Has AvPR improved wih age?

[SiL]

The Aliens look worse than they ever have and Wolf looks like his face is made of clay. The effects really weren't that good.

[BishopShouldGo]

They were terribly lit, shot and performed. That one hunched over alien waddling at the power plant? That full shot of an alien blocking a doorway? L O L.

[Russ]

I've defended this movie in the past. I watched it again recently on Blu-Ray.

It's crap. I don't know what the hell I was on about before and I take it back. Look, I get that they were trying to "amp up" the horror aspect after WS's 15-rated version (which I DO think is ace), but the amping up was just in pure bad taste.

Calling the main bloke Dallas wasn't a nod - it was just daft, they may as well have had the soldier as "Ripley."

The best thing about it was the Yutani tie in at the end - that was neat, considering AvP focused on Weyland. But no - it was horrible. I must listen again the the commentary.

There's a part of me that's annoyed because I keep thinking what SiL and SM could have done if Fox had thrown a few million dollars at them and said "go make a movie" (Apologies to the the other writers and uberNerds out there - SIL and SM sprang to my mind first is all)

They're more than qualified than the Brothers Strausse who had zero MOVIE making experience beforehand (I think it was a trend, wasn't it - get a "hot" advert director and give him a franchise).

So yes - opinion revised. It was bollocks with some (albeit few) redeeming features.

[windebieste]

The NECA Hybrid/Predalien action figure is now worth a small fortune if you have one, especially if it's still in its package. 

That's about the only good thing about that movie that has improved with age.

-Windebieste.

[Russ]

On the special features, they were talking about the oft-maligned darkness (not in tone - the physical darkness) and it appears that it was a choice. They actually wanted it to be that dark. Now, whether that's "Oh, no this film looks so crap we'll have to act like it was supposed like this" or they actually really did want it so you couldn't see anything is unknown to me.

[windebieste]

That really is the absolute worst thing about the movie.  That fact that I can't see what's going on half the time. 

The pace is lacking. 

The characters are as disengaging as a movie can get. 

There are scenes that are over as soon as they start.  The 30 second National Guard scene was the most disposable encounter ever.

I totally get that Wolf was a bad ass - even for a Predator - but really, if he's going to hold up a pair of Aliens at arms length by the neck in each hand, then he really should have both of his eyes poked out by the tails. 

Then there's that pregnant woman scene... gah.  'Horror' and 'tasteless', there is a difference, y'know; and this was just horrible.

Oh, and what is the point of Wolf going around and dribbling blue shit around the place to destroy evidence in terms of narrative when in the end it doesn't matter anyway?  What a f*cking awful movie.

Now that I think about it, having the movie be so dark may have been one of its better points.  lol.

Actually, the more I think about how much of a disappointment this thing was the angrier I get.  Gah.  Cinema at its worst.

-Windebieste.

[Russ]

Then there's that pregnant woman scene... gah.  'Horror' and 'tasteless', there is a difference, y'know; and this was just horrible.

That's exactly what I mean. It just went too far there - it was horrid and pointless. You're not going to outdo the chestburster - so don't explode pregnant ladies and think its "cool." It was vile. Its just a bad idea.

[Nostromo]

[Scorpio]

Then there's that pregnant woman scene... gah.  'Horror' and 'tasteless', there is a difference, y'know; and this was just horrible.

That's exactly what I mean. It just went too far there - it was horrid and pointless. You're not going to outdo the chestburster - so don't explode pregnant ladies and think its "cool." It was vile. Its just a bad idea.

One of AVPR's main strengths is a throwback to 80s exploitation/b movie.  It's like Antropophagus meets Critters 2.

[Mister Skeezler]

Except I can still watch Critters 2.

[Perfect-Organism]

Ha!  Funny and true..

[Russ]

One of AVPR's main strengths is a throwback to 80s exploitation/b movie.  It's like Antropophagus meets Critters 2.

Don't get me wrong - I really want to love this movie. Was that in their thinking? That it was a homage to those kind of exploitation movies (as I say, I'll have to relisten to the commentary)? I can't imagine why they would make that choice though - if you're given a franchise like that, making a throwback to an exploitation movie shouldn't be on your mind. Should it? Well - it wouldn't be my first thought, but who knows - I don't know what their concept was for sure other than they wanted to set it in space but the producer told them that was too expensive.

I thought their mission was a Quantum Leap-esque attempt "to put right what had once gone wrong" - IE, improve on AvP which (despite being entertaining) didn't satisfy many fans. So they set out to make a more R-Rated horror-action... Like "Aliens" - I think that was R-Rated in 86? I'd have to check though.

I guess you could be right - Death Proof, Grindhouse, Kill Bill et al were around at that time, weren't they.

[Kaltes]

On the special features, they were talking about the oft-maligned darkness (not in tone - the physical darkness) and it appears that it was a choice. They actually wanted it to be that dark. Now, whether that's "Oh, no this film looks so crap we'll have to act like it was supposed like this" or they actually really did want it so you couldn't see anything is unknown to me.

I know stupidity shouldn't surprise me...but Jesus f**king Christ, seriously?

[Nostromo]

My 2nd favorite part in AVPR is this one, one of the all time greatest scenes in cinematic history:

[lv_226]

I've defended this movie in the past. I watched it again recently on Blu-Ray.

It's crap. I don't know what the hell I was on about before and I take it back. Look, I get that they were trying to "amp up" the horror aspect after WS's 15-rated version (which I DO think is ace), but the amping up was just in pure bad taste.

Calling the main bloke Dallas wasn't a nod - it was just daft, they may as well have had the soldier as "Ripley."

The best thing about it was the Yutani tie in at the end - that was neat, considering AvP focused on Weyland. But no - it was horrible. I must listen again the the commentary.

There's a part of me that's annoyed because I keep thinking what SiL and SM could have done if Fox had thrown a few million dollars at them and said "go make a movie" (Apologies to the the other writers and uberNerds out there - SIL and SM sprang to my mind first is all)

They're more than qualified than the Brothers Strausse who had zero MOVIE making experience beforehand (I think it was a trend, wasn't it - get a "hot" advert director and give him a franchise).

So yes - opinion revised. It was bollocks with some (albeit few) redeeming features.

You've seen the light