It has been every sci-fi fans most yearning desire since early 1990 to see the xenomorphs (Aliens) and the yautja (predator) battle it out on the big screen. Audiences were perplexed by the single scene during Predator 2, when we see the trophy wall on the Predator ship with an Alien skull attached. Fanatics since had endlessly posted thousands of previously unanswerable questions on message boards everywhere comparing the two maniacal creatures’ statistics… strength, speed, stamina and most of all… who would win in a straight out fight?

With such epic expectations and cult following I feel that Alien VS Predator (AVP) could never achieve what we all wanted the film to be. However I do support the idea that it did certainly for fill a craving that at some stage needed to be tided. Plot lines such as the Predator’s helped us build our civilisations in return for humans playing host to the Alien hints at the sadistic nature of the Predator way of life. This is both a logical way to associate the three species but more importantly inter-links to the previous Alien films, offering explanation to the ‘mysterious cargo’ of Alien egg’s found aboard the ‘derelict spacecraft’ in Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’. Many people criticise Anderson as a director (and I admit I neither was a big fan of Super Mari Bros. The Movie) but he would have had to seriously taken issues like this into account whilst writing and directing this film. Also, the fact that the film’s loyalty to predeceasing concepts rarely wavers is in my opinion highly commendable. And while watching the movie additions such as the Predator’s used heavier armour and weapons to combat a more threatening opponent, Alien blood can damage Predator armour, and the possibility of a Alien/Predator hybrid is possible proved highly entertaining. Furthermore, all true AVP cult fans and Darkhorse fans should support me on this, it was great to see that the lead female character (Sanna Lathan) is destined to become the woman the predator takes aboard his ship and trains in the art of Yautja. This opening up the field for a well thought out sequel.

All considered I feel this was an enjoyable and authentic film, satisfying followers of all sides, Alien, Predator, and combined. Although I would like to end of a high note I feel where most critics tore this movie apart was that it sold out in a way to attract maximum audience attention, i.e. it was only a 15 and lacked the suspense and horror of the Alien saga. In-effect loosing an edge those films obtained with the graphic chest bursting and gruesome hanging skinned corpse scenes (hopefully an amount of this will be retained during deleted scenes of the official DVD release). This means that the film is moving away from its original genre of horror sci-fi and drifting off toward just sci-fi and sequels will no longer offer the much-required suspense and shock value.

-NJ (please let me hear your opinions in the forum).