Whoever Wins, We (the audience) Lose

Rating: 3/10 (15 August 2004)

I like so many others walking into this movie hoping beyond hope that the PG-13 rating wouldn't have an effect on this film. However, once again I was let down by money grubbing executives. Was this an extremely bad movie...no, was it a good movie, not by any means. I wasn't looking for a good plot or an epic movie out of this, just what was promised by the tagline. I don't want to ruin it, but by the end, the movie has us on one of the creatures sides and if "it" wins, humans win. On top of that, I couldn't tell if this movie was supposed to be a sci-fi/horror/adventure or a feel good love story. People who have seen it know what I'm talking about, yes that incredibly cheesy scene between the female lead character and one of the Predators.
The PG-13 rating did take away that certain something to this movie. The other films had a dark, scary, hopeless feel to them, this one did not. It did a good job of trying to fit in as much gore as it could given the restrictions it was under. But watching deaths through Predator vision and splatters of blood in the snow doesn't contribute to the mood as much as seeing just a little more of the deaths would have. Expect a lot of quick cuts and poor editing as well.
Like other people have said as well, they do not establish any of the characters real well. You have no connection to hardly any of them. To be honest, the only person I really wanted to survive this was Ewen Bremner and that's only because I think he's cool. But then again this movie isn't supposed to be about the humans, but in all actuality...it really is.
If you absolutely must see this film, then do so. If you can wait until they HOPEFULLY will release an unrated directors cut on DVD, please do. The PG-13 rating and no advanced preview screenings was a direct attempt to take as much money as they could in the opening weekend to cover the cost of this disappointing film. I do not blame Anderson for all of its faults, I put most of the blame right on the studio heads of Fox for this.