Today’s quick review: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. When a ship carrying a Predator-Xenomorph hybrid crashes near a small Colorado town, an elite Predator warrior follows the hybrid to Earth to kill it. As the two aliens square off in the woods around the town, the townsfolk struggle to make sense of the ensuing carnage, and it falls to ex-convict Dallas (Steven Pasquale) and police officer Morales (John Ortiz) to keep the survivors safe.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a sci-fi horror movie and a loose sequel to Alien vs. Predator. Requiem opts for a darker tone than its predecessor, focusing more on horror and less on action. To that end, the sequel is set in the woods of Colorado, the perfect hunting ground for the aliens at the center of the plot. However, Requiem’s execution falls well short of the mark thanks to muddy visuals, flimsy characters, and an aimless story.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem has significant problems with its visuals. The movie tries to build a sense of atmosphere by sticking to dark environments and only rarely showing its creatures. But it takes this strategy too far, making it difficult to tell what characters or creatures are on-screen, let alone what they’re doing. The extra effort needed to decipher its scenes makes Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem a hard movie to get immersed in.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem also suffers from issues with its story. The most significant one is that the human characters have no clue what they’re up against. Since there’s no opportunity for the characters to fight back or escape, the early encounters with the aliens lack tension. Even when the survivors get their act together, their plan is unfocused. The nail in the coffin is that the characters themselves are unappealing and forgettable.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem attempts to stitch together a tense horror movie from two well-known sci-fi series, but its weak execution leaves it well short of its goal. The movie earns some points for a reasonable setup and its attempts to build atmosphere, but it never gets any real traction. The movie has little to offer in the way of suspense, action, or story, making it a niche pick at best.
For a survival horror movie with better atmosphere, try A Quiet Place. For better takes on the same creatures, try Alien, Predator, or Aliens. For a more action-oriented take on the same crossover, try Alien vs. Predator.
4.7 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 5.0 for poor cinematography and low tension.