Don't over expect, and you'll enjoy

Rating: 7/10 (12 August 2004)

I saw a screener of it today, and I have to say that I enjoyed the movie quite a bit. A lot of people seem to have some sort of real hatred for Paul W.S. Anderson though I feel it is unfounded. I've never seen a movie of his that was Oscar worthy, but I haven't seen one that was horrible either. As with his others, Alien vs Predator falls right in the middle.
The directing is well done, with the exception of doing too much "shaky cam" during the action sequences. Although, this seems to be something that's in every action movie now-a-days, so I guess I can't be too hard on it.
The acting is well done, considering the movie. There are some laughable scenes, but most of it comes across pretty well. Likewise, the characters are well portrayed (including the predator/alien).
If there is one downside, it's the story. Although, this is where you just need to not expect too much. For what it is, the story does well. There are some things that are just plain silly, but in some odd way, it works.
I'm sure there will be a lot of people complaining about how this movie isn't aliens or isn't predator...but that's just the thing, it ISN'T an aliens movie or a predator movie, and therefore shouldn't try to be one. It has parts of both as well as something of its own.
Overall: Good action flick with some minor nuances. Nothing great, but a fan of the two series who don't mind just watching a "fun" movie, should enjoy it. 7/10