Aliens Vs Predator – Requiem

Jan 18 2008 Evening Chronicle

IN SPACE, no-one can hear you scream.

So, in Aliens Vs Predator – Requiem, two of the big screen’s most feared extra-terrestrial killing machines descend on American suburbia, where the blood-curdling cries can be heard for miles.

The flimsy logic begins and ends there in this low concept sequel, directed by the Brothers Strause (aka visual effects wizards Colin and Greg).

Crudely bridging the narrative divide between Predator 2 and the original Alien, Requiem curls its lip in disdain at the two-dimensional humans, whose sole purpose is to suffer the most sadistic demise imaginable.

Thus, a ward full of expectant mothers are terrorised by a Predalien (the hideous offspring of an Alien incubated inside a Predator) and a young boy witnesses a creature erupt from his father’s chest shortly before he suffers the same grisly fate.

The bloodletting begins in earnest when a spaceship containing the Predalien and some face-huggers crash-lands close to the town of Gunnison in central Colorado.

Sheriff Eddie Morales (Ortiz) struggles to maintain control of the situation, aided by ballsy soldier Kelly (Aylesworth), who has just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq, quick-thinking ex-con Dallas (Pasquale) and his brother Ricky (Lewis). Thankfully, a hunter Predator is despatched to earth to clear up the rapidly multiplying infestation of Aliens.

Kelly’s young daughter, Molly (Gade), and Ricky’s love interest Jesse (Hager) are caught in the crossfire.

True to its title, Aliens Vs Predator – Requiem is the final wheeze for a dying franchise, shot predominantly in the gloom of night to explain how the creatures are able to run amok for so long without arousing mass panic.

Dialogue is laughable whether intentional.

The stupidity of mankind never ceases to amaze, like the National Guard commander who, inexplicably, opens the hatch to his armoured tank and emerges into the slavering jaws of an Alien. We don’t care a jot for any of the residents of Gunnison – nuke the lot of ’em.

(15, 93 mins) Sci-Fi/Action/Horror. John Ortiz, Steven Pasquale, Johnny Lewis, Reiko Aylesworth, Ariel Gade, Kristen Hager, David Paetkau. Director: The Brothers Strause.

SWEARING; NO SEX; VIOLENCE