anderson lifts more than most will consider polite, borrowing to the point where some viewers may wonder whether he simply edited in footage from the old movies (or even, at one point, "Jurassic Park").

  by Keith Phipps | Read Full Review »
• [+] LA Weekly
  
  40
  Make sense? No, it doesn't. But if you manage to endure the exposition, you'll get what you paid for: popping chests. Invisible stalkers. Nicely paced chases through corridors that constantly reconfigure in interlocking stone puzzles.

  by Tim Appelo | Read Full Review »
• [+] The Hollywood Reporter
  
  40
  The fifth outing for the slime-dripping, shape-changing creatures, the Aliens are looking a little dogged, perhaps ready for the Alien Retirement Home. Meanwhile, the Predator warriors, who never achieved the artistic heights of their counterpart, look better invisible. When visible, they resemble robotic can openers gone berserk.

  by Kirk Honeycutt | Read Full Review »
• [+] TV Guide
  
  40
  A reductive spook show in which a bunch of puny humans get chased around by scary monsters.

  by Maitland McDonagh | Read Full Review »
• [+] Variety
  
  40
  The thing-a-ma-jigs have it out with the whatch-a-ma-call-its -- as several humans scurry and scream between -- in Alien Vs. Predator, the kind of two-for-one dogfight (last repped by "Freddy Vs. Jason") that usually does more to bury a franchise than revive it.

  by Dennis Harvey | Read Full Review »
• [+] Empire
  
  40
  Fans beware - your fave two sci-fi franchises have been stripped of all their guile and maturity.

  by Dan Jolin | Read Full Review »
• [+] Chicago Tribune
  
  38
  It's a murky, empty-headed dive into the depths of the Antarctic and the heart of monster movie cliches that leaves you praying for most of the cast to get killed off fast, to put them (and us) out of our misery.

  by Michael Wilmington | Read Full Review »
• [+] ReelViews
  
  38
  The film is critic-proof and it will find an audience, but it's hard to imagine even the film's target demographic (teenage boys) being overly enthusiastic about the product. It's disposable entertainment of the worst kind.

  by James Berardinelli | Read Full Review »
• [+] Philadelphia Inquirer
  
  38
  Anderson gets style points for the pyramid, though. The building - a combination of Aztec, Egyptian and Cambodian elements loaded with sophisticated gadgetry - totally rocks.

  by David Hiltbrand | Read Full Review »
• [+] Dallas Observer
  
  30
  Well, Sanaa Lathan's in there somewhere as the smart and sexy ass-kickin' chick, but it's really all about the monster disembowelments, which happen often.

  by Luke Y. Thompson | Read Full Review »
• [+] Film Threat
  
  30
  It will end up frustrating fans of both movie franchises enough to make them wish someone more competent was in charge.

  by Pete Vonder Haar | Read Full Review »