AVP: Requiem

Fan fiction and films are big, as in popular. The web is awash with stories from popular franchises, usually to the chagrin of their original creators. Although they may not be technically great, as movies or prose, they do often contain some great ideas. I can't help thinking that ALIENS VS PREDATOR started out that way, except the fans happened to be professionals who, during a 'geek-out' session, thought it would be really cool to pit these to iconic creatures against each other, thereby giving birth to the multi-platform hybrid of games, comics, novels and movies. The first AVP movie was directed by UK games-to-movies specialist Paul W S Anderson, and was a surprisingly popular and financial success, in spite of its drubbing by the critics (what do they know?).

ALIENS vs PREDATOR: REQUIEM, the sequel to that film moves the battle from the icy wastelands to downtown USA and is directed by The Brothers Strause, a pair of self-confessed ALIENS and PREDATOR geeks, who also happen to run a CG visual effects house. In this latest story a Predator spaceship carrying Alien samples crashes on Earth near a small Colorado city and before long the Aliens are on a raping and pillaging frenzy, pursued by a Predator known as a "cleaner" whose job is not simply to hunt but to remove all traces of the creature. There is also a hybrid Alien, called a Predalien, that is an Alien that was incubated in a Predator and has taken on some of its characteristics. To the credit of the directors they have used practicals (men in monster suits) as much as possible, which gives the film some credence, something it desperately needs.

We are also introduced to the core archetypal (although they are mire stereotypical) characters. The town sheriff, the misfit and his brother, the blonde love interest and the mother (a military veteran just returned form a tour of duty) and daughter. None of them are characters that you particularly care about and with all the mayhem going on around them it is not that important. If the dialogue wasn't so cheesy and predictable then maybe we would feel differently towards them, but it is not about them – it's about the Aliens and Predators and they supply plenty of visceral action, which is what most people will be going to this film for. US audiences might identify with the townsfolk and the threat from outside they have to face but for us it is all about the action and the movie delivers plenty of it.

To get the most from this film knowledge of both the titular entities is needed. Not having seen any of the movies with the Predators in I wasn't sure what their role or abilities were, but these soon became pretty clear to me.

For anyone who likes sci-fi with ideas, interesting characters and stories, this is not going to impress. But it is definitely one for the fans or anyone else looking for an action-packed bloodbath.

ALIENS VS PREDATOR: REQUIEM is in cinemas from January 18 (Certificate 15)

To whet your appetite we have a comp to win AVP goodie bags containing: T-shirt, Finger lights, Heat sensitive mug, Notepad, Key ring torch, Watch, Car tattoos, Badges and Cap.

To be in the draw for one of five goodie bags answer the following question: Who created the design of the original Alien monster? Click here to e-mail your answer by 28 January 2008.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR ANSWER IN THE COMMENTS BOX BELOW AS YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED INTO THE CONTEST.

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