Better acting and more likable characters, too.
Sure, the marine that shows up doesn't say anything, but he's effective:
- He provides tension and excitement through blasting the Predalien from off-screen. We're left wondering what's going on and the momentary confusion is resolved by the revelation of the marine himself.
- He's afraid of the Predalien, even after downing it. There's human caution there, and we're left shouldering his own feelings of uncertainty.
- He's on the same level as us. It shortly occurs to us that Spartan Scott is still somewhere in the room, and when the sound effects suggest this, we're in the marine's own boots.
- When speared, he acts like a total badass and gives Spartan Scott a run for his money. Instant cred.
You could essentially have the film as we've seen it be the first ten minutes and last ten minutes of a feature-length film. Improve the visual and animation aspects and we've got a perfectly workable introduction and conclusion.
The 70 minutes that aren't there can essentially be a little bit of Spartan Scott entering the ship and altering some of the situations the other marines find themselves in, and a lot of those other marines doing their thing. We've essentially got a spaceship full of Aliens, labs and dark corners with a Predator stalking about and a squad of marines trying to figure everything out. There's plenty that can be done to fill up 70 minutes.
(But I would personally upscale the Aliens a lot).
