"Alien vs. Predator"
20th Century Fox Films
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bava, Lance Henriksen and Ewan Bremer
Rated PG-13

2 1/2 Stars

Ridley Scott, James Cameron and John McTiernan are three of the best directors working today. You want proof? Each of them was given what should have been just another silly monster movie, and thanks to their indisputable artistry, they were able to create three of the more notable works in recent science fiction cinema in the form of “Alien,” “Aliens” and “Predator.”

Director Paul W.S. Anderson is not nearly as talented as Scott, Cameron or McTiernan, and his new movie “Alien vs. Predator” will never be regarded as highly as any of the original films, but neither should his film be dismissed outright just because it’s not a cinematic masterpiece. The truth of the matter is that while much of the film is a rather pedestrian affair, when the aliens and predators do finally show up and start fighting each other, it’s pretty kick butt stuff. It’s certainly not great art, it’s not even notable science fiction, but it is ultimately a lot of fun.

The story, what little of it there is, finds a billionaire who has hastily assembled a group of scientists and mercenaries so that they can explore an ancient pyramid buried beneath the Antarctic ice. The pyramid is actually an extraterrestrial training ground, filled with ravenous baby aliens that the predator species will slaughter in their otherworldly rite of passage. The humans stuck in the middle of all this carnage are meant to serve as bait, but one ecologist (Sanaa Lathan) finds herself curiously allied with a young predator in fighting off the alien hoard.

It’s not very believable, but it’s sufficient to get us into the good stuff, which finds the young predator squaring off against a particularly tough alien drone, and then the big finale where the alien queen attacks, and the human proves her worth in the heat of battle.

As for those humans; you won’t care about any of them. They are all caricatures, designed simply to get us into the special effects fight sequences. Unfortunately, many of the battles are poorly realized. The monsters look great, but Anderson shoots so tightly and cuts so frequently that it’s difficult at times to see what’s going on.

Did I mention that Anderson wasn’t as good a director as Scott, Cameron and McTiernan?

The bottom line is that “AvP” is a mediocre movie with a silly plot, bad acting and second-rate direction. The production design works, the monsters look cool and the entire film reeks of a videogame aesthetic. If that’s enough for you then you will probably get a kick out of “AvP,” But if you’re looking for another great film in the “Alien” or “Predator” series, you’ll be severely disappointed.

Movie reviews by Sean McBride, “The Movie Guy,” are published Wednesdays and Fridays in the Port Arthur News. Sean the Movie guy appears Fridays on KFDM-TV, Channel 6 and Monday and Thursday evenings on KWBB-TV, News at Nine. For more reviews, check out www.seanthemovieguy.com.