Plot: What’s it about?
In the frozen depths of Antarctica, an ancient pyramid is buried under thousands of feet of bitter, rock hard ice. A powerful satellite picks up on some heat given off from within the structure, heat which was undetectable for many, many other passes. The man who owns the satellite is Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen), a very wealthy man who seeks to do something important with his fortune before he dies, which thanks to an illness, isn’t a distant event. The discovery of the pyramid is a major event, so he assembles a team of soldiers, history experts, and archaeologists to venture into the cold reaches of Antarctica. Once there, the team will drill down to the buried temple and then explore inside its walls. But while Weyland and his team thinks this is just a historical find, an evil lies dormant within the pyramid, a force that is about to reawaken. Deep within the structure, an Alien Queen is held captive, but the newcomers have triggered her awakening and as such, she begins to produce new eggs. That means that within a short while, hideous aliens will be running throughout the structure, killing anything they encounter. At the same time, a spacecraft lands at the location, out of which walk a team of powerful Predators. So before long, Weyland and his squad will have to fend off aliens, Predators, and the traps and tricks of the pyramid itself. Have the explorers landed in the middle of an epic battle, or are they the prey which these two forces wish to hunt?
After extensive delays, canceled productions, and endless speculation, Alien vs. Predator was almost a lock to disappoint fans. The video game series had faded out of memory and the respective franchises weren’t hot anymore, so spark for this movie seemed minimal. And those who did want to see the flick even held guarded expectations, thanks to leaks of studio interference, poor writing, and overall, a lackluster motion picture. Even so, when opening day rolled out for Alien vs. Predator, I was there and while I knew the movie could never live up its potential, I found myself looking forward to the experience. In the end, I have to admit, I had fun with the movie and was more than satisfied. I think more could have been done, but for a simple popcorn action movie, Alien vs. Predator was a solid effort. Perhaps I was just taken in by finally seeing these two forces collide, but I was able to overlook the plot holes and other production flaws. The fight scenes are the highlight, no doubt, with cool special effects and some bone crunching action. We’ve all heard that blood and gore were trimmed, elements that are sure to have enhanced those brutal battles. I won’t claim this is a good movie, as the writing is off and a lot of potential is wasted, but this could have been much worse. I know I’ll be hammered for this opinion, but Alien vs. Predator is just a fun experience. This Blu-ray release does offer both versions of the movie, but leaves out a lot of the supplements. Even so, the enhanced video & audio elements are sure to thrill fans, so for most, an upgrade is worthwhile.
Video: How does it look?
Alien vs. Predator is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. The standard DVD had an impressive transfer, so the scale of improvement isn’t as drastic as in some cases. The image is sharper, but not a huge degree, while some of the contrast concerns are retained. The black levels perform well, but at times, some of the visuals are lost in the shadows. Not a massive problem however, as most of the time, contrast is stark and spot on, so just a few isolated instances. The good news is that the edge enhancement and compression woes have been wiped out, so the image has a much more natural presence. This is not the day & night difference found on some releases, but this is a welcome step up, no doubt.
Audio: How does it sound?
The DTS HD soundtrack provided is basically a more refined version of the DTS soundtrack found on the standard DVD. This is not bad news though, as that soundtrack was excellent and by turn, this one is even better, so no worries. This is a fast paced, aggressive movie and as such, the mix has power to spare and should push your system, especially in a handful of key sequences. I do think the focus on power is a bit much at times, as the mix lacks the small touches I had hoped for, which is a let down of sorts. Even so, the basic elements come through in sharp form and I have minimal complaints to lodge there. The musical score has a broad scope and uses the front channels quite well, though it doesn’t move into the rears often, which took me a bit by surprise. The dialogue is clean and always easy to understand also, with a solid volume balance and no clarity issues to discuss. This disc also includes Spanish and French language tracks, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A loaded two disc edition was issued on standard DVD, but for this Blu-ray version, we only get a small sample of those goodies. pair of audio commentaries can be perused, the first with director Paul W.S. Anderson and star Sanaa Lathan, the second with visual effects supervisor John Bruno and creature effects creators Alec Gillis & Tom Woodruff, Jr. As expected, the first track is more laid back and casual, with a focus on production stories, while the other session is more technical in scope. Both have some solid information, but if you can only choose one, listen to Anderson and Lathan, who have a more relaxed, enjoyable session. The only other extras are a trivia track and the film’s theatrical trailer.
