Usually critics and genre fans alike savage crossover films like ALIENS VS PREDATOR to the extent that it makes these productions easy prey (no pun intended). It came in the wake of the equally-as-bad FREDDY VS JASON. The problem with these 'VS' franchise films is that they must be equal in concept and scope to both sides of each franchise. I happened to be in the minority who enjoy this film, and in this review I will explain my reasons for championing it; I will also acknowledge ALIENS VS PREDATOR many failures.  As a testament to both the original ALIEN and PREDATOR films, make no mistake about it, ALIENS VS PREDATOR is a failure. However, as audiences must consider that ALIENS VS PREDATOR was a successful comic book franchise long before it was optioned to a feature film. Director Paul Anderson is an expert at making superior comic book and video game adaptations (like MORTAL COMBAT, RESIDENT EVIL, SOLDIER, EVENT HORIZON, etc.), and on that level, ALIENS VS PREDATOR succeeds in bringing the comic book mayhem to three dimensional life. The many battle sequences between the aliens have more in common with the SPIDERMAN, FANTASTIC FOUR, and HULK franchises than they do to an actual science fiction film. 

Conceptually, ALIENS VS PREDATOR is not to far off mark. That is, the story progression, build-up, editing, action sequences, are fairly well executed by Paul Anderson and his crew. It's the entire human element that suffers, including the poorly conceived characters played by what passes for as today's 'hot young talent' (meaning: will work for cheap). To give ALIENS VS PREDATOR a connection to the ALIEN franchise, they cast Lance Henrikson as a precursor to the BISHOP character. This was a big mistake however, as the veteran Henrikson's presence only points out how horrible everyone else's acting ability is. The likeable heroine Sanna Latham is the only talent who injects some range and authority to her character. Sadly, the supporting cast are cut from the lowly Sci-Fi Channel TV movie mold. Twentieth Century Fox needs to pony up more money for their genre castings and less on digital effects houses if they plan on any more of these productions. And though I believe Paul Anderson is a talented filmmaker, he certainly is no Ridley Scott, James Cameron, or John McTeirnan (original PREDATOR director) either. 

Fox's Blu Ray edition of ALIENS VS PREDATOR includes the much-maligned original theatrical version (which was trimmed of violence and foul language to achieve a PG-13 rating) and Paul Anderson's directors cut. The directors cut packs a lot more violence, firepower, and cussing to the equation (so hide the kiddies). This version also includes some chronological retooling. ALIENS VS PREDATOR directors cut is the preferred version, but don't expect a miracle since no amount of bloodshed or re-editing can overcome the film's other major problems.  

Fox Home Video releases ALIENS VS PREDATOR on a BD-50 disc. This 1080p/MPEG-2 transfer overall is very strong, considering the darkness and shadows that the film uses.  Granted, there are better reference quality discs out there (like HELLBOY and SPIDERMAN 3), but there is little to complain about given the artic-like nature of the visuals, with the exception being some desaturated colors, some mild wavering in the long shots, occasional softness, and some unbalanced contrast. The transfer exhibits tremendous image depth and detail. The color palette is solid which perfectly recreates ALIENS VS PREDATOR's dark cinematography. The directors cut certainly benefits with all the added bloody carnage. Ditto the black levels are also perfectly tweaked, which helps contribute to the film's 'dark and cold' atmosphere.  Whether its an snowy exterior scene, a shadowy stalk-an-kill moment, or an action-packed extraterrestrial battle, Fox Home Video's Blu Ray transfer is stellar (but not perfect). Subtitles include English and Spanish only. 

The ALIENS VS PREDATOR Blu Ray includes English DTS-HD Master Lossless Audio 5.1 Surround sound. However, if you lack the requisite DTS-HD receiver to handle the decoding (like I do), you get ALIENS VS PREDATOR in a very strong DTS-HDMA 1.5Mbps core 5.1 audio offering. The first act of the movie is the build up, and there is not much action here, so the surround fields are used mostly for ambient sound fill, such as the artic forest sequences (that include blowing winds, chirping birds, etc.). Other ambient sounds include the echoing of footsteps once the cast (I mean the victims) enter the alien constructed pyramid. The action and horror really pick up around the halfway point when the existence of the alien races is revealed. Here is where the you get your Blu Ray money's worth. The alien stalk and kill scenes are in full effect here, and establish the sense of dread and doom in the sound field. Next up is the numerous battle scenes between the title characters. Excellent, crisp sounds of slashing claws, aliens grunting, and loud futuristic Predator weaponry. The bass which has been fairly quiet in the first half, really registers during these action sequences. Harod Kloser's generic score adds to the action and tension, and is perfectly integrated into the mix. When the giant, Kong-sized alien queen runs amuck during the climax, you'll feel the bass with every stride of those massive legs! The ALIENS VS PREDATOR Blu Ray also contains French Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes which sound the same as the ones on the standard edition DVD. 

Despite this being an early BD-50 attempt by Fox, said company sure missed the boat by including a minimal number of  additional content. The bad news is that the feature material from the standard ALIENS VS PREDATOR Special Edition DVD edition are missing, including still galleries, deleted scenes, making-of documentaries etc. What's left is the same audio commentary with director Paul Anderson and stars Sanaa Latham and Lance Henrikson. The three principals discuss the evolution and genesis of the ALIENS VS PREDATOR production. There is another commentary with special effects maestros Alec Gillis, John Bruno, and Tom Woodruff, three fun guys who really are the big stars of ALIENS VS PREDATOR. So of course they go into significant details of bringing these monsters to life. Rounding out the package are a small collection of Fox genre trailers all presented in true high definition (and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound) including other Fox tiles such as PLANET OF THE APES (2001), THE TRANSPORTER, BEHIND ENEMY LINES, and the awful PHONE BOOTH. 

Well, before defending ALIENS VS PREDATOR and summarizing my final take on Fox's Blu Ray presentation, let me update this review by comparing it to the sequel ALIENS VS PREDATOR: REQUIEM (which I caught theatrically over the 2007 holiday break). Simply put, though REQUIEM may have stronger effects sequences and a much higher body count, REQUIEM's story, characters, and acting make the original ALIENS VS PREDATOR seems like MASTERPIECE THEATER. While the original had a veteran fantasy filmmaker like Paul Anderson at the helm, in an effort to save money, Fox hired two first-timers-special-effects-artists-turned writer/directors to helm this dreck. Despite a massive marketing campaign, REQUIEM tanked at the box office, and virtually killed two franchises. So in my eyes, even though the original ALIENS VS PREDATOR is definitely not Shakespeare, it is certainly the best this unique cross-over production will ever get. That's why I'm recommending this Blu Ray which is near reference quality, as far as I'm concerned. The biggest knock against this BD-50 disk is the removal of extras that were on the standard DVD. People who enjoyed either the ALIEN or PREDATOR movies, should purchase this directors cut. I recommend a rental for other curious action or horror fans. 

-  Brian Cleary