AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
★★★ — AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
The crossover concept had been gestating since a throwaway gag in Predator 2 (1990) and then a popular Dark Horse Comics series from 1989, meaning by the time Paul W. S. Anderson brought it to screen in 2004, the fan base had been waiting well over a decade. Anderson, best known at that point for Mortal Kombat (1995) and the first Resident Evil (2002), was a reliable hand with video game and franchise properties, though rarely a critical favourite. Twentieth Century Fox greenlit a $70 million production that filmed largely at Studio Babelsberg in Germany and on location in Prague, with Antarctic exterior work handled practically. The film earned a PG-13 certificate in the United States, a controversial decision given both parent franchises were built on hard-R violence. It more than doubled its budget at the box office, which was enough to greenlight a sequel.
Alright, hear me out, it’s really not as bad as people make out. Sure, it’s no Aliens or Predator, and yeah, it’s been Hollywood-ised to hell with PG-13 sanitisation, but AVP does a decent job of expanding the lore. The idea of Predators using Xenomorphs for hunting rites is actually cool sci-fi world-building. The ancient pyramid, the timeline crossover, it all adds a bit of mythos to both franchises. The characters are paper-thin, the dialogue is ropey, and the CGI’s a bit dodgy in places, but the Predator-Xenomorph fights are very entertaining. And that human/Predator team-up toward the end is proper comic book nonsense in the best way. It’s nowhere near a masterpiece, but it’s a fun crossover with enough new ideas to warrant its place in the franchise. Underrated for what it is.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 2004 | Watched: 2025-04-10
Where to watch (UK)
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK
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Related on Movies With Macca
More from Paul W. S. Anderson: Resident Evil: Retribution (2012) · Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016) · Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010) · Death Race (2008)
More from Czech Republic: Van Helsing (2004) · The Kite (2019) · Underground (1995) · Aferim! (2015)
More from the 2000s: Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (2005) · Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) · Daredevil (2003) · Apocalypto (2006)
More adventure: Alice in Wonderland (1951) · The Eagle (1925) · Louisiana Story (1948) · The General (1926)
More science fiction: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) · Fantastic Planet (1973) · Nightmare City (1980) · The Long Walk (2025)
