Quote from: bishoop on Oct 26, 2012, 11:05:42 AM
complete list 
You're pretty nittpicky here. I haven't seen AvP1 in ages, so my memory is fuzzy, but I'll do my best.
-Foreshadowing opening set many years before events of film (AvP unrated cut only)
A thing that happens in shittons of movies, books, video games, etc. It's a plot device. Dunno what happens in the unrated version of AvP since I've never seen the unrated version. It's mighty important in Prometheus though, and I can't imagine it's all that important in AvP if it's not in the original cut of the movie.
-Scientists discover signs designed to lure humans to a hidden place where perverse alien-ish things will happen to them
A common trope in horror movies. These were done to completely different effects between AvP and Prometheus though. In AvP, they were lured for hunting, in Prometheus, the drawings were presumably a friendly invitation, though over the course of three thousand or so years, the Engineers changed their minds.
But without a lure, there would be no movie. Even Alien had a lure in the form of a distress beacon.
-Archaeological dig
I can probably give you that one.
-Group of scientists/mercs for mission to undisclosed destination funded by Weyland are assembled in the cargo hold of the ship by stern Company suit, and then briefed by Weyland about what they hope to find/how it could be a historic discovery for mankind, before archaeologists comment on the power point hieroglyphs seen in different ancient cultures around the world.
As someone mentioned before, that's mostly a boring way to infodump and not exactly uncommon.
-Dying Weyland founder, who has designs on immortality, accompanies the crew despite being in very bad health.
I'll give you that as well.
-The female protagonist talks about her fathers death.
Don't remember how the female hero's father died in AvP or if it had any significance, but it was very significant to Shaw and her reason for her scientific explorations. Death by ebola also conjures similar imagery to death by black goo.
-Giant pyramid like temple structure discovered.
As stated above, not uncommon. The two structures are vastly different in terms of...well, pretty much everything.
-Holographic projection of the structure is seen.
So because both movies had maps, one copied from the other? It would break continuity for there to not be holographic maps as the movie takes place far in the future.
-One of the mercs is challenged by the female protagonist regarding taking weapons to the site.
Different outcomes occur from this. We had weapons in AvP, which was an action movie and needed armed guards to slaughter, whereas the weapons weren't brought in Prometheus and Fefield and Milburn died because of it. It was a valid question in both movies as both scientists were under the impression that these were friendly scientific explorations. Bringing weapons didn't make much sense.
-Journey to the site in armoured tractor type vehicles
Really? Now this is just being nitpicky.
-Enter Giger-esque interior of structure searching with torches and find ancient language carved into walls and someone asks 'can you read this?'
This is also pretty nitpicky. It's also not uncommon when some ancient or alien structure is introduced to the characters.
-The depiction of a xenomorph on the wall.
Sure, but for completely different reasons. The Engineers seemed to worship the xenomorphs and were trying to weaponize them whereas the predators hunted them for ritualistic bloodsport.
-One of the team activates the structure - thus creating sequence of catastrophic events.
Without this, there would be no movie. It's like the phrase, "insert a gun in the first act and it needs to be fired by the third act" or somesuch. You introduce the structure, and the structure has to be activated. It's just the way of this particular plot.
-Team gets accidentally separated, the two that don't get along (science nerd and wannabe hard man) get cut off from main group, are attacked by face creatures and die horribly. (plus sim to the two who are cut off from the others in the sacrificial chamber are attacked by face creatures)
Predictable, and perhaps bad, storytelling. As soon as the characters break off, you know they'll wind up dying because that's how horror movies work. It's something to be expected of the genre. And in the case of Prometheus, the two get along once they decide to leave together. At least, Fifield somewhat respects Milburn for having the sense to get the hell out of there. Can't remember how these two characters work in AvP though.
-Discover 7ft+ ancient aliens who wear environmental face masks and create/breed alien life forms, were once worshiped as Gods by humans
Eh. The two creatures differ on fundamental levels as do the reasons for their face masks. The fact that they are both large pretty much equates to "bigger is scarier." We don't actually know if the Engineers were breeding the xenomorphs, all we know is they had vials containing black goo that seemed to result in xenomorphs. The predators were breeding to fight; the Engineers were genetically altering.
-Alien in cryogenic sleep is awakened (queen/engineer)
Wouldn't be a monster movie without this happening at some point. A lot of your comparisons are really about the genres the movies are in and not "this copied this."
-Ancient aliens are hostile to humans - Weyland is killed by one
Wouldn't be a monster movie without this happening.
-Female protagonist tries to save the survivors, and humanity itself, from the alien threat.
The hero in AvP wasn't saving humanity itself, just her small section of it. She could have died and the one predator would have blown the place to hell and that would have been that. The cycle would repeat sometime far in the future, but humanity was never in danger. Saving the survivors is a characteristic of the hero/protagonist, and it would be kinda odd if that wasn't there.
-Female protagonist is only human survivor to escape destruction - which prevents spread of the alien destruction on earth (Pyramid blowing up/Prometheus crashing into the Engineer's ship)
The fact that you have "human" in there is so you can get around the fact that David survives. And even though he's an android, he's still pretty human when you look at his interactions and motives.
-Main alien also survives destruction (queen/engineer) and attacks her before another alien intervenes saving the female protagonist (predator/giant face hugger)
Gotta have that last bout of tension before the movie ends. The xenomorph survives in Alien too. Once again, I'd chalk this up with being part of the genre and not "this copied this"
-Female protagonist escapes environment but ultimate fate is uncertain.
I'll give you that for now, but we are going to get a sequel to Prometheus. That should change this bulletpoint.
-Final chest burst scene & new look xeno emerges from an ancient alien. The final shot is of the chestburster screaming into the camera.
I'll give you that, but I feel Prometheus would have been missing something if that didn't occur.
Really, a lot of the problems you have are pretty much with the genre these movies are in and the plot structure these kinds of movies follow rather than deliberate copying. I'm guessing the two movies have similar TVTrope pages, but they wouldn't be the first to use those kinds of tropes and they won't be the last.
