Looking for a definitive Alien vs Predator review before diving into the newer entries like Alien: Earth? Released in 2004, AvP was the long-awaited cinematic “clash of the titans” that fans had been dreaming of since the 1989 Dark Horse comics. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this film brought two of cinema’s most iconic monsters to a sub-zero battlefield in Antarctica.
In this Alien vs Predator review, we look back at the 2004 crossover to see if it deserves a spot in your modern Xenomorph marathon.
The Plot: An Alien vs Predator Review of the Story
The narrative kickstarts when a mysterious heat signature is detected 2,000 feet beneath the frozen wastes of Antarctica. This leads billionaire industrialist Charles Bishop Weyland (played by franchise veteran Lance Henriksen) to assemble a “dream team” of experts, including guide Alexa Woods and archaeologist Sebastian de Rosa, to investigate the anomaly. What they find is a massive, shifting subterranean pyramid that predates Aztec and Egyptian civilizations.
However, the team quickly realizes they aren’t explorers—they are bait. The pyramid is a ritualistic “killing floor” where the Yautja (Predators) come every 100 years to prove their worth. In this Alien vs Predator review, it’s worth noting how the film cleverly ties the two franchises together by revealing that the Predators taught early humans how to build, in exchange for being worshipped as gods—and provided with human “sacrifices” to host the Xenomorph life cycle.
The humans find themselves trapped in the middle of a three-way war. On one side, a trio of “Teenage” Predators—Scar, Celtic, and Chopper—are on a rite-of-passage hunt. On the other, a captive Xenomorph Queen has been awakened to produce a fresh batch of Facehuggers. As the pyramid’s walls shift like a deadly Rubik’s Cube, the body count rises, and the humans must decide if “the enemy of my enemy” is truly their friend.
Is the Alien vs Predator Score Affected by Canon?
One of the most frequent questions in any Alien vs Predator review is where this film fits in the timeline. While Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and Alien: Covenant largely ignored the events of this movie, the recent 2026 landscape—including Alien: Earth and Predator: Badlands—has reignited the debate.
AvP serves as an interesting “alternate history” for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, predating the high-tech space exploration of the 2120s.
The Ultimate Alien Watch Order: Movies & TV (2026)
Gear Up: Essential Picks After Reading Our Alien vs Predator Review
While writing this Alien vs Predator review, we found some essential items for fans looking to bring the hunt home. Check out these top picks on Amazon:
- [Alien vs. Predator Blu-ray] – The only way to watch the film
- [NECA Alien vs Predator Arcade Chrysalis Alien] – A must-have 7-inch scale figure of the game
- [Aliens Vs. Predator Omnibus Volume 1] – Revisit the Dark Horse stories that inspired the 2004 movie.
- [Alien vs. Predator: Requiem – Wolf Predator Mask] – A high-quality prop replica for the ultimate collector.
Final Verdict: Wrapping Up Our Alien vs Predator Review
To wrap up our Alien vs Predator review, the film is a blast of early 2000s nostalgia. It may not have the philosophical depth of Prometheus or the pure horror of the 1979 original, but it delivers exactly what the title promises: monsters punching each other.
Final Score: 6/10
