Aliens Vs Predator 2: Requiem Film Review
With Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth and John Ortiz
Nov 21, 2008
A town in Gunnison, Colorado becomes the latest battlefield for the two eminent species in the second of the Aliens vs Predator crossovers.
Ostensibly following the events of the first film, the departing Predator ship is brought down back to Earth by the emergence of a new breed of Alien, born from the host body of a Predator. As an Alien infestation begins to spread on Earth, another of the interstellar hunters arrives to track them down and clean up the mess, while the US government have plans of their own to safeguard the world.
Looking Back From Alien to Alien vs Predator
A summary of the previous films follows, to help the reader zero-in on where this article stands. It won’t surprise anyone who remembers what it was like watching Aliens for the first time in the mid-late eighties (kind of like watching the Matrix for the first time, except that Aliens had a far greater and lasting influence).
So, first came Alien – a classic by anyone’s standards and arguably superior to it’s direct sequel. Then Aliens – one of the all-time great action films with one of the screens’ greatest creature-designs in the Queen. Next there was Predator, which, despite being a vehicle for Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a strong action film distinguished by it’s ultra-cool, dreadlocked antagonist.
It’s pretty much downhill from there. Predator 2 nevertheless had enough momentum and talent to make an enjoyable film, while Alien 3 underwhelmed with the first CG xenomorphs of the franchise, maintaining some scenes of atmosphere and suspense, but ultimately failing for too many reasons to list here. The less said about Alien: Resurrection, the better.
The first Aliens vs Predator cross-over was pre-empted by comicbooks, computer games and a novel series, with most, if not all, of these offering reasonably conceived settings and circumstances for the film.
Instead, AvP chose a setting that stifled the possibilities; a director whose cinematic approach made Michael Bay seem sophisticated; and an effects team that clearly struggled to recreate the original contours of the Predator’s face (watch the first movie and note his handsome mug for the incredible design and effect that it is, then compare it with that Quasimodo of a Predator in AvP).
It also chose to turn the Aliens – once one of the most terrifying on-screen monsters - into little more than toys, with new and improved deadly tail-whip action, and bonus kudos for whoever can come up with the most innovative new use of the acid blood (trends that admittedly began with Aliens, though well within reasonable parameters. By the time we reach Resurrection, those parameters are long forgotten and AvP took that as a challenge to be even more ridiculous).
There are many other flaws in AvP besides and only moments of anything to make the running time even remotely worthwhile. But, it still made enough money and so a sequel was sure to follow.
Aliens vs Predator 2: Requiem - Director and Cast
The directors handle the base material (i.e: the two pivotal creatures) more loyally and without much of the razzle-dazzle of the first film – a vast improvement in that area. Wherever it improves on aspects of the first AvP movie, however, it fails utterly in other general requirements.
While the brothers Strause’ extensive experience in visual effects is evident, there’s nothing in this film that isn’t made to satisfy both sets of fans, ultimately making it "a trumped-up fireworks display of a toy advert" (in the words of Simon Pegg of Spaced, even though that was with regard to the new Star Wars movies).
The crew’s insistence on recreating not only scenarios from both franchises, but characters as well, is the worst of it. How did it ever seem like a good idea to make 24’s Reiko Aylesworth Ripley Mk II? And a new Newt to boot! While we’re going crazy, why not just kill off Hicks and Bishop (and the original Newt) before the film even starts? Oh, right, that’s been done.
And what can be said about a cast that wasn’t given a leg to stand on thanks to a script almost as two-dimensional as the first AvP? There’s talent in there, but no opportunity for it to come out and play.
Aliens vs Predator 2: Requiem Summary and AvP 3?
The film has, rightfully, been repeatedly slammed, but it was still in this opinion a giant leap forward on the first attempt. A few more leaps like that and we’d have a decent film on our hands.
So, either give the franchises enough of a budget – and, much more importantly, a crew with a vision – to go for a dedicated film or just don’t make another. Even with a limited budget, and given the overall decline of the franchises because of the poor follow-ups, why not dare to do something different with these brands?
There are plenty of directors out there who appreciate what it is to tell stories visually rather than through the conventional means available. Guillermo Del Toro is just one of them. Would an AvP film with limited or even no dialogue be as much of a financial risk as another drone of a sequel? Or would it give someone the chance to make something that we have never seen before out of the basically terrible idea of cross-overs?
Meanwhile, 20th Century Fox have indeed confirmed a third film, with the Strause brothers (perhaps) looking to helm it. Nothing is confirmed yet on cast or plot, although it seems that the story is destined to move back into the arena of space and, most probably, total mediocrity before we see the demise of this trend.
- Producer: John Davis, Wyck Godfrey, Walter Hill
- Director: Colin Strause, Greg Strause
- Screenplay: Shane Salerno
- Starring: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, Johnny Lewis
- Released: December 2007 by 20th Century Fox
- Running Time: 94 mins approx
