The first thing you need to know about AVPR: it’s a guy film of the highest order. Explosions, guns, blood, aliens, more explosions, more guns, more blood, and as the movie progresses, more aliens! But unlike the torture porn that’s become popular in the last few years, this movie keeps the action moving in a fantasy-like way. Sure people die, sure there’s a lot of alien goo getting splattered around, but there’s a lot of quick cuts, and the carnage is never belabored. The deaths of the humans and aliens happen quickly – which, it seems, the filmmakers designed to go for the “Oof†factor. That is to say, you see someone getting attacked by an alien after they say things like “It’s okay honey, there are no monsters outside.†And then it’s Crash! Boom! Bam! The guy is grabbed by the alien, glass flies everywhere, a kid screams, and they cut to another scene. There are a few scenes where I thought the filmmakers crossed the line in terms of taste, and that’s when they show kids, pregnant moms, and even babies getting it from the aliens. It was during these moments when my friend Matt and I would make these reflexive comments like: “Oh man, I didn’t need to see that.”
The second thing you need to now about AVPR: the film is actually pretty good — despite the fact that Yahoo says AVPR got a D+ from the critics and a C+ from Yahoo viewers. But don’t let that stop you! If tension, splattering blood, alien gore, and plenty of action makes you say “Now THAT sounds good,†you’ll love AVPR. I was telling Maya about the film and now she wants to see it – which is odd given the fact that she was creeped out by I Am Legend. Personally, I don’t think she’s ready for that kind of film, but she assures me that she loves guy films. What to do…what to do.
P.S.
This is unrelated to the film, but if you’re interested in reading a political piece I wrote at Pop Dose, you can HERE.
J
January 14, 2008 at 10:08 amGuy film indeed. I am about as interested in seeing this as you would be in watching a movie about Ballet dancers in Russia, with 75% dancing, and a small attempt to pull together a story around it.
Jimmy
January 14, 2008 at 6:34 pmOh, I loved the plot of this movie! I mean the suspense on entering an ancient pyramid under a deserted whaling station in the Antarctic?
That was brilliant!
Somehow I looked right past the blood and gore?
And Sanaa Lathan was mesmerizing. Perfect casting!
It’s hard to beat the first “Predator” movie, or the first “Alien” movie, but this is by far the best sequel to both of the first movies!
Also, I read your article at Pop Dose. You sure have an analytical mind for politics! Wow!!!!
Jimmy
January 14, 2008 at 6:42 pmOh, almost forgot.
Only you know if Maya is ready to watch the movie, but I think Sanaa Lathan’s role in this movie serves as a great potential for what a young woman can accomplish in a male dominated world.
Py Korry
January 15, 2008 at 7:54 amThanks Jimmy!
Your cuz
January 15, 2008 at 12:22 pmI say she is too young. My son is 14 and even he is too young. He would disagree to, but dont all teenagers disagree for the sake of argument?
Jimmy
January 15, 2008 at 6:51 pmWell darn Py Korry, you didn’t even correct me? I should have noticed the word “Requiem”? I didn’t know they have already made another movie since the original 2004 version. I don’t have a clue about the 2007 version?
Sorry man!
Py Korry
January 16, 2008 at 6:26 amJimmy: Well, you were so passionate about the first film that I didn’t want to rain on your parade. 🙂
And “Cuz” you’re probably right about Maya being too young. But she’s such a Buffy fan that I figure she can take the fantasy-violence. My guess is she won’t go ’cause the movie is probably going to be dropped from the theaters from the local cineplexes soon enough. It’s been out since Christmas, and I think its shelf life is pretty much over.
Lalunas
January 16, 2008 at 10:26 pmNaw, don’t take her to see it. ie of the situation ;It is like the Triple decker super dee duper ice cream cone, it looks great. Yeap, you think you can eat it all, around the second scoop you are getting ice-creamed out, and the next thing you know your stomach is not feeling so good.