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Alien versus Predator: Bridging the Void Alien versus Predator is a curious film. It is the bridging segment between both the Alien and Predator movie series. It means that it has been dealt the onerous task of having to be authentic in content to both mythos, while generating valuable credibility points as a stand-alone movie in its own right. Not an easy goal to achieve, and while it suffers on some levels, in other areas it can boast a victory cry proud of its heritage. The basic premise dangerously leans towards being outlandish and downright ludicrous: space-faring Predators use an ancient shape-changing pyramid buried under the Antarctic ice cap as an arena to conduct a 'blood hunt' Rite of Passage. These initiations are conducted by hunting unwholesome and disgusting Xenomorph Aliens within the shifting walls of the pyramid... with humans being used as bait. Toss in a tenuous link to ancient world cultures and the film quickly runs the risk of becoming a laughable embarrassment to all concerned. Advertisement Luckily, the whole dubious premise ultimately serves as a backdrop to a film that earns more respect than the synopsis would suggest possible. After all, some manner of background narrative must exist to provide a justification for Predators and Aliens to get together on even turf and tussle it out to our hearts' content. No matter what the initial plot has to offer, the real meat of the movie lies in the unfolding dramatic events between Aliens and Predators - running around - biting each other; and hitting each other with big sticks. We will just have to forgive the script writers for the first twenty minutes of crap archeology lessons, crummy dialogue, and generally clumsy start. Just get on with the bizarre kaleidoscopic showdown at the film's core, will ya', please, Mr. Anderson. Characterisations isn't this movie's strongest points, either. Indeed, most of the Humans involved in the exploration of the aforementioned ice-buried pyramid tend to have little more in the way of script than to hold a torch against the stone walls and look around the place with a mixture of awe and nervousness etched into their uneasy gaze. Eventually, they each succumb to either the Predators or Aliens in unfortunate - but not quite too grisly - demises. A lot of the potential gore factor of the movie is conscientiously reduced. That is not to say that there is no blood displayed on-screen; there just seems to be a restriction on its colour. There's yellow and green extraterrestrial bodily fluids aplenty, but the anticipated crimson arterial spray of any given Human victim is left to suggestion rather than blatant in-your-face sensationalism. While much of the cast of the Human Antarctic exploration team ends up repeating the performance of the proverbial "10 Little Indians", the story continues in its final third to concentrate on the survival and unlikely alliance of team leader Alexa 'Lex' Woods and her burly Predator companion, Scar. In a final desperate flee to the surface, it is this unlikely bonding of 2 very disparate characters that generates the film's intriguing final sequences of uneasy partnership under duress. Predators don't bestow respect to just any foreigner that happens to interfere in their tribal initiations. Lex earns her own Rite of Passage into the Way of the Yautja the hard way. Unfortunately for her, part of this process involves the violent end of the potential romantic relationship between her and fellow explorer, Sebastian. With Sebastian out of the picture, Lex must now seek protection from her new found Predator pal. Apologies for the spoiler, but herein lies the most intriguing facet of Alien versus Predator. Ultimately Lex earns the respect and the mark of the Predator. Whilst the initiation she receives from him announces her own passage into Yautja social acceptability; it may also be considered to denote ownership, or possibly "mateship". Does the Predator plan to take this woman to be his mate now that she has earned a place in Predator society? This unorthodox alliance allows possible allusions to a suggestive and challenging relationship indeed. Alien versus Predator is far from being a perfect movie. The treatment of the goofy premise, occasional trite dialogue, and predictably disposable characters needed a major overhaul at the scripting stage. While these elements do initially detract from the experience, the faithful and consistent portrayal of the titular combatant characters serves to positively lift the film. The final third of the movie elevates it further with the unorthodox team up in the final climactic conflict on the Antarctic wilderness being a treat to behold. While similarities can be drawn between Alien versus Predator and Paul Anderson's earlier subterranean-based Resident Evil, Resident Evil falls flat on its face and uncomfortably stays there, writhing, moaning, and twitching in an embarrassing semi-comatose state. Alien vs. Predator is a film that crawls on its belly before it can walk. It then proudly stands upright on its own 2 feet and finally, bolts to the finish line in all its glory. Regardless of any of its shortcomings, Alien versus Predator is now inextricably cannonised into the collective overarching AvP mythos, adequately marrying the 2 series into a 7 part cinematic experience. By Windebieste Comments? Flames? Praise? Mail feedback!