It’s been a rough couple of years for Alien and Predator fans. Many movies haven’t lived up to expectations set by the first few films and the excellent array of games, comics, and novels. Arguably, no film exemplifies that disappointment more than Alien vs. Predator: Requiem.
The film was rated R, had a Predalien, and was billed as a return to form after the PG-13 AVP. Alas, fans know the movie didn’t end up living up to expectations, mostly due to poor lighting and terrible human characters that took away from our time with the creatures.
But fear not, friends. There is hope. A brave crusader for our cause has taken it upon himself to salvage this dark chapter in Alien and Predator fandom. The thing about Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (overly dark lighting aside), is that the moments with the Predator are actually pretty good. He looks right, he has great weapons, and is a general bad ass. The problem is every time you’re just starting to enjoy his scenes, the film cuts to the humans.
So… this guy cut all the humans out?
99% of them. There are a few shots here and there, but the dialogue is reduced to a line or two. The film is about the Predator coming down to Earth and kicking all sorts of ass.
If the film is about the Predator, how long could it be?
Well, because of those pesky humans it seems some of the Predator scenes had to be cut, but all in all it’s about 25 minutes. Also, the Predalien took a hit in screentime, but all its cut scenes were unnecessary and took place around the aforementioned scourge of the film: humans. Trust us when we say it’s a small price to pay.
Doesn’t that mean the story is all disjointed?
No. Strangely enough, it seems to flow rather well. The pacing is better and everything annoying in the movie’s story is gone.
So, if it’s not disjointed, does it make more sense than the movie?
Believe it or not… it makes way more sense.
How?
Staying with the Predator means we’re locked into his perspective, which centers around investigating a xenomorph contamination and cleaning it up. As a result, it kind of becomes a Predator detective story… albeit one with face huggers, chestbursters, and lots of death. By taking away all the narrative connective tissue concerning the humans, all the strange time frames, bizarre character decisions, and mean spirited death are gone. We don’t know how long the aliens have been loose, so all that stuff about chestbursters taking ten minutes to gestate is out the window.
Awesome. How can I watch this cinematic redemption?
I’m glad you asked. It’s posted on vimeo. We’ve embedded the video for your viewing pleasure.
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