AVP - 2004

20th Century Fox, Davis Entertainment, Brandywine Productions

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

Cast:

• Charles Bishop Weyland – Lance Henriksen
• Alexa Woods – Sanaa Lathan
• Sebastian de Rosa - Raoul Bova
• Graeme Miller – Ewen Bremmer
• Maxwell Stafford – Colin Salmon
• Mark Verheiden – Tommy Flanagan

Story: A private satellite is making a sweep over Antarctica when it discovers a hidden pyramid 2,000 feet below the ice. The owner of the satellite, Charles Weyland, has been searching all his life to make a significant contribution to mankind before he dies. Since money is no object, he hires the best in the world to undertake mission to reach the pyramid first and unlock its secrets. Alexa Woods is a professional guide, normally taking expeditions up mountains, but her expertise in survival is what Weyland wants. At first she refuses the job, stating there is not enough time to prepare the team. When she realizes the alternative will be someone with far less experience, she accepts. They land in Antarctica and take a brief trip to the abandoned whaling station of Razorback Point, abandoned since 1904. They arrive with a drilling team who plans to cut through the ice in seven days, only to find a tunnel already exists. But who made the tunnel, and why? When they reach the bottom of the tunnel and enter the pyramid they discover the secret of the ancient civilizations who built them. This pyramid was a training arena for the Predators, a test to prove they were worthy to enter the hunt. The sacrifices were impregnated with the eggs from the Alien species, then set loose in the pyramid to do battle with the Predators. Our team of explorers discovers much more than they imagined.

Review: I guess Lance is destined to be forever linked to the Alien species. I found the character's middle name of “Bishop” particularly amusing, since that was his character's name in both the second and third Alien movies with Sigorney Weaver. Puns and amusements aside, this film does not disappoint. Lance gives another great performance in his role as the rich, dying man who has spent his life pursuing wealth and now wants to leave a legacy beyond money. Sanaa Lathan delivers a powerful role that is both believable and heroic, without being over the top. Colin Salmon [of the James Bond film Die Another Day] is exceptional as Weyland's assistant and representative. The film moves quickly and the actors are often overshadowed by the creatures as they fight to survive. Violence and gore make this one a no-no for the preteens, but the 14 and up crowd have seen as much gore on their X-Box or PS2, so they should be okay. A good film for lovers of sci-fi, and must have for the Alien and Predator fans.