42 replies to this topic

[Roebuck]

Anderson is exactly the right guy to get these franchises going again. In essence he's a B-movie director who has a reputation for turning out sci-fi action flicks on a modest budget. He's catering for a fanbase that predominantly knows the Xenomorphs and Preds from comics and video games rather than the films that spawned them. That audience don't give a hoot whether Sigourney Weaver is in it or not. They just want to see two movie monsters open up a can of WhoopAss on each other. It's unpretentious stuff that probably wouldn't have benefited any from having an A-list director at the helm, pushing up the budget.

[taxman2001]

Anderson is exactly the right guy to get these franchises going again. In essence he's a B-movie director who has a reputation for turning out sci-fi action flicks on a modest budget. He's catering for a fanbase that predominantly knows the Xenomorphs and Preds from comics and video games rather than the films that spawned them. That audience don't give a hoot whether Sigourney Weaver is in it or not. They just want to see two movie monsters open up a can of WhoopAss on each other. It's unpretentious stuff that probably wouldn't have benefited any from having an A-list director at the helm, pushing up the budget.

Damn right.

Anderson makes films not only that he wants to make but also that the audience wants to see.

Anderson is after all a fanboy of both franchises himself.

So who better to make the movie? Him or someone else who just sees it as a another job and has no soul attached to it?

I vote for Anderson each time.

[Loomis]

Anderson is exactly the right guy to get these franchises going again. In essence he's a B-movie director who has a reputation for turning out sci-fi action flicks on a modest budget. He's catering for a fanbase that predominantly knows the Xenomorphs and Preds from comics and video games rather than the films that spawned them. That audience don't give a hoot whether Sigourney Weaver is in it or not. They just want to see two movie monsters open up a can of WhoopAss on each other. It's unpretentious stuff that probably wouldn't have benefited any from having an A-list director at the helm, pushing up the budget.

Damn right.

Anderson makes films not only that he wants to make but also that the audience wants to see.

Anderson is after all a fanboy of both franchises himself.

So who better to make the movie? Him or someone else who just sees it as a another job and has no soul attached to it?

I vote for Anderson each time.

That's all very well, but does Anderson have the clout to stand up to the studio suits, who presumably don't want to make a movie to please the fanboys? Sounds a bit like getting Danny Cannon to do JUDGE DREDD, and we all know how that turned out.

And sorry to keep ripping on Anderson - it's not personal, and I know how very easy (and ultimately pointless) it is to keep doing so from the anonymity and safety of cyberspace - but his box office track record would seem to contradict your claim, taxman2001, that he "makes films not only that he wants to make but also that the audience wants to see". Probably not his fault, but there appears to be a history of heavy studio interference throughout his filmography.

Still, I agree that there was no need for a Ridley Scott or a James Cameron (or a Michael Bay or a Brett Ratner) for ALIEN VS. PREDATOR. But although an A-list director would have been wasted, getting a "just-another-job" merchant might have been preferable to hiring a fanboy. Look at the recent Bond directors: jobbing hacks, the lot of 'em, but not the sort of people one imagines ever lived or breathed Bond. And the last few Bonds, despite their many flaws, worked out fine and did well.

But I guess we'll just have to wait and see how ALIEN VS. PREDATOR turns out.

[Roebuck]

That's all very well, but does Anderson have the clout to stand up to the studio suits, who presumably don't want to make a movie to please the fanboys?

In this instance it's us fanboys that the suits definitely want to keep happy. We haven't seen a new Predator film in fourteen years and yet the licence is still a huge money-spinner for Fox thanks to fanboys like me who have shelled out top dollar for tee-shirts, models and Lord alone knows what else. AVP is less a movie than a marketing opportunity. It's the relaunch of two successful brand names and could well make more from merchandising than it ever will at the box-office.

Anderson understands this. He's practically working his way down the fanboy wish list and ticking plot elements off as he goes. On it's own (modest) level this movie should deliver.

Edited by Roebuck, 13 June 2004 - 02:22 PM.

[Loomis]

Admittedly, it's just too easy to get the critical knives out for ALIEN VS. PREDATOR. Who knows? It might even be good. Certainly, I don't go with the reviewers on the ALIEN franchise: I like all four films (especially the much-derided RESURRECTION).

Note to self: keep an open mind.

[Gabe Vieira]

AVP is going to be awesome. Thats all I'm say'n.

[SPECTRE ASSASSIN]

Who cares what people say this movie is going to stink. Just see the movie!

[JackChase007]

Actually, I thought that Anderson's Mortal Kombat is a great film. The only other movie of his I've seen is Resident Evil, which I quite enjoyed. I think he's a great choice for this film, and really look forward to it.

[Icephoenix]

When I first heard that Anderson was directing this movie...I soiled myself. I'm not that much of a fan. But only for one reason. Resident Evil. Anyone who has played the games or read the books knows that the movie is practically NOTHING like the original story what-so-ever. I was dissapointed that we didn't get to see Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine or S.T.A.R.S, running around with nothing more then a knife, a pistol with one round and a lighter (Although I do understand Jill and S.TA.R.S will be appearing in Resident Evil: Apocalypse).

While I think his writing stinks, I've come to grips with his directing. It's not art, but it's good enough for action flicks. And I now see Resident Evil as an enjoyable, no brains adventure. And hearing/seeing what he's done with Alien Vs. Predator, I am very pleased. I am a HUGE fan of both series, having grown up with Arnie in PREDATOR and watching ALIENS as many times as my VCR could take it. He seems to have captured the spirit of both series, and given it an interesting origin plot (for the Aliens anyway).

As for who wins, yes, Anderson has stated there is a definate winner, which is blessed, as I've heard the ending for FREDDY VS JASON is quite the craptacular.

[Harmsway]

NEW FULL-LENGTH TRAILER... looks amazing! At least there's no rock guitar riffs this time around...

http://www.apple.com...ox/avp/trailer/

[JackChase007]

It looks amazing indeed! This is going to be one helluva movie after all! I love going over the the AVP boards over at www.imdb.com, and seeing how many of the skeptics are changing their minds about the movie. At first, there were only a handful of posters who were looking forward to the film, now a vast majority of people there are really looking forward to this movie.

[taxman2001]

HOT DAMN!

Now that is even cooler than the first trailer.

Looks like some serious xenomorph butt kicking is due.

Marvellous.

Edited by taxman2001, 16 June 2004 - 08:14 PM.

[Genrewriter]

Looks pretty cool. Nice to see Lance Henriksen in a film that'sctually getting a theatrical release.