| Alien
vs. Predator Director Paul W.S. Anderson serves up a meager
monster mash spectacle that borders on the silly-minded and slimy by sizing up
the terrorizing tag-team of creature feature cads Alien and the Predator in the
obviously titled scarefest Alien vs. Predator.
Alien
vs. Predator (2004) 20th Century Fox
1 hour 35 minutes.
Starring: Sanaa
Lathan, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova, Ewen Bremner, Colin Salmon. Directed by:
Paul W. S. Anderson
 Director
Paul W.S. Anderson serves up a meager monster mash spectacle that
borders on the silly-minded and slimy by sizing up the terrorizing
tag-team of creature feature cads Alien and the Predator in the
obviously titled scarefest Alien vs. Predator. Anderson, who has
demonstrated his nasty knack for conveying kinetic killing sequences
in frothy fare such as Mortal Combat, Resident Evil, and Event Horizon,
surprisingly doesn't invigorate AVP with the snappy cat-and-mouse
deathtrap deliciousness that it boastfully promises.
In fact, Anderson wastes the on-screen presence of two of the big screen's charismatic
drooling vile varmints as he saddles them down in a sluggish shrill showdown of
posturing pests and the hapless humans that foolishly mingle in the moping, macabre
mayhem.
There is a gimmicky aspect to AVP that's somewhat intriguing
and refreshing. As some may recall, moviegoers got a kick out of the sparring
butchering bad boys Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees when they confronted one
another with their legendary slashing-minded high jinks. Naturally, it's an exploitative
concept that is waiting to be challenged in all its outrageous sensationalism.
But all Anderson manages to do is routinely helm a murky and
ludicrous thriller that mines scatterbrained scares and conjures up an atmospheric
dud that dismisses its penetrating potential. Sadly, AVP is nothing more than
a dyspeptic and droll display that yearns to breathe life into two forgotten frightfest
franchises that should have been thrown out with the bathwater.
For those
not familiar with the background bio of the titular treacherous tandem, here's
the 'reel' deal. Alien is the multi-layered, sharp-toothed phallus-looking scrubby
beast with the filthy disposition that had tangled with Sigourney Weaver's defiant
soldier Ripley and her crew in the dark and dank dimension of space during the
course of three frivolous films. Predator is the dastardly dreadlocked demon that
tangled with mighty muscled Arnold Schwarzenegger in the dense jungle and later
filled Danny Glover's dubious dancecard in an anemic sequel. Now the tumultuous
twosome finds themselves at odds in a blood battle based below the surface of
the Antarctic Ice. Let the grimy games begin!
A billionaire (Lance Henriksen
from Aliens) funds a research trip to visit a mysterious pyramid thousands of
feet below the Antarctic tundra. Lovely leader and ice-climbing enthusiast (Sanaa
Lathan from Love & Basketball) and her crew diligently explore the depths
of this ominous venue until they become reluctant pawns in the struggle for superiority
between the warring rogues Alien and Predator. The group finally
realizes that the pyramid is designed as a menacing maze where being the hunter
has the advantages of not being considered the hunted. And thus the question remains:
will the headstrong humans avoid the friction of these carnivorous cretins and
dodge the notion of being food for thought while clinging on to their periled
lives? Apparently this is a gloomy game of chance and our weary travelers will
find how precious their existence is if they want to dodge becoming an appetizer
for the persistent and pesky critters.
As a ribald presentation, Alien
vs. Predator is an aesthetically pleasing entertainment that's vibrantly appealing
in its makeup. The set design is wonderfully imaginative and moody in its shade
of varying cynical coloring. The lighting is spry and captive. And the special
effects enhances the tension and gives a whole new outlook to how fearful and
ferocious we remembered the Alien and Predator from past lascivious encounters.
Yet with these positive factors involved, Anderson fails to connect the dotted
lines and serves up an unintentional laugher that never capitalizes on its premise
to shock us convincingly. This glorified rollicking B-movie
could have had fun and flavor if the focus was more in tune with the rhythm of
its meandering momentum. The hollow characters and the ridiculously stilted dialogue
render this cheesy chiller a sour sense of cheapness and incompleteness.
Curiously, our monotonous misfits Alien and Predator aren't as wily
or wicked as we would like them to be given their revered raucous
reputations. Sure they snarl and look hideous on cue as they snack
on the vulnerable visitors as one would a tasty ham sandwich while
carrying on their ongoing feud. However, there's a ho hum feeling
about this whole proceeding that feels relentlessly recycled and
forced. Frankly, Anderson's pseudo nail-biting narrative has the
hyped energy and plucky personality of an overactive video game.
And no, this is not a flattering comparison when a
pleasurable plugged-in electronic toy can rival the enthusiasm and
subpar execution of a robust feature length film starring two of
the cinema's highly touted moneymaking miscreants.
In an eager summertime at the movies where hungry audiences are vying for
legitimate goosebumps at the local theater complex, the disappointing notion is
that Alien vs. Predator is nothing more than a mere mosquito bite for avid horror/sci-fi
fans.
Frank Ochieng
(c)
Frank Ochieng 2004. All rights reserved.
| |
OTHER CONTENT - October 2004
Andrew Fox Interview
A conversation with Andrew Fox author of Bride of the Fat White Vampire.
(AUTHOR INTERVIEWS)
Juliet E. McKenna Interview
October sees the launch of the first volume in a new series - The Aldabreshin Compass - from fantasy author Juliet E. McKenna. So we scooted down to Oxford to pose her a few questions amidst the spires and students.
(AUTHOR INTERVIEWS)
Translating Fantasy and Science Fiction : The Peak of Creativity
We all know that many of the most loved science fiction and fantasy authors' work is admired worldwide, but little do we know about the people who made it possible for them to become so well-known. Apart from the people involved in publishing there are quite a lot of other professionals without whom it wouldn't have been possible. These are the translators.
(ARTICLES)
Horror Writer Barbara J. Ferrenz Interviewed
What's worse than death? On the one hand, it's the title of a novel by school psychologist and writer Barbara J. Ferrenz of Dunkirk, MD. On the other hand, maybe it's better never to know.
(AUTHOR INTERVIEWS)
Alien vs. Predator
Director Paul W.S. Anderson serves up a meager monster mash spectacle that borders on the silly-minded and slimy by sizing up the terrorizing tag-team of creature feature cads Alien and the Predator in the obviously titled scarefest Alien vs. Predator.
(FILM REVIEWS)
Catwoman
In watching the curvy Oscar-winning Halle Berry don the skin tight suit in the sassy anti-superhero saga Catwoman, one must admit that this special eye candy is something that cannot be denied. And director Pitof does in fact lend this picture its glossy and mysterious allure in a unique manner that’s inescapable to ignore. Beyond these couple of minor observations, this cosmetic kitty with the conflicting personality doesn’t quite cut it as the escapist comic caper it could have been.
(FILM REVIEWS)
Exorcist: The Beginning
The scattershot incompleteness to Renny Harlin’s ill-advised follow-up to William Friedkin’s classic creep show is evident in the flimsy frightfulness of the overwrought and putrid prequel Exorcist: The Beginning. For those that had to endure inferior sequels to Friedkin’s twisted and treasured pea soup-regurgitating nightmarish narrative (read: Exorcist: The Heretic), they may yearn more for this sluggish supernatural tale to end as opposed to embracing its so-called Beginning.
(FILM REVIEWS)
The Village
One expected a terrific output from immensely talented writer-director M. Night Shyamalan concerning his latest supernatural saga The Village. Unfortunately for the normally resilient filmmaker, The Village is a meandering and morbid chiller that is a labored muddy vision of Shyamalan’s usual insightful and involving hedonism.
(FILM REVIEWS)
Offworld Report: Science Fiction and Fantasy: October 2004
Interviews with Jack Dann, Ian R MacLeod, Larry Niven, China Mieville and the stars of Stargate and Sky Captain, why fantasy novelists are the new thing, Noreascon reports and The Andromeda Strain heads for a remake.
(NEWS)
Offworld Report: Weird Science: October 2004
NASA finds a Ring World, the space elevator is abandoned, robot spiders, the mystery radio signal isn't aliens calling in, hydrogen fuel gets realistic, and lunar advertising - coming to a moon near you soon?
(NEWS)
|
CHAT
ABOUT THIS STORY
Advertise
Here (More ...)
|
