Not seen Alien/Predator/AVP series - which order to watch?

[anonymous-user]

Wow, thanks for all the responses.
No general conensus then as to which order, or even which films to watch.. I'm going to watch them all anyway

I watched Alien last night (Blu-ray DC) and really enjoyed it. Considering it was made so long ago (in cinematic terms) it doesn't really show its age other than any scenes with a VDU in. Not ashamed to say it very nearly made me paint my pants brown on a couple of occasions too - the way it builds the suspense is excellent.

One question I do have with regards to the end of the film... When Ripley gets into the escape shuttle and gets her builders arse crack out, the Alien is just chilling in amongst the pipe work... Why?

Its hand moves, Ripley sharts herself and runs off and prepares to blast the Alien into outer space... why is the Alien just lying there, rather than attacking Ripley?

Looking forward to watching Aliens next tomorrow

[ajprice]

My favourite write up of AvP:R

http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/aliens-vs-predator...

[Halb]

smithyithy said:

Agree with the rest of the lists, but Prometheus, although I wasn't a huge fan, I'd say it's worth watching for the relevance to the main storyline. Moreso than the irrelevant This vs. That sequels anyway.

Well Prometheus was a great concept, just botched in it's execution.
I think the suits meddled too much.

[Du1point8]

Halb said:

smithyithy said:

Agree with the rest of the lists, but Prometheus, although I wasn't a huge fan, I'd say it's worth watching for the relevance to the main storyline. Moreso than the irrelevant This vs. That sequels anyway.

Well Prometheus was a great concept, just botched in it's execution.
I think the suits meddled too much.

read the original script as opposed to the one that was filmed, it makes a lot more sense, it would have made a much better film overall and not the crap that was produced.

They stole most of it and then cobbled together the rest and hoped it would work from the hype.

[Aphex]

Du1point8 said:

read the original script as opposed to the one that was filmed, it makes a lot more sense, it would have made a much better film overall and not the crap that was produced.

They stole most of it and then cobbled together the rest and hoped it would work from the hype.

The dark horse comics for the latest alien/predator/avp and prometheus were quite good also.

[willisit]

Nyphur said:

Wow, thanks for all the responses.
No general conensus then as to which order, or even which films to watch.. I'm going to watch them all anyway

I watched Alien last night (Blu-ray DC) and really enjoyed it. Considering it was made so long ago (in cinematic terms) it doesn't really show its age other than any scenes with a VDU in. Not ashamed to say it very nearly made me paint my pants brown on a couple of occasions too - the way it builds the suspense is excellent.

One question I do have with regards to the end of the film... When Ripley gets into the escape shuttle and gets her builders arse crack out, the Alien is just chilling in amongst the pipe work... Why?

Its hand moves, Ripley sharts herself and runs off and prepares to blast the Alien into outer space... why is the Alien just lying there, rather than attacking Ripley?

Looking forward to watching Aliens next tomorrow

There doesn't appear to be a solid reason - lots of theories though.
The Alien seems to know what's going on (boom) so goes and hides - sleeps; waiting for prey or to start off a new race in a warm-bodied environment.
The Alien has had its fill and wants a nap.
The Alien is, like in other stories/films/comics, hanging out waiting on someone stupid enough to come along.

To be honest, it's a plot point to move the story on. You'd have to assume the Alien had knowledge enough to know what a shuttle was, or what the screaming sirens were in order to go there. In reality? Who knows. Butt crack is why.

[Neil H]

Nyphur said:

One question I do have with regards to the end of the film... When Ripley gets into the escape shuttle and gets her builders arse crack out, the Alien is just chilling in amongst the pipe work... Why?

Its hand moves, Ripley sharts herself and runs off and prepares to blast the Alien into outer space... why is the Alien just lying there, rather than attacking Ripley?

Looking forward to watching Aliens next tomorrow

As you see later in the series, the Aliens don’t always kill everyone, some people are used as hosts for the face huggers. Since Ripley was the last survivor, it makes sense for the Alien to keep her alive and cocoon her as host, especially since the Alien had just eaten several people. This only really makes sense if you see the deleted scene of Ripley finding Dallas cocooned during her escape.

[Du1point8]

Neil H said:

Nyphur said:

One question I do have with regards to the end of the film... When Ripley gets into the escape shuttle and gets her builders arse crack out, the Alien is just chilling in amongst the pipe work... Why?

Its hand moves, Ripley sharts herself and runs off and prepares to blast the Alien into outer space... why is the Alien just lying there, rather than attacking Ripley?

Looking forward to watching Aliens next tomorrow

As you see later in the series, the Aliens don’t always kill everyone, some people are used as hosts for the face huggers. Since Ripley was the last survivor, it makes sense for the Alien to keep her alive and cocoon her as host, especially since the Alien had just eaten several people. This only really makes sense if you see the deleted scene of Ripley finding Dallas cocooned during her escape.

It needs to have a queen so I suppose it wants to keep her alive for that reason.

[Halb]

Du1point8 said:

Neil H said:

Nyphur said:

One question I do have with regards to the end of the film... When Ripley gets into the escape shuttle and gets her builders arse crack out, the Alien is just chilling in amongst the pipe work... Why?

Its hand moves, Ripley sharts herself and runs off and prepares to blast the Alien into outer space... why is the Alien just lying there, rather than attacking Ripley?

Looking forward to watching Aliens next tomorrow

As you see later in the series, the Aliens don’t always kill everyone, some people are used as hosts for the face huggers. Since Ripley was the last survivor, it makes sense for the Alien to keep her alive and cocoon her as host, especially since the Alien had just eaten several people. This only really makes sense if you see the deleted scene of Ripley finding Dallas cocooned during her escape.

It needs to have a queen so I suppose it wants to keep her alive for that reason.

I don't think the Alien needs a queen. It is a self sustaining creature. I now prefer this original idea as opposed to the queen/drone insect system.

In the original, the alien has intelligence equal...probably greater than that of the humans, and that is most likely why he is chillaxin at the end. In the sequel they jiggle the story and reduce them to drones warriors, with the Queen as the smart one.

[smithyithy]

Which film is it where the rip apart their own queen?

I think that just encapsulates the Xenomorph - it's the ultimate predator, it knows what to kill, what to use, and how to survive above all else

[RizzoTheRat]

While some of the others are ok, Alien and Aliens are just in a different league to the rest that are mentioned. I especially like that they're so different, far too many sequels just try to remake the original film with a couple of different plot points (Terminator 2 is an example of that working well though), but with Alien/Aliens you go from a suspense thriller to a action movie.

Must dig them out, not seen them in years.

[Du1point8]

smithyithy said:

Which film is it where the rip apart their own queen?

I think that just encapsulates the Xenomorph - it's the ultimate predator, it knows what to kill, what to use, and how to survive above all else

Think you are thinking this scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutcJ7tKyRA

[entropy]

Nyphur said:

One question I do have with regards to the end of the film... When Ripley gets into the escape shuttle and gets her builders arse crack out, the Alien is just chilling in amongst the pipe work... Why?

Its hand moves, Ripley sharts herself and runs off and prepares to blast the Alien into outer space... why is the Alien just lying there, rather than attacking Ripley?

As mentioned its just a plot device. Make a female even more vulnerable when she's butt nekkid which mentioned in the commentary IIRC.

Neil H said:

As you see later in the series, the Aliens don’t always kill everyone, some people are used as hosts for the face huggers. Since Ripley was the last survivor, it makes sense for the Alien to keep her alive and cocoon her as host, especially since the Alien had just eaten several people. This only really makes sense if you see the deleted scene of Ripley finding Dallas cocooned during her escape.

Dallas was cocooned and morphing into an egg.

I get the viewpoint that a Queen can be seen as a cop out but I'd like to think that having a host turn in to an egg shows how a smart and lethal the Xenomorph can be as an apex predator. It is not necessarily reliant on a queen in order for the species to survive - maybe as a colony?

[blippo1984]

I love these movies.

I don't think it would be controversial to say that Alien, Aliens and Predator are great movies. I would watch these first. They stand up to multiple viewing.

Alien 3 splits opinion - it's a messy movie but has good moments. Alien Ressurection is good fun too.

i like Predator 2 but it's nowhere near as good as the original. It's fun though.

Predators is fine.

AVP and AVP2 are for kids and selling toys.

[Neil H]

blippo1984 said:

I love these movies.

I don't think it would be controversial to say that Alien, Aliens and Predator are great movies. I would watch these first. They stand up to multiple viewing.

Alien 3 splits opinion - it's a messy movie but has good moments. Alien Ressurection is good fun too.

Without wanting to give too much away to the OP, what they did at the start of Alien 3 was unforgivable and really ruined the film before it even started. I remember feeling quite angry at the time! It should never have been made - they had so many great opportunities to expand the story and enrich the characters and instead they created that.

Edited by Neil H on Thursday 5th March 22:16

[smithyithy]

Du1point8 said:

Think you are thinking this scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutcJ7tKyRA

That's the one.

There's also that scene, I think from Alien 3, where the Xeno's are being kept in that chamber and the guy is taunting them and spraying them with gas, so they turn on one of the Xeno's, kill it and use it's acid to melt their way out.. So badass.

I'm gonna have to watch them again this weekend..

Edited by smithyithy on Thursday 5th March 22:16

[Neil H]

smithyithy said:

Du1point8 said:

Think you are thinking this scene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wutcJ7tKyRA

That's the one.

There's also that scene, I think from Alien 3, where the Xeno's are being kept in that chamber and the guy is taunting them and spraying them with gas, so they turn on one of the Xeno's, kill it and use it's acid to melt their way out.. So badass.

I'm gonna have to watch them again this weekend..

Edited by smithyithy on Thursday 5th March 22:16

That scene is Alien Resurrection - I actually thought that was way better than 3, although parts of it were a little too cheesey.

[smithyithy]

All 4 are still watchable in my book, just think the original will remain the best and most iconic.

[silverthorn2151]

kuro said:

I still rate aliens as one of the best action movies ever made.

Oh my yes. It stands watching time and again and has some of the best film quotes ever. Brilliant and my favourite film.

[Tango13]

entropy said:

a311 said:

I don't get the Predator 2 hate. The first if you're into that sort of thing (I am!) is a classic and it had Arnie. Danny Glover couldn't fill the big guys boots but thought was pretty decent. Liked the bit in the subway as well as others, the city back drop/urban jungle was a good contrast with the first.

Bill Paxton - his performance was awful/lame script.

In fairness to Bill Paxton he was already down 2-nil to a Terminator and multiple Aliens so he knew he was on a hiding to nothing against a Predator...

Joking aside I liked the part on the subway train where the Predator scans the female cop, realises she's pregnant so doesn't attack her. A rare piece of intelligent film making.