There were only two things I really knew about Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem going in. The red band trailer, which was pretty badass and that Reiko Aylesworth was the female lead. Say what you will about her being a poor man’s Ripley, but I like her and was sad to see her part from her role as Michelle Dessler on TV’s 24.
As the movie started, I was glad to see Steven Pasquale (Garrity from TV’s Rescue Me) – whom I was just recently wondering about why I’d never seen him anywhere else – was in it, as well. Now I had two people to cheer for. Good stuff. I was already ahead of the game.
AVP-R is better than the original, I’d say. It’s simpler and there is more to like in it. After a fairly standard first act of character setup, the back and forth narrative comes together in a string of pretty good battle set pieces. Thankfully, this time around the action is actually well shot. It’s true that there are some sequences that are too dark for their own good, but at least the camera doesn’t seem like an epileptic is holding it.
And it wasn’t too effects heavy either. Now, obviously there are numerous shots that were done with CG, but there were also an equal amount of practical effects, which I really appreciated. The makers of I Am Legend could have learned a few things from The Brothers Strause. You also get to see some of the Predator’s home world, which was something new. I imagine – as the final scene would seem to imply – this is where the series will go if there is a third movie.
As the movie started, I was glad to see Steven Pasquale (Garrity from TV’s Rescue Me) – whom I was just recently wondering about why I’d never seen him anywhere else – was in it, as well. Now I had two people to cheer for. Good stuff. I was already ahead of the game.
AVP-R is better than the original, I’d say. It’s simpler and there is more to like in it. After a fairly standard first act of character setup, the back and forth narrative comes together in a string of pretty good battle set pieces. Thankfully, this time around the action is actually well shot. It’s true that there are some sequences that are too dark for their own good, but at least the camera doesn’t seem like an epileptic is holding it.
And it wasn’t too effects heavy either. Now, obviously there are numerous shots that were done with CG, but there were also an equal amount of practical effects, which I really appreciated. The makers of I Am Legend could have learned a few things from The Brothers Strause. You also get to see some of the Predator’s home world, which was something new. I imagine – as the final scene would seem to imply – this is where the series will go if there is a third movie.
AVP-R doesn’t deliver the full potential of its red band trailer, but there’s enough cool stuff here to make it worth the ride. Seeing Michelle and Garrity kick some alien ass was also highly entertaining.
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