In tribute to Alien: Earth, we've listed every Alien film in order of merit
In the world of sci-fi horror, the sequel to the 2004 crossover film, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, made its mark by continuing the battle between two iconic creatures - Aliens (Xenomorphs) and Predators (Yautja). The film, set in a small Colorado town, unfolds as a Predator ship crashes, releasing facehugger Aliens that spawn new Xenomorphs, while a Wolf Predator arrives to hunt them down, causing destruction and human casualties amidst the alien conflict.
Key elements of the film include the return of the deadly Xenomorphs and Predators, featuring the introduction of the Predalien, a hybrid creature that poses a major threat. The Predator's honor-based hunting culture is also evident, with scenes depicting victims skinned and displayed, highlighting Predator lore.
However, the critical reception of Alien vs. Predator: Requiem was generally negative. Critics and many fans considered the film a critical and commercial failure, with a low 12% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie was criticized for being poorly lit, making many fight scenes very difficult to see, which frustrated viewers and detracted from the experience.
Despite this, some appreciated that Requiem had better creature individuality for both Aliens and Predators compared to the first film, though this was often seen as the only positive aspect. The film’s human characters were widely regarded as weak and serve mainly as cannon fodder, reducing emotional investment in the story. Practical effects and gore were praised for their quality, especially for a film over a decade old, contrasting with more CGI-heavy movies.
In conclusion, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is noted as a darker, gore-heavy entry with strong creature design but hampered by poor lighting, weak human elements, and negative critical response within the Alien franchise.
Elsewhere in the Alien universe, Alien vs. Predator (2004) exists to fulfill the desire of boys who rammed their xenomorph and predator action figures together. The film, like its sequel, has uniformly uninteresting human characters and poor fighting sequences.
As for the Alien franchise's highs and lows, Alien 3 (1992), despite the director David Fincher largely disowning the movie, has plenty to recommend. Ellen Ripley finds herself in an all-male prison colony, where she encounters a xenomorph she realizes she brought with her.
Ridley Scott's return to the Alien franchise with the prequel Prometheus (2012) received some mocking upon release, but the film features a great cast and philosophizes about what it would be like to meet God.
Looking ahead, Alien: Covenant (2017) follows a group of space colonists who meet David, the AI from Prometheus, successfully balancing the elements that make an Alien movie great. Meanwhile, Alien: Romulus (2024) is set in a time nearly contemporaneous with the original Alien, offering a solid Alien movie, with issues primarily stemming from its connection to the original Alien. The film features Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson delivering excellent performances.
For those who appreciate the Alien and Predator franchises, these films offer a mix of action, horror, and suspense, with varying degrees of success. While Alien vs. Predator: Requiem may not be worth your time, other entries in the series, such as Alien: Covenant and Alien: Romulus, are worth checking out for fans of the genre.
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