Alien vs. Predator (2004) review

17. Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Directed by: Paul W.S. Anderson

Produced by: John Davis, Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill

Screenplay by: Paul W.S. Anderson

Starring: Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen, Ewen Bremner, Colin Salmon, Tommy Flanagan

The idea of a crossover between the “Alien” and “Predator” franchise had already come to fruition 15 years before Paul W.S. Anderson’s 2004 effort. In 1989, two years after “Predator” came out, Dark Horse Comics published the first edition of an “Alien vs. Predator” book series that has continued to this day. Following that was a scene in 1990’s “Predator 2” where a Xenomorph skull appeared in a Predator trophy case; but much like what happened with “Freddy vs. Jason,” it took years of development hell and creative differences regarding scripts and producers before a movie finally saw the light of day, although the concept continued in video games and action figures. It’s the first film to move away from Ellen Ripley’s storyline, mostly since Sigourney Weaver wanted no part of it, instead taking place on modern-day Earth, more than a century before the first “Alien” movie. Simply called “Alien vs. Predator,” it’s a pretty shallow and shaky attempt, visually murky and containing mostly flat characters; but I’m going to argue that there are enough dynamics that make it worth watching.

Long before the unscrupulous Weyland company was sending innocent people to their death, this movie features the Weyland company sending innocent people to their death…okay, maybe not the same way, but you’ll see what I mean. Industrialist Charles Bishop-Weyland (Lance Henriksen) discovers through thermal imaging that there seems to be a pyramid buried 2,000 feet beneath the ice on Bouvetøya, an island off the coast of Antarctica. Hoping to carve out his own lasting legacy, Weyland assembles a team of experts to investigate; this includes mountaineering guide Lex Woods (Sanaa Lathan), who’s concerned they’re ill-prepared for this mission. On the long-deserted island, they discover a newly made tunnel that leads all the way down to the pyramid, where they find evidence of an ancient civilization. Unfortunately, it turns out this is where the Predators come to hunt Xenomorphs; it’s explained through hieroglyphics that thousands of years ago, the Predators were worshipped by humans as gods, and took part in a rite of passage where humans were sacrificed to breed Xenomorphs as the “ultimate prey.” Now the battle is resuming, and this group of humans are about to become unwitting pawns.

Plot-wise, this isn’t a bad idea to blend these two species together, since it’s in a remote enough location not to mess with continuity, and it brings the idea of ancient mythologies into the mix, which provides interesting possibilities. The setting also continues the trait of each movie having a different look; between both franchises, we’ve been through war, prison, the jungle and urban blight, and now the cold isolation is welcomely hostile. You can tell Anderson is trying to give this movie weight and atmosphere, even if the special effects have a lot of crappy CGI and visual gimmicks that just feel like a way to dumb down the story even more than it already is, although I do like the idea of the pyramid changing shape while they’re all running around inside. One big gripe fans had was the film’s PG-13 rating, and while I would’ve appreciated more gore, what we get is okay and even clever, like when one Predator slices an alien so clean it takes a moment before the whole cut takes place.

Where the film fails, however, is with the characters, although I will give credit to two of them. You have Lance Henriksen—who of course played the android Bishop in “Aliens” and his designer Michael Bishop-Weyland in “Alien 3”—as Charles, and he brings plenty of pathos and depth to this role. He’s not just some rich callous foil; you can tell he actually has purpose and drive, and is willing to listen despite being a little too committed to this mission. And then there’s Lex; you’re not going to capture the same action-packed brilliance of Weaver’s Ripley, but I’ll be damned if Sanaa Lathan doesn’t make for a pretty bad-ass Lex. Something I see a little too much of with women in action roles today is to make them strong and stoic at the expense of personality. Flaws and emotions are okay; in fact, it’s more captivating if it seems like the odds are against them. It varies between each respective character, but throughout this movie, we see Lex be tough and in control, but also afraid and unsure of herself. Her progression across this conflict, eventually emerging as the lone human survivor between the aliens and Predators, is extremely satisfying, not as endearing as Ripley, but still pretty powerful.

Aside from the two of them, it’s basically just a bunch of victims going around spewing generic lines; the only ones even remotely memorable are Italian archaeologist Sebastian (Raoul Bova) and Scottish engineer Graeme (Ewen Bremner), but at some point, you’re just waiting for the monsters to start fighting. However, once the confrontation happens, it’s not quite as cool as you’d think. When the movie actually shows the action, it’s as good as advertised, with a lot of blunt physicality and deathly precision between the two parties; but half the time, the editing is so close and choppy, and the visual quality so misty, you can barely decipher what’s going on. I also think the movie falls victim to overwriting; there are scenes where the dialogue plays out fine, but there’s just one more line that really hits the nail on the head when it’s not necessary. There’s one exchange where Lex and Sebastian talk about the stakes of who wins between the aliens and predators and how they can’t let the Xenomorphs reach the surface, and Sebastian literally says, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Thanks, Professor; I never would’ve figured that out.

All things considered, “Alien vs. Predator” doesn’t entirely work in terms of suspense or nuance. The best parts are when there’s very little talking; watching Lex and the lead Predator Scar (Ian Whyte) actually team up and silently communicate and even gain respect for each other is pretty damn awesome. The short version of this review is that once all the human characters except Lex are out of the picture, the movie becomes legitimately fun; I can see more potential in this kind of crossover with this kind of setup, but it ends up relatively underwhelming considering the years of build-up. I didn’t grow up with these franchises, so I can’t speak for the old school fans, but looking at it today, I think it’s been judged harshly. Sure, some of the story elements are familiar and rushed, and it takes a while before you start enjoying the ride, but the practical effects are mostly good, there are some impressive set pieces, and the interactions are worthwhile; call it a guilty pleasure, but it is what it is.

My rating: 6/10