AVH: Alien vs. Hunter (2007) (V)

Director:

Scott Harper

Writer:

David Michael Latt (written by)

Release Date:

18 December 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Battlezone Earth

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Period In Title | Acronym In Title | Battle | Block Blunder | Versus In Title

Cast

William Katt	...	Lee
Dedee Pfeiffer	...	Hilary
Wittly Jourdan	...	Tammy
Randy Mulkey	...	Valentine
Jennifer Couch	...	Freckles
Jason S. Gray	...	Garrison
John Murphy Jr.	...	Figgus
Kevin Kazakoff	...	Two Fingers
Philip Bak	...	Javier
Josh Tessier	...	Styles
Matthew Bolton	...	Marty
Collin Brock	...	Sheriff Joel Armstrong
Darbi Gwynn	...	Marcy (as Darbi Gwynn Gibson)
Aaron Council	...	Alien
Rob Filson	...	Hunter

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Asylum Studios, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Global Asylum, The

Goofs:

Continuity: The "Alien" constantly switches between human-sized (practical) and around the size of an elephant (CG).

Quotes:

Freckles: He's a hunter!
Figgus: Space alien hunter.
Tammy: So, we're like preys to him, and like, animals or something.
Figgus: No one wants that.
Freckles: It's a game to him. He's on a hunt.
Figgus: How do you know?
Freckles: I grew up with this, I know this! He's not gonna quit until the creature's dead.
Tammy: And us?
Freckles: We're in the way.
Hilary: Unless... just another trophy.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Predator (1987)

Where is Kristen Quintrall when you need her???

This film was such a disappointment, I feel bad just composing a review for it. I think many people of the Asylum are wonderful, down to earth gents (And ladies). But their releases sometimes boggle even me! PLOT: A group of humans find themselves wrapped up in a hunt between a "hunter" and some arachnid shaped aliens. I need not go any further into the plot, because that's about all you have to deal with.

Instead, I want to warn you against seeing this film. That's what a reviewer is supposed to do, inform his audience, and I hope my submission does just that. The following are the reasons why your money might be better spent elsewhere.

THE BAD: Back in Asylum's early days, their low quality "Mockbusters" had at least a couple positive things going for it. Namely editor Kristen Quintrall, who took garbage and was able to at least make an intelligible story out of it. She was even able to save "Invasion of the Pod People," to a certain degree.

Alien Vs. Hunter (AVH) is what happens when you take her out of the equation, but still keep your low production standards. Most of the scenes bear little resemblance to one another. One moment the humans are running pointlessly through the woods, the next they're having a coffee chat in an office, and then the next they're running through the sewer.

Post Production: This was akin to a man who has just purchased his first NLE and decided to try various plug-in effects. Like the "alien vision," scene. Sadly, it looks terrible.

Costumes: The Hunter looked straight out of the infamous film, "Robot Monster." Google it, it's worth a chuckle. I was waiting for the "Hunter" (I use that term loosely) to say something like, "Would you rather die a resistance death, or a painless surrender death?!?" Oh well. Note to Asylum, Good Will is a wonderful organization with wonderful clothes, but perhaps not so much when making sci-fi costumes.

Script: As I look today, Nick Everhart's name is missing from the IMDb writing credits. There's probably a good reason for that. The plot is at best shatter-shot, it's one small scene that's barely related to another. It almost feels like they were making it up while they were filming. He needs time to grow as a writer, namely a Robert McKee seminar. Send him there, let him learn properly, and I'm sure he'll become a better writer.

The Good: Yes, there are two redeeming issues.

SOUND: Asylum has moved away from doing films with sub-par sound. Thank goodness that they've discovered ADR and solid sound design. So props for that.

ACTING: William Katt and DeeDee keep a straight face during this entire shoot. How they did it is beyond me, but they earn their money in this film. Without them, this would truly be the worst film of all time. Instead, it's only one of Asylum's worse films this year.

BOTTOMLINE: "I Am Omega," a great Asylum release (Shocking, I know) shows that the company, when they put 10 cents worth of effort out, can do a good film. AVH shows what happens when they put no effort into it.

This is a bad film. Rent "I am Omega" instead - encourage Asylum to make good films, not bad.