It started as a throwaway joke in the film Predator 2 - an alien skull displayed as hunting trophy in a blink and you'd miss it shot. From that simple premise - predators hunting aliens for sport - was born an entire mythology explored in comics, books and a couple of excellent video games, and now the inevitable film.
The verdict? Surprisingly good ...
The idea is simple - the predators have been coming to earth for thousands of years and were worshipped as gods by the Aztecs who built pyramids for them. The pyramids were used as elaborate breeding grounds for aliens who would then be hunted by predators eager to prove themselves as warriors. One of these pyramids has been discovered under the Antarctic ice by a spy satellite owned by a billionaire dilettante eager to leave a legacy behind. He sends an expedition to go and see what's hidden there.
The film doesn't waste any time in skipping straight to the action. Even the extended version on the DVD only lasts for 90 minutes, but it is used very effectively. You know that the large cast of nameless extras are only there as cannon fodder, but it doesn't really matter. We are only here to see some mano-a-mano (or should that be predo-a-alieno) combat, and it's there in spades.
It is very stylish, with dark shadows, predators in subdued metal armour and beetle like aliens, shot in a chiarascoro style, intercut with flying luminous green blood splattering the ever shifting walls of the pyramid. The only minor annoyances are the archaeologist character who only seems to have been brought along to deliver the occasional wodge of exposition to set up the plot and one or two unlikely contrivances, but there is not enough to break the atmosphere.
Highly recommended for a bit of escapist SF action, and it's made me want to load up Aliens Vs Predator 2 on the pc again ...
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