Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) [Special Edition]

Packed with adrenaline-pumping action and heart-stopping suspense, this spectacular sequel escalates the war between sci-fi's scariest movie icons! On Earth everyone can hear you scream, especially when a horrifying PredAlien crash-lands near a small Colorado town, killing everyone it encounters-and producing countless Alien offspring-with terrifying efficiency. When a lone Predator arrives to "clean up" the infestation, it's an all-out battle to the death with no rules, no mercy, and hundreds of innocent people caught in the crossfire. As the creature carnage continues, a handful of human survivors attempt a daring escape, but the U.S. government may be hatching a deadly plan of its own...

For those who found 2004's Aliens vs. Predator too lightweight in the gore-and-guns department, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem offers a marked improvement in both categories, as well as a respectable amount of rumbles between the title extraterrestrials.

Set in the 21st century (which predates the story to all of the Alien features), Requiem sends a crippled Predator ship crashing to Earth in a small Colorado town; unbeknownst to the locals, the craft is loaded with H.R. Giger's insectoid monsters, which make quick work of most of the population. As the human cast is slowly whittled to a few hardy (if unmemorable) souls, a Predator warrior also arrives to complicate matters and do battle with the Aliens, as well as a ferocious alien-Predator hybrid (dubbed a Predalien by the sci-fi and horror press).

Visual-effects designers and music-video helmers The Strause Brothers (who make their feature directorial debut here) keep the action on frantic throughout, which is wise, since the dialogue and characters are threadbare at best; that should matter little to teenage male viewers, who are inarguably the film's key audience. Fans of the Alien franchise, however, may find the offhanded nod to the series' mythology given during the finale its sole saving grace.

--Paul Gaita