If you thought the battle between the Xenomorphs and the Predators couldn’t get any more intense, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) cranks up the brutality and chaos. Directed by the Strause Brothers (Colin and Greg Strause), this sequel to Alien vs. Predator (2004) throws us into a much darker and gorier showdown, this time taking place on Earth. It’s a no-holds-barred, survival-of-the-fittest war between two of sci-fi’s most terrifying creatures, with humanity caught in the crossfire.
So, let’s break down the movie—key plot points, hidden details, trivia, and what makes AVP: Requiem a unique (and divisive) entry in both the Alien and Predator franchises.
The Story – When Monsters Invade a Small Town
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem picks up immediately where the first AVP left off. If you remember, the last shot of AVP featured a Predalien—a horrifying hybrid born from a Xenomorph facehugger infecting a Predator. This monstrous new creature quickly becomes the catalyst for a full-blown Xenomorph infestation.
The Setup – A Ship, A Crash, A Nightmare Begins
- The film opens aboard a Predator scout ship, where the newly born Predalien (a mix of Predator and Xenomorph traits) wreaks havoc, killing the crew and causing the vessel to crash-land in the forests of Gunnison, Colorado.
- Upon impact, facehuggers escape and start infecting the local wildlife and humans, leading to a rapidly growing Xenomorph infestation.
- Before long, the town is overrun, and the chaos escalates into all-out carnage.
The Wolf Arrives – A Predator on a Mission
- The crash triggers a distress call received by Wolf, an elite Predator tasked with covering up the disaster. Unlike the Predators in the first film, who were more like warrior-hunters, Wolf is essentially a cleaner—a lone enforcer sent to eliminate the Xenomorph threat and erase any evidence.
- He arrives in Gunnison armed to the teeth with advanced Predator technology and deadly efficiency, systematically taking out Xenomorphs while trying to stop the spread of the infestation.
The Human Element – Survival Mode Activated
- Unlike AVP, which had a more sci-fi adventure feel, Requiem takes the horror approach, following various townspeople caught in the middle of the war.
- Among the main human characters:
- Dallas Howard (Steven Pasquale) – An ex-con returning to town, forced to step up as a leader.
- Ricky Howard (Johnny Lewis) – Dallas’s younger brother, dealing with teenage drama and, now, an alien invasion.
- Kelly O’Brien (Reiko Aylesworth) – A soldier returning home from deployment, struggling to reconnect with her family.
- Sheriff Morales (John Ortiz) – The local lawman trying (and failing) to keep order.
All Hell Breaks Loose – The War Spills Into Town
- The Xenomorphs quickly spread, attacking civilians, wiping out entire areas, and nesting in the sewers and hospital.
- Meanwhile, Wolf and the Predalien have their own brutal one-on-one showdowns, but the collateral damage is extreme.
- A standout (and controversial) moment is the hospital sequence, where the Predalien exhibits a disturbing new ability—it can impregnate pregnant women, leading to rapid Xenomorph reproduction.
The Final Stand – Nuking the Problem
- As the military realizes the scale of the disaster, they ultimately decide on a nuclear solution—a drastic move that wipes out the town in an attempt to contain the infestation.
- The surviving humans barely escape before the bomb drops, but their relief is short-lived when they realize the government was well aware of the extraterrestrial threat.
- In a last-minute twist, a Predator weapon recovered from the battlefield is handed over to Ms. Yutani, hinting at the origins of the infamous Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a key player in the Alien franchise.
Hidden Details & Trivia – Things You Might’ve Missed
💀 Darkest Entry in the Franchise?
- The movie is notoriously dark—both in tone and literal lighting. Many fans complained about how hard it was to see what was happening in some action scenes.
👹 The Predalien’s Unique Abilities
- Unlike traditional Xenomorphs, the Predalien doesn’t need facehuggers. It can directly implant embryos into hosts, speeding up the infestation process.
🦸 Wolf – The Predator Equivalent of John Wick
- The Predator in this film, Wolf, is a veteran, high-tier hunter, named after Harvey Keitel’s character in Pulp Fiction (The Wolf), a “fixer” who cleans up messy situations.
🛸 Yutani’s Role in the Franchise
- The appearance of Ms. Yutani at the end is a big deal for Alien fans. It teases the formation of Weyland-Yutani, the corporate giant responsible for future Xenomorph experiments.
🔫 Wolf’s Gear – Advanced Predator Tech
- Wolf’s arsenal includes a dissolving liquid to erase evidence, laser mines, dual plasma casters, and a whip made from a Xenomorph’s tail.
🚨 Cutting Room Casualties
- Several scenes were removed, including more development for human characters and a sequence explaining how the Predalien infiltrated the hospital.
Final Thoughts – A Divisive, Brutal Horror Sci-Fi
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem is a love-it-or-hate-it entry. It’s unapologetically brutal, blending sci-fi, horror, and action, but suffers from a lack of clarity in storytelling and extremely dark cinematography. The film ditches the PG-13 rating of its predecessor in favor of hardcore gore, making it one of the most violent entries in the franchise. While the human characters aren’t as compelling, Wolf and the Predalien’s battle delivers intense Predator vs. Alien action.
Stats & Facts
📅 Release Date: December 25, 2007
🎬 Directed by: The Strause Brothers
💰 Budget: $40 million
💵 Box Office: $128.9 million
🍅 Rotten Tomatoes Score: 12% (Critics), 30% (Audience)
🔞 Rating: R (Extreme violence and gore)
For fans of raw Predator and Alien action, AVP: Requiem offers an unfiltered, high-stakes battle, but its flaws—dim lighting, weak human storylines, and an abrupt ending—hold it back from being a true classic.
What do you think? Is AVP: Requiem an underrated gem or an over-the-top misfire? Drop your thoughts below! 👽🔥💀
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