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Tell Others About This Page By Using This Button "ALIEN VS. PREDATOR" (2004) (Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons *None Heavy *Extreme Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Minor Minor Extreme None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Minor None Minor Mild Extreme QUICK TAKE: Horror/Sci-Fi: An archaeological expedition in Antarctica leads to the discovery of extraterrestrial beings that wish to kill each other and the humans. PLOT: It's the fall of 2004 and satellites owned by Charles Bishop Weyland (LANCE HENRIKSEN) have not only detected a heat source deep in Antarctica, but also a massive pyramid buried 2,000 feet below an old whaling station that was mysteriously abandoned one-hundred years earlier. Showing signs of various ancient cultural influences, the site would obviously be quite the archaeological find. Accordingly, Weyland has sent his right-hand man, Maxwell Stafford (COLIN SALMON), to assemble a team of experts to help him claim it before anyone else does. Among those added to the team is Alexa Woods (SANAA LATHAN) who's initially reluctant to be the leader; chemical engineer Graeme Miller (EWEN BREMNER); archaeologists Sebastian De Rosa (RAOUL BOVA) and Thomas Parks (SAM TROUGHTON); and Rusten Quinn (CARSTEN NORGAARD) who's prepared to use his crew to drill down to the pyramid. When they arrive at the isolated location, however, they find that a thirty-degree tunnel has suddenly and mysteriously been created from the surface down to the pyramid. After the crew gets to the bottom, they not only find the buried structure, but also that an ancient ritual is going to be reenacted where extraterrestrial predators plan on hunting a more primitive but equally deadly alien species. With the queen thawed out and producing eggs, the humans soon learn that they're going to be the hosts for the aliens that will then hatch from their bodies. From that point on, and as the pyramid repeatedly reconfigures itself every ten minutes, the humans do what they can to avoid being killed by the predators and/or aliens. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of either movie series, it's a good bet they probably will. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For violence, language, horror images, slime and gore. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: SANAA LATHAN plays the person chosen by Weyland to lead his expedition to the pyramid. Although initially reluctant, she decides to do so and then finds herself in a nightmarish situation where she must use her wits and courage to survive. She uses some profanity, some of it briefly strong. RAOUL BOVA plays an archaeologist who accompanies her on the mission and finds himself in the same situation. LANCE HENRIKSEN plays the corporate head who wants to lay claim to the find as his last great hurrah. EWEN BREMNER plays an engineer who's also on the expedition and tries to survive. He briefly uses some profanity. COLIN SALMON plays Weyland's right-hand man who tries to take control of the mission once things go downhill. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this horror-based sci-fi film that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while a number of other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. A brief, sexually related comment is also made. Violence consists of extraterrestrial beings and monsters attacking and killing various humans by various means, while also battling and killing each other. A person shoots and kills another doomed person in a mercy-killing fashion. While not a great deal of human blood is present, all sorts of green blood, goo and slime are, especially when dead aliens are dismembered. Some of those scenes, various perilous moments and the sight of the monsters might be unsettling, suspenseful and/or scary to some viewers, particularly those who are very young or who have low tolerance levels for such material. The predators that kill humans for sport and/or fun have bad attitudes. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, some of that occurs in a few otherwise dark scenes. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE None, but Alexa states that she and her father shared champagne to celebrate their climbing of a mountain. BLOOD/GORE We see various skeletons in a sacrificial chamber that had their chests blown open from the inside. We see the queen alien laying large egg pods that are gooey and leave a trail of goo from her egg sac tube. A predator strikes a man with its retractable claws (no impact is seen), sending some blood splattering onto some icy rocks. As various alien egg pods open up, we see all sorts of related goo. We see alien slime covering a gun. We see what looks like a small trickle of blood run down a spear like object. A self-constricting net wraps around an alien, starting to crush it and sending green blood/acid out from it. It manages, however, to jump on a predator and jams its smaller jaw set into a predator's head (with green blood shooting out), killing it. A predator slices a face hugger alien in half and then decapitates a large alien (we see the head fall off, leaving the gory-looking wound). A predator holds up a severed alien head. We briefly see what look like guts and fluid spilling out of an alien. A predator cuts off an alien's head (the act is only partially seen, but what's there is gooey and slimy) and then snaps off one of its fingers. Aliens cut themselves or a queen to get acid to flow to free the queen from the chains that are holding her. As the queen alien breaks free from her egg sack, we see green goo and slime. We see a little blood on Alexa's face after a predator uses acid from a dead alien to etch her face. A predator shoots at and slices an alien with green goo/blood coming out. We see green blood on an alien's abdomen and arm. We see a baby alien burst forth from a dead predator's chest (with some resultant goo). DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE There's some brief dissension when Max challenges Alexa about who's the leader when things go bad. The predators that kill humans for sport and/or fun have bad attitudes. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Once the predators and then aliens attack the humans, the rest of the film could be quite intense, suspenseful and/or scary to those same viewers. While climbing a vertical ice cliff, Alexa nearly falls, but catches herself with her ice pick. The team slowly explores a long-abandoned whaling station at night using flashlights and flares. During this, Graeme is by himself when he suddenly hears sounds moving about him and he begins to panic (backing into some hanging pots, etc.). A cable zips by and hits Weyland, sending him sliding out of control down an angled tunnel (Max catches him at the last moment to save his life). We see the frozen alien queen being lifted into place and then being thawed out. We see various skeletons in a sacrificial chamber that had their chests blown open from the inside. The various team members suddenly find themselves trapped in separate chambers in the pyramid as it shifts its configuration. We then see various alien egg pods slowly opening up around some of those crewmembers. A "face hugger" alien (a horseshoe crab type creature) jumps on a woman's face. A little bit later, the face hugger is off, but she starts to experience chest pains and we then see a quick shot of a small alien bursting from her chest (no blood, but we see the creature sticking out). Various team members slowly make their way through the dark pyramid with their guns drawn. More group members become separated as the pyramid again reconfigures itself. A self-constricting net wraps around Max and starts to squeeze tighter around him. Alexa and Sebastian race to get out of one chamber and into another as the passageway they're in is quickly closing. Sebastian barely makes it out just as it closes and just avoids being hit by a large spinning blade thrown by a predator. A man who's mostly encased against a wall tries to reach a handgun to shoot a face hugger alien that's emerging from a large egg pod (he sees such a creature on another person's face next to him). He manages to shoot and kill the creature, but then sees many more pods opening up (and we then hear sounds of gunfire). Alexa and Sebastian run from an alien and jump a chasm with Alexa only hitting the edge and barely holding on as pieces break away (Sebastian grabs and barely manages to rescue her). Alexa and another being try to zip out of a long tunnel as an explosion sends a fireball racing up behind them. Alexa and another being try to race through the deserted whaling town as it collapses into a huge hole behind them. The two then jump across a chasm to safety. A predator's crab-like face might be unsettling or frightening to some younger viewers. A large alien chases after and tries to bite Alexa who tries to hide from it beneath a large water tower. It also tries to hit her with its tail. GUNS/WEAPONS Machine guns/Handguns/Futuristic weapons (guns, spears, retractable claws, large throwing blades, bombs): Used to wound or kill human, aliens and/or predators. See "Violence" for details. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "I hope it kills every f*cking one of them," an incomplete "You're an ugly mother..." "Bullsh*t," "Oh sh*t," "Scared sh*tless," "Oh damn" and "You ugly son of a bitch." JUMP SCENES A person suddenly shows up next to another person. A flare is suddenly lit next to Alexa. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful and ominous music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 "f" word (and another incomplete one), 6 "s" words (with another one presumably said in Italian), 1 damn, 1 S.O.B., and 1 use each of "Oh God" and "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY Alexa shows a bit of cleavage in one scene. A female crewmember equates her handgun to a condom. She says that she'd rather have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES Alexa states that her father died after ascending a mountain, but not before the two of them shared champagne to celebrate their climb. TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Antarctica. The comment that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Alexa shoots and kills another person in a mercy-killing fashion (we don't see the impact). VIOLENCE An invisible predator kills a man, another person is thrown and impaled and other humans open fire on their invisible foe. Another man is thrown and impaled on a long rod (no blood, but we see it sticking out). We then see several dead humans hanging by their feet. A man tries shooting a predator, but it knocks him around and after he hits it with some wood (that just breaks upon impact), the predator sends him flying down a long tunnel. A predator strikes a man with its retractable claws (no impact is seen), sending some blood splattering onto some icy rocks. A "face hugger" alien (a horseshoe crab type creature) jumps on a woman's face. A little bit later, the face hugger is off, but she starts to experience chest pains and we then see a quick shot of a small alien bursting from her chest (no blood, but we see the creature sticking out). A man accidentally turns and walks into a noose that then tightens around his neck and lifts him off the floor. A predator throws a spear through a human (no blood), prompting the other humans to open fire on it and other predators. A person falls and possibly breaks their leg. We hear the sounds of a man screaming from an alien attacking him (not seen). From a distance, we see a man's legs wildly flailing and then disappear (from an alien attacking him). A self-constricting net wraps around Max and starts to squeeze tighter around him. A predator knocks Alexa aside, lifts a guy off the floor by his throat and then knocks Alexa aside again. An alien impales a predator with its tale and spits or sprays out acid. An alien and predator struggle on the ground (shot in close-up in the dark and with quick edits so you can't really tell what's happening). The predator then kicks the alien back through a wall and the two battle some more, with the predator slicing off part of the alien's leg. The alien then tries to hit the predator with its tale, with the predator then swinging the alien around and then flinging it aside. The alien then shoots acid onto the predator, but the latter's armor protects it. A self-constricting net wraps around an alien, starting to crush it and sending green blood/acid out from it. It manages, however, to jump on a predator and jams its smaller jaw set into a predator's head (with green blood shooting out), killing it. Weyland tries to strike a predator with an ice pick, but it blocks that shot and picks him up by the throat, but then lets him go. A man uses a flare to create a flamethrower effect, blasting flames onto a predator. It then impales and kills him (we don't see the impact). A predator slices a face hugger alien in half and then decapitates a large alien (we see the head fall off, leaving the gory-looking wound). In a flashback, we see many aliens attacking one predator. We then see a massive explosion that reportedly killed everything within the blast radius (people and aliens alike). A man who's mostly encased against a wall tries to reach a handgun to shoot a face hugger alien that's emerging from a large egg pod (he sees such a creature on another person's face next to him). He manages to shoot and kill the creature, but then sees many more pods opening up (and we then hear sounds of gunfire). An alien grabs a man and pulls him away (presumably killing him). An alien and predator struggle, with the former knocking the latter down. Alexa then impales the alien and holds it at bay as it tries to strike her with its tail and its then small, protruding jaw (it appears to die and she pushes it aside). A predator fires shots from its futuristic weapon that kills or chases away various predators. A predator cuts off an alien's head (the act is only partially seen, but what's there is gooey and slimy) and then snaps off one of its fingers. Aliens cut themselves or a queen to get acid to flow to free the queen from the chains that are holding her. Alexa shoots and kills another person in a mercy-killing fashion (we don't see the impact). A predator grabs a baby alien and kills it by breaking its neck. Alexa kills an alien after it attacked a predator. A predator shoots at and slices an alien with green goo/blood coming out. The alien then knocks the predator aside and Alexa then stabs the alien. A large alien chases after and tries to bite Alexa who tries to hide from it beneath a large water tower. It also tries to hit her with its tail. A predator stabs an alien through the head. An alien jams its large tail completely through a predator's body. An alien is pulled under water and presumably drowns. We see a baby alien burst forth from a dead predator's chest (with some resultant goo). Reviewed August 13, 2004 / Posted August 13, 2004