Then why aren't there any reviews around form major news & entertainment sources? Rotten Tomatoes doesn't have any (cream of the crop) on their site either.

I haven't seen the movie, and I certainly don't want to defend it as I'm sure it's destroyed every last shred of dignity in both franchises. However, this actually might make some sense to me.

(Warning: "Alien" spoilers below...)

The original Alien film raises many questions about that mysterious planet. It's fairly obvious during repeat viewings that the company knew of its existence, and the robot Ash is aware of what is on there. The Nostromo "accidentally" discovering a distress signal was most certainly no accident.

So somehow, at some point in time, people on Earth had to already know about these aliens.

http://movieweb.com/movies/reviews/r...029&review=546

Gave it 3 out 5 stars.

Wednesday is usually the deadline day for print media. That's why studios choose to screen crap on Thursday: the papers can't get Friday reviews, and the studio doesn't look bad by completely withholding the film.

Onliners have their reviews up already.

http://www.filmjerk.com/nuke/article1002.html

" And get this: “AVP” is rated PG-13! There’s nothing like bringing two horror franchise titans together, who have a total of six R-rated films between them, and watering down their carnage so the little league crowd can see the film on a Saturday matinee. Maybe the Predators should spend a little less time hunting aliens, and more time trying to recapture some cinematic integrity."

This is the second-worst movie I've seen all year. Put this in the same pile with Van Helsing. I mean, It is a sad day in the Alien/Predator universe.

Well FOX got something right..... Whoever Wins, We Lose

Watched the 1st movie last night and I had all of the same thoughts you did. It looks like they were sent to the planet on purpose.

What a great movie.

I haven't seen this film, so I can't comment (yet) on how good/bad it is. However, from scanning the 'net I have found the following background..

1)Fox gave the director instructions to make film for 10 to 12 year olds. (or at least to the teenage crowd). PG-13 means this, doesn't it? This gives insight on the target audience. Adults and people who grew up with Alien/Predator were obviously not the target. The director thus was contrained on the amount of violence, gore, etc. from the beginning of the project. The few good reviews I have read were from people who weren't rabid fans of the series, or perhaps were not even born when Alien was released. Hmmm....

2) The director was given a $40m budget. Even though he overran by almost 100%, the fact that he was given such a small amount as the initial budget constraint is insightful. In today's typical $100m+ budget films, $40m for what surely must have been a special effects driven budget seems incredible small. Just what kind of quality film can one expect with this kind of investment? If most of the $ went to special effects (and maybe not enough to cover them?), how much was left over to hire good actors, musicians, editors, etc.?

3) After delivering the film to the execs, the director was told to cut out approx. 23 minutes. Mainly due to violent nature of the scenes that would prohibit a PG-13 rating? Would those additional minutes make any difference, or just make a bad film a longer bad film? Maybe we will find out when the Director's Cut comes out. But 23 minutes is a lot to cut out of any movie, if you ask me.

Again, I cannot comment on the quality of the film, but if the above is correct, then I am not surprised it is a watered down film geared to the younger crowd. All I am trying to say is that I think what was released was what the Studio wanted (good or bad).

And I question if any director could deliver a great film given the above restrictions.

just my 2 cents.

Of course, after I see the film I may feel differently. : )

I think it helps to just consider this another rehash of Resident Evil--- e.g. a videogame movie for the videogame crowd...

(I actually kinda liked that movie, although it plays more like a 90-minute "cutscene" from a game than a real film... Same in this case.)

They were paying homage to the videogame franchise, and had zero committment to honoring the original films. Too bad. It could have been something really great. But I'll probably enjoy it for what it is, whenever I bother to rent it...

the only problem is that with that hanging mystery on how the company new about the aliens and wanted a sample back could have really been exploited and used well to link this with the alien franchise. Say Weyland found them and but they really just let weyland go to waste.

actually that already happened in the alien vs predator world. their was even a video game that featured that same team up. I don't think the team up itself is what screwed it up. It was the way paul anderson handled the team up that was so damn lame.

and I'll still go at it and defend the pg-13. This movie doesn't suffer from a lack of violence or gore. It suffers from a lack of totally decent story. Even with the gore placed back in it, it will still totally suck. More violence does not equal a better film. A better story would have done wonders for this and a better director would have also.

Well, 23 minutes cut out after an exec screening is actually not that bad... sure it's not ideal, but if it was stuff to be removed for the MPAA, it certainly wouldn't have made the movie any better, since the HUGE problems are with story, character and some pretty weak Predator effects/costuming... If it was 23min removed for pacing, then maybe there is a chance some of it could help improve the flick, but the Jurassic Park like setup felt long enough as it is, the characters probably couldn't get any flatter.... hopefully the DVD will see an R-Rated director's cut... I'd be up for that.

Also, can a good effects heavy horror flick be made for
$40 million? Uh...you bet your ass it can. A movie like AVP really blows a lot of cash on computer effects, long days and running overschedule... with a GOOD production team, a lot of these problems can be avoided...don't cry for P.W.S.A. and his budget.

Could any director make a great film with these restrictions?? Not ANY director, but a good director? You bet your ass. Paul W.S. Anderson just isn't a good director...he has yet to prove himself as anything up mediocre in both the directing and writing departments and until the day where he proves me wrong, I'm sticking to that. If Fox had chosen the right person to make this movie, it could have not only made millions, but it could have breathed new lifeblood into both franchises, pleased fanboys and be remembered as something more than just a catastrophic cash grab.

MATT

and I'll echo the predator/lex slow motion running from fire silhouette remark...absolutely hilarious.

Actually, I think the video games had a better storyline.

I thought it was fun, nothing amazing, but fun.

ditto on that. AvP2 game rocked! Its how the story line should be, every race for themselves.

this movie was horrible!! the fight sequences look like they catered to WWF/WWE fans. as stated earlier, every last shred of detail or dignity that were set up by previous incarnations of the franchises were lost in this one.

i consider myself a big fan of both series, paying special attention to the detail and intent of the originals, and this movie just tossed all that away. alien gestation period of mere minutes? predators looking like wrestlers in rubber suits, running side by side at the same pace as a female human? c'mon, they leaped from rooftop to rooftop for christ's sake!

i was disappointed, to say the least. i'll try my best to forget i watched this one. the comic books were at least more believable.

How could you screw up the effect of the Predators P.O.V? How could you? all it is was a color change and include the predator sound effect! Hell, the video game got it more right then Paul Anderson did.

Correct. In the comic the team-up made sense and was handled well. Actually, it was done a few different times.

I'm so torn. I've really wanted to see this movie. But, the trailer, clip, and reviews have been horrid. The directory has butchered another genre I love -- Resident Evil -- so obviously I believe them.

Part of me still wants to see it despite all that. Another part of me wants to stay away as supporting this movie -- and therefore PWA -- would mean more shitty movies from him in the future.

Well, I didn't go to the movie with the purpose of running back to the internet to tell everyone how it sucked, like so many others seem to be doing.

I liked it. A lot. And I'm a big fan of the Alien series, and Predator. It started pretty slow, but by the end I was far more satisfied.

The rest of the audience LIKED IT TOO. Applause at the end, and several times DURING the film. Not nit-pickers and doomsayers, apparently.

I felt a lot better walking out of the theater than I did after Alien Resurrection, anyway.

I just came back from the movie, I had an open mind, it sucked. The movie started off decently - the first 20 minutes or so were OK, and then everything started getting messed up;

1.) Aliens gestating in minutes - yes this happens and it sucks. The Alien movies establish it is probably 2-3 days, or at the very minimium a day. It happens in minutes in this flick. I dare say this is not nitpicking.

2.) Predators suck in this movie. I never read the AVP series, but in Predator the guy stays camouflaged, which was their best weapon. Here I saw about 2 seconds of camouflage..thats it. Predator 2 started falling apart when the Predator stayed visible and it happens in this movie from the get-go.

They get their ass kicked by Aliens without weapons which I am not sure why the hell they keep their guns seperate from them - is that part of the game? I don't think so, as the Predators seem really upset when the humans find their guns, like that wasn't supposed to happen.

3.) Predator Vision? That was one of the coolest things about the original 2 - here it is changed. Looks cheap and this comparing it to the stuff they made in the 80's and early 90's

3.) Alien Queen looks like she is about 50 feet tall. In Aliens, she is maybe 20 feet tall. She looks a dinosaur.

4.) The backstory is interesting but they flubbed it. One guy can read the entire history? Are you telling me that whatever civilization was in Anartica spoke the same language as the Aztecs, Cambodians or Egyptians?

5.) Yes it needed more gore.

I'm sorry I wish this was a better movie, but it wasn't.

[chuckle]

I saw the film.

It's a piece of shit.

Alien Resurrection was better than this shit.

Hell, even Freddy Vs. Jason was better than the shit served here.

Paul W.S. Anderson is a no-talented hack and should be banned from Hollywood.

I'd rather spend 90 minutes getting punched in the face than to have paid $6 to see this.

I hate Paul W.S. Anderson.

End of discussion.

I completely agree. This IS a valid criticism. And so is the PG-13 for that matter. I find it annoying that some here think it's not.

Hah, I pointed out to my friend "hey it's like Jurassic Park!" when the queen was running at the end.

I just watched AVP and Chanster hit it on the head, I agree completly. I really wanted to like it but it was just not the Predator and Aliens I have seen before. The backstory could/should have been so much better. I have never seen predators die so easily/quickly. Oh well at least it was basically free with the movie cash from Predator.