Control your expectations and you'll enjoy it.

Rating: 7/10 (14 August 2004)

I have seen all the previous installments in the Alien and Predator series. So I simply had to see this, despite the bad press.
I did not expect this to equal Alien, Aliens, or Predator in quality. Nor should you. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this movie easily surpasses both Alien 3 (which I hated) and Alien 4 (which started well, and completely fell apart by the end). And it's better than Predator 2.
Like many, I was skeptical that Paul W.S. Anderson could pull this off. He succeeds with a film that is enthusiastic, though not groundbreaking.
I think a lot of the negative reaction is from people comparing this to the ultimate AVP movie that they've carried in their heads for years. Making that comparison will only lead to disappointment.
However, if you watch this for what it is, instead of bemoaning what might have been, you will probably enjoy it as I did.
7/10