Not very thoughtful, but keeps you occupied

Rating: 7/10 (18 February 2016)

I saw Alien vs. Predator a lot of years ago, and I remember it leaving a bit of a non-impression on me. I remembered it as a little dull, and a bit daft. But recently, I went through both film franchises again. I decided that after the stupid Predator 2, the boring Alien 3 and, well, whatever the hell Alien 4 was, AVP couldn't get much worse. Having given it another go, I was thoroughly entertained by it.
There's not much of a story, the plot is narrow and the human characters don't have much to offer. It was nice seeing the old familiar face of Lance Henriksen again, and Ewan Bremner and Tommy Flanagan are decent. As for Sanaa Lathan, she's certainly no Sigourney Weaver, but she does a fair job at holding her own as the leading lady. But after the first half, she and the rest of the cast really have very little to do. Once an hour or so is spent teasing us with slight glimpses, references and homages, the focus permanently shifts to fleshing out the history and mythology of our two titular beasts, moreover, watching them knock lumps out of each other.
First of all, AVP is a welcome improvement over the pathetic CGI blob of Alien 3 and the hybrid monstrosities of its sequel. The creature designs in this one are refined, back-to-basics designs that made the first two films work so well, including a welcome back for our favourite Alien, the Queen herself. All the Aliens are scary and menacing looking. Some have criticised their scenes for being too dark, but that's their trademark, and how they should have been kept. Surrounded by darkness, barely visible, not knowing which corner they're gonna leap out of next. In this respect, Predator becomes a much more threatening villain too. Adapting to the horror tone of its counterpart, it still delivers the action thrills the Predator films are known for. Watching the two of them fight is a real treat for the eyes and ears.
Nonetheless, in spite of everything it has going for it, it still doesn't leave that big an impression on me. It really doesn't make you think. But for its two hour run-time, it will keep you occupied. It's the best Alien film since James Cameron's Aliens and, dare I say, it's the best Predator film so far. I was expecting nothing more than watching the two beasts scrapping with each other and killing each other in imaginative ways. And that's exactly what I got. I'm a happy shopper.