Can you – like James Cameron! – switch off your brain for two hours and just enjoy the spectacle without thinking too much about the sense or nonsense of a film? If so, we hope you enjoy “Alien Vs. Predator” tonight.
Do you like the combination of hard action, dark science fiction and a good dose of horror? Then you almost certainly know the series “Predator” and “Alien”. In 2004, Alien vs. Predator, a crossover of the two super successful franchises, is out in cinemas. Genre and riot expert Paul WS Anderson (“Resident Evil”, “Event Horizon”) was responsible for the staging.
“Alien vs predatorwill be broadcast today, February 27, 2023, at 11:20 PM on Kabel 1. The station offers a repeat at 3am that same night.
“Alien vs. Predator” on Disney+*
If the air dates are too late for you, there are several ways to still see the movie. For example, you can watch “Alien Vs. Predator” at any time as part of your streaming subscription to Disney+, where it is available without commercial breaks and also optionally in the original English version.
“Alien vs. Predator” at Amazon*
In addition, Blu-ray and DVD are of course available from online retailers such as Amazon. As bonus features, the Blu-ray contains two different, quite interesting audio commentaries and several extended scenes with even more alien action. Alternatively, the FSK 16 title is also available for streaming as paid video-on-demand here:
“Alien Vs. Predator” on Cable 1: That’s the Story
When industrial magnate and multi-billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) learns that he is terminally ill, he wants to make his name immortal. When his company’s researchers find a mysterious heat source more than 600 meters below the ice on an island off Antarctica, he senses a chance to reach his goal. Scans show a giant pyramid complex that shows signs of ancient Egyptian as well as Cambodian and Aztec architecture.
To present this sensation to the world, Weyland immediately assembled an expedition team of leading archaeologists, historians, elite soldiers and drilling experts (including Raoul Bova, Ewen Bremner, Agathe de La Boulaye, Tommy Flanagan, Carsten Norgaard). You must help him uncover and explore the underground find. Led by Antarctica luminary Alexa Woods (Sanaa Lathan), the crew embarks on a journey into the unknown.
20th Century Fox “Trainspotting” Star Ewen Bremner in “Alien Vs. Predator”
Arriving on the island in the Arctic Sea, the excavation work should begin immediately. But it turns out, to everyone’s surprise, there is already a tunnel going down. When the explorers then want to start their job in the labyrinth system in the pyramid, they soon realize that they have fallen into a trap. An extremely aggressive xenomorph alien attacks the invaders. At the same time, five young Predators also enter the facility, begin tracking down the alien, and feel disturbed by the humans. The rapidly decimated crew is caught between the fronts of a deadly alien confrontation…
After “Avatar 2” you have to see this all too famous James Cameron underwater movie: you can stream it on Disney+ James Cameron is a fan of “Alien Vs. Predator”
Alien versus Predator is a sequel to the Predator series and a prequel to the Alien movies. After a comic series had already started in 1989, the idea arose in 1991 to combine the two sci-fi blockbusters on the big screen. Nevertheless, due to numerous internal studio disputes and ever new script drafts, it would be late 2003 before the cameras finally started rolling.
Lance Henriksen, who played the android and audience favorite Bishop in James Cameron’s Aliens and David Fincher’s Alien 3, was cast as the first actor. His character in Alien Vs. Predator is named Charles Bishop Weyland and will model for Bishop hundreds of years from now. However, you don’t have to take into account Sigourney Weaver or Arnold Schwarzenegger, the superstars of the predecessors. The eponymous alien races get plenty of screen time and opportunities to wreak one carnage after another, especially in the second half of the cracker.
Although Predator director John McTiernan was released before or after the release of Alien vs. Predator did not publicly comment on the project, James Cameron and original Alien mastermind Ridley Scott shared their thoughts on the mountain. Both men strictly rejected the idea of a crossover – Scott probably mostly because he himself was working on an “Alien” prequel, which would finally see the light of day in 2012 as “Prometheus: Dark Signs”.
20th Century Fox That’s how it worked with the pyramids in Mexico…
Cameron, on the other hand, initially thought it was all just a money making scheme and likened it to messy horror monster duels from earlier days of cinema, like “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man”. The creator of ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’ feared that ‘Alien Vs. Predator’ would destroy the value of the ‘Alien’ franchise and strongly advised against making the movie.
But in the end, after seeing the finished product, Cameron apparently changed his mind. In an interview published in 2007 he stated: “[D]He [Film] was actually pretty good. I think of all the ‘Alien’ movies I would rank it third. I liked him I actually really liked him.” So there you have it: Even in the eyes of the highest-grossing filmmaker of all time, Alien vs. Predator significantly better and/or more entertaining than its reputation.
Our CELEBTAP review, which awards a whopping three stars, reaches a similar verdict to Cameron’s. We declare that the “dirty and completely pointless spectacle” is just fun for long stretches. Director Anderson adapts his staging to the viewing habits of the video game generation, shining with speed, atmospheric sets and well-lit night optics. We conclude by acknowledging that crossing the Alien and Predator lines was certainly not necessary. But if you want to be entertained in an undemanding way and have fun with rubbish then this is the place for you. The level of entertainment is surprisingly high, despite some notable shortcomings in the storytelling style, dialogue quality and visual implementation.
“Alien vs. Predator 2” at Disney+*
Alien versus Predator grossed nearly $180 million worldwide at the box office. With a production budget of around 65 million, this meant a whopping profit for the studio. So it wasn’t surprising that Aliens Vs Predator 2 was followed just three years later by a sequel straight out of the film’s finale. This one also crushed the box office (140 million worldwide on a budget of only 40 million), but was significantly weaker and less (unintentionally) fun than its predecessor.
Netflix tip: This sci-fi blockbuster is totally insane – and a lot of fun!
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