AVP: Alien vs. Predator

Name: AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror
Released: August 13, 2004
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 29
Cast: Ewen Bremner, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova, Sanaa Lathan

2004

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 339 Ratings

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5.5	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 339 Ratings

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Alien Vs. Predator

Now Playing: Alien Vs. Predator

Movie Details & Credits

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: August 13, 2004 | PG-13

Starring: Ewen Bremner, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova, Sanaa Lathan

Summary: The iconic monsters from two of the scariest film franchises ever battle each other for the first time on film. (Fox)

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Horror

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 100 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr

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. Read full review

Ty Burr

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. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

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. Read full review

David Hiltbrand

Anderson gets style points for the pyramid, though. The building - a combination of Aztec, Egyptian and Cambodian elements loaded with sophisticated gadgetry - totally rocks. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

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. Read full review

David Edelstein

The first 45 minutes or so is stupefying--flat, disjointed, missing all human connective tissue. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Take a wretched premise. Imagine the worst picture that could be made from it. Then imagine something even worse. That's Alien vs. Predator. Read full review

SEE ALL 21 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

HerbieH.

Feb 19, 2008

This was so well thought out, couldn't of done better.

1 of 4 users found this helpful

MentalVortex

Apr 30, 2015

Just an all around good action flick, nothing more. The Predators' "human" interaction with the main character was well done and keeps you emotionally invested.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

inaneswine

Nov 14, 2017

I saw Alien vs. Predator a lot of years ago, and I remember it leaving a bit of a non-impression on me. I remembered it as a little dull, and a bit daft. But recently, I went through both film franchises again. I decided that after the stupid Predator 2, the boring Alien 3 and, well,I saw Alien vs. Predator a lot of years ago, and I remember it leaving a bit of a non-impression on me. I remembered it as a little dull, and a bit daft. But recently, I went through both film franchises again. I decided that after the stupid Predator 2, the boring Alien 3 and, well, whatever the hell Alien 4 was, AVP couldn't get much worse. Having given it another go, I was thoroughly entertained by it.

There's not much of a story, the plot is narrow and the human characters don't have much to offer. It was nice seeing the old familiar face of Lance Henriksen again, and Ewan Bremner and Tommy Flanagan are decent. As for Sanaa Lathan, she's certainly no Sigourney Weaver, but she does a fair job at holding her own as the leading lady. But after the first half, she and the rest of the cast really have very little to do. Once an hour or so is spent teasing us with slight glimpses, references and homages, the focus permanently shifts to fleshing out the history and mythology of our two titular beasts, moreover, watching them knock lumps out of each other.

First of all, AVP is a welcome improvement over the pathetic CGI blob of Alien 3 and the hybrid monstrosities of its sequel. The creature designs in this one are refined, back-to-basics designs that made the first two films work so well, including a welcome back for our favourite Alien, the Queen herself. All the Aliens are scary and menacing looking. Some have criticised their scenes for being too dark, but that's their trademark, and how they should have been kept. Surrounded by darkness, barely visible, not knowing which corner they're gonna leap out of next. In this respect, Predator becomes a much more threatening villain too. Adapting to the horror tone of its counterpart, it still delivers the action thrills the Predator films are known for. Watching the two of them fight is a real treat for the eyes and ears.

Nonetheless, in spite of everything it has going for it, it still doesn't leave that big an impression on me. It really doesn't make you think. But for its two hour run-time, it will keep you occupied. It's the best Alien film since James Cameron's Aliens and, dare I say, it's the best Predator film so far. I was expecting nothing more than watching the two beasts scrapping with each other and killing each other in imaginative ways. And that's exactly what I got. I'm a happy shopper.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

marcmyworks

Jan 11, 2014

Not as bad as it could have been. My big issue with AVP is that it is a quick film (90 minutes) and it does little to explain why the Predators use the Aliens for sport.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

AnsonG

May 2, 2007

I saw Alien Vs. Predator and had ambivalent feelings about it. It definitely could have been a lot better, had better actors, better script, better reason and logic, and better atmosphere. It also could have been much worse than it was as well. What is does have going for it to some small I saw Alien Vs. Predator and had ambivalent feelings about it. It definitely could have been a lot better, had better actors, better script, better reason and logic, and better atmosphere. It also could have been much worse than it was as well. What is does have going for it to some small degree is that the film was directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, a competent suspense, science fiction director accustomed to working with this kind of material. Anderson gives the audience what he thinks they want to see, and going by the money his movies make he doesn't fall far off the mark most of the time. For me(being someone I gratefully acknowledge as being outside the majority of the movie-going population) he disappoints with his cliché-ridden dialog, tissue-thin, stereotypical characters and plot threads, his over-used CGI effects, and his general arrogance to presume how little the movie-going population knows. Notwithstanding all of that, Alien Vs. Predator has some special moments. What did I like: some of the sets were impressive, a couple of the fights were well-executed, Lance Henriksen (being the only "real" actor in the film, and the Artic setting surrounding this hidden pyramid). I haven't gone into any detail of the plot for two reasons: (1)many other reviewers have already done so and (2)the plot is so ridiculous that any real scrutiny would be more enlightening than anything that happened in the film. Is ALien Vs. Predator entertaining? Yes, it is - like many accidents are. It has just enough going for it to keep the viewer engaged but never really satisfied.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MovieManiac83

Apr 23, 2015

lien Vs. Predator is a gimmick - an all-too-blatant attempt to lure fanboys away from their computer games and into theaters. It's not likely that the movie will be of great interest to anyone else, except perhaps as a curiosity. As an attempt to revive two flagging franchises, the filmlien Vs. Predator is a gimmick - an all-too-blatant attempt to lure fanboys away from their computer games and into theaters. It's not likely that the movie will be of great interest to anyone else, except perhaps as a curiosity. As an attempt to revive two flagging franchises, the film succeeds in reminding us of how far they have fallen. Sure, the Aliens in Alien Vs. Predator look just like their Aliens counterparts, but gone is the creepy terror they once produced. And, compared to the hunter of Predator, the creatures in this movie turn out to be pushovers.

As promised by the title, the movie does indeed feature battles between Aliens and Predators, although you have to wait until the final 30 minutes to get to that point. And, by then, due in large part to poor direction and non-existent character development, you may be asleep. Helmsman Paul W. S. Anderson (not to be confused with Paul Thomas Anderson - this is the Resident Evil/Event Horizon guy) has no grasp of why the first two Alien movies and the original Predator were successful - atmosphere and pacing. Alien Vs. Predator has neither. It drags interminably, and a lot of the scenes are too murky to see anything. Anderson tries to copy some of the things done by Ridley Scott, John McTiernan, and James Cameron, but his second-rate imitations do little more than emphasize the chasm that exists between him and his more accomplished predecessors.

The movie offers little in the way of interesting revelations, other than a couple of nods to established Alien and Predator continuity. The highlights of the production, at least for its core audience, are the battle scenes. Unfortunately, they're disappointing. Instead of being on a grand scale, they're usually one-on-one struggles, and they typically don't last very long. Plus, the camera work and editing are so shoddy that it's sometimes impossible to figure out what's going on. And, since our "rooting interest" is supposed to lie with the plastic, one-dimensional humans, we're forced to see them get involved when we would rather just watch the two ugly extraterrestrial species go at it. The ending isn't any less credible than the rest of the film, but the "surprise" coda is so silly and expected that it has no shock value whatsoever.

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, and its first-weekend popularity will be a testimony to how low our standards of suitable movie-making have fallen. Alien Vs. Predator has no characters and no story. But it has name recognition, and, in today's market, that's often more important. Plus, it's rated PG-13 (although one can quibble with that - there's quite a bit of blood and gore to be found, making one wonder exactly where the dividing line between PG-13 and R is). Time will tell whether this is the last time the Aliens and Predators grace the screen, but, based on what's in evidence here, if they return again to tussle, I'll find something better to do with my time.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MikeC.

Oct 11, 2005

A wasted premise. whoever financed this is probably kicked themselves or maybe not because it was obviously made just to make money with total disreguard to quality.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

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21	#21 Most Discussed Movie of 2004
30	#30 Most Shared Movie of 2004