Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem, The Bad Slasher Movie (Average Pt. 6)

What the ****? Where did this come from? Where the hell did this movie come from?

Liam O’Donnell, creative consultant for AVP R, on the AVP franchise, 2017

Posting has been rather infrequent the past two weeks, and I think I would owe a lot of that to whatever the hell movie it was that I watched for this review.

Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem is no one’s first choice. I can only hope that it was not yours, and it definitely wasn’t mine. There is always at least one movie in a franchise where one has to ask why it was made, and that is where you have a great possibility of losing your audience: Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem is one such movie. It is simultaneously a cheap and expensive burning of money on the screen and most probably felt that when leaving the theater (as of writing, AVP R stands at a 12% critic score and 30% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes). Scenes are incredibly poorly lit, CGI was passable but still bad for the time, and the acting seemed like it came straight out of a Friday the 13^th movie. Let’s break it down:

The Alien Franchise: Alien (An Average…Project?)

In space no one can hear you scream.

Alien promotional poster, 1979

Alright so I’ve been on a streak of mostly stinky movies, so let’s talk about one of my favorite movies ever made. It was a movie that scared my pants off as a child, and helped mold me into the science fiction nerd I am. This was a groundbreaking film that, despite creating a nearly perfect sequel, branched off into a debauchery of a franchise (and before you ask, I am not alluding to Terminator twice in two posts). I am, of course, talking about the magnificent 1979 motion picture Alien.

‘Happy Death Day’ Film Review

Grade: B

‘Happy Death Day’ knows it is just another copy of the 1993 comedy classic ‘Groundhog Day’; in which Bill Murray plays a selfish weatherman named Phil Connors, who finds himself reliving the same day over and over until he changes his ways, but not before finding love in Andie MacDowell’s Rita Hanson. It is especially reminiscent of the movie so much to where it cannot help but reference it in one scene. Our heroine, Tree Gilbman (Jessica Rothe) could even be a younger and sassy Connors if he were a sorority girl on the cusp of depression. I could swear ‘Happy Death Day’ is essentially a remake of the classic, but disguised as a slasher flick blended with a satirical college comedy. The story is nearly the same; protagonist is rude and discovers he/she is in a loop, reminds potential love interest (played here by Israel Broussard) of events noticed previously, becomes a better person, time loop ends and protagonist lives to see another day. However, the one ingredient that adds flavor to this birthday cake is a killer in a sweater and baby mask, and a mystery that needs to be solved.