Do you like the combination of hard action, dark science fiction and a healthy dose of horror? Then you are almost certainly familiar with the series ‘Predator’ and ‘Alien’. In 2004, ‘Alien Vs. Predator’, a crossover between the two super-successful franchises, in theaters. Genre and riot expert Paul WS Anderson (“Resident Evil,” “Event Horizon”) was responsible for production.
“Alien versus predator“ runs today, October 23, 2023 at 10:10 PM on Cable 1. The station offers a repeat at 2 a.m. that same evening.
If the broadcast dates are too late for you, there are several ways you can still see the film. You can watch “Alien Vs. Watch Predator” anytime as part of your streaming subscription to Disney+, where it is available commercial-free and in the original English version as well.
Blu-ray and DVD are also available from online retailers such as Amazon. As bonus material, the Blu-ray includes two different, quite interesting audio commentaries and several extended scenes with even more alien action. Alternatively, the FSK 16 title is also available to stream as paid video-on-demand here:
“Alien vs. Predator” on Cable 1: That’s the story
When industrialist and multi-billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) learns that he is terminally ill, he at least wants to make his name immortal. When his company’s researchers locate a mysterious heat source more than 2,000 feet beneath the ice on an island off the coast of Antarctica, he senses an opportunity to achieve his goal. Scans show a gigantic pyramid complex that shows traces of ancient Egyptian, Cambodian and Aztec architecture.
To present this sensation to the world, Weyland immediately assembles an expedition team composed of respected archaeologists, historians, elite soldiers and drilling experts (including Raoul Bova, Ewen Bremner, Agathe de La Boulaye, Tommy Flanagan, Carsten Norgaard). They must help him discover and explore the underground discovery. Led by Antarctic star Alexa Woods (Sanaa Lathan), the crew heads into the unknown.
Once on the island in the Arctic Ocean, excavation work must begin immediately. But to everyone’s surprise, there already appears to be a tunnel into the depths. When the explorers begin their task in the labyrinth system within the pyramid, they quickly 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, start hunting the alien and feel disturbed by the humans. The increasingly decimated crew finds themselves caught between the front lines of a deadly alien conflict…
James Cameron is a fan of ‘Alien Vs. Predator’
“Alien Vs. Predator” is a sequel to the “Predator” series and at the same time a prequel to the “Alien” films. After a comic book series started in 1989, the idea to combine the two science fiction blockbusters on the big screen came up in 1991. Nevertheless, due to numerous internal studio disputes and ongoing script drafts, it wasn’t until late 2003 that the cameras finally started rolling.
The first actor to be cast was Lance Henriksen, who played the android and crowd favorite Bishop in James Cameron’s “Aliens: The Return” and David Fincher’s “Alien 3.” His character in “Alien Vs. Predator” is named Charles Bishop Weyland and would be Bishop’s role model for hundreds of years. However, you don’t have to take into account Sigourney Weaver or Arnold Schwarzenegger, the superstars of the predecessors. The titular alien races get a lot of screen time and opportunities to cause one carnage after another, especially in the second half of the hit.
Although “Predator” director John McTiernan came before or after the release of “Alien Vs. Predator’ didn’t publicly comment on the project, James Cameron and original ‘Alien’ mastermind Ridley Scott didn’t hold back with their opinions on the mountain. Both men firmly rejected the idea of a crossover – Scott probably mainly because he was working on an ‘Alien’ prequel, which would finally see the light of day in cinemas in 2012 as ‘Prometheus – Dark Signs’.
Cameron, on the other hand, initially thought it was all just a money-making scheme and compared it to messy horror-monster duels from earlier cinema eras, 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 film.
However, after seeing the finished product, Cameron apparently changed his mind. In an interview published in 2007 he claimed: So there you have it: Even in the eyes of the most commercially successful filmmaker of all time, Alien vs. Predator is significantly better and/or more entertaining than its reputation.
In the FILMSTARTS review, author Carsten Baumgardt comes to a similar conclusion as Cameron, who gives the book a big three stars. He confirms this that it’s just fun for long stretches. Director Anderson adapts his production to the viewing habits of the video game generation and excels with pace, atmospheric settings and well-lit night optics. We conclude with the realization that crossing the series “Alien” and “Predator” was certainly not necessary. But if you want to be entertained with waste in an undemanding way and have fun, you’ve come to the right place. Despite some notable shortcomings in terms of storytelling, dialogue quality and visual execution, the level of entertainment is surprisingly high.
At the box office, ‘Alien Vs. Predator’ grossed nearly $180 million worldwide. Which, with a production budget of around 65 million, meant a significant profit for the studio. So it was no surprise that a sequel followed just three years later with “Aliens Vs. Predator 2,” which sprang directly from the film’s finale. This also managed to win at the box office (140 million worldwide on a budget of only 40 million), but was significantly weaker and less (unintentionally) fun than its predecessor.
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