Aliens vs Predator: Requiem

So if you recall the last scene from the first AVP film (2004) you will know that the "Predator" ship is carrying an unwelcome passenger. Well, it manages to run rampage forcing the ship to crash-land in Colorado. A nicely wooded area where the two races can pick up their unfettered hostility with enthusiasm. An added bonus for our hungry visitors is a local community of humans ripe for the eating. Maybe 90% of this is either filmed in the dark, or in dark and dingy interiors and that does nothing for the menace of the film, nor does it make it enjoyable to watch. The human actors are pretty mediocre delivering a dialogue that was clearly of little importance when it came to the commissioning of this completely unnecessary and unrewarding sequel; indeed I found myself very much in the corner of whatsoever wanted to make a feast of these rather uninspiring, hormonal, teenagers who are delivering a pizza one minute, then wielding a pump-action shotgun whilst driving a tank the next. Sci-fi is, of course, meant to be far-fetched, but this is just a beastie too far and the ending just ridiculous (if, mercifully, quite, quite final!). This gift stopped giving long ago, let's hope we can recall the glories of Arnie and Sigourney and let this nonsense just RIP.

Remarkably dull. I wouldn't say any part of me utterly disliked watching <em>'Aliens vs Predator: Requiem'</em>, though it has to be said that it is not a good film at all - it's almost impressive how uninteresting it all is. Thankfully it is relatively short at round 90 minutes, any longer and I may have hated it. The main negative I hold is the lighting, or lack thereof. It's such a visually dark movie, so much so that you can barely tell the two titanic creatures apart at most times. There's also a supposed-to-be cool reveal at the conclusion, yet you can barely see who they are revealing. Very odd choice. The plot and its characters are extremely forgettable, it's just a standard monster(s) attacks small town flick - something we've all seen before. Think <em>'Eight Legged Freaks'</em>, but worse. As for those onscreen, John Ortiz is the standout, though only if I had to pick someone. The whole story with the Howard brothers is so mundane and poorly portrayed. A rightly panned movie. The worst work of either franchise.