Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem was critically panned in 2007.

Its one of the basic, fundamental laws that governs the cosmos.

A shiny new car will one day collapse into a heap of rust.

The sun will eventually run out of energy and shrivel up.

you’re free to see entropy at work in film franchises not least 20th Century FoxsAlien.

Then cameAlien 3in 1992, a baroque, atmospheric muddle rushed for a predefined release date.

Aboard a spaceship leaving Earth, a chestburster emerges from the body of the Predator from the last film.

Now, you could pick all sorts of holes even at this early stage.

If the Predator ship was leaving Earth, why did it circle back on itself?

Its the Pred-Alien a towering, screeching ghoul with the same haircut as the Predators.

There goes the neighbourhood.

If this were a 1950s B-movie, none of the townsfolk would believe him.

As if this wasnt traumatic enough, both father and son are subdued and impregnated by facehuggers.

Remarkably, this isnt even the worst bad-taste moment in the movie.

But because the plots all unfolding so quickly, it barely even registers.

Like entropy, theres a law that governs all B-movies:terrible things always happen in sewers.

Weirdly, none of the aliens emerge with bits of loo paper stuck to them or anything.

Thedimly-lit locations inAlien Vs Predatorwere a common cause for complaint back in 2004.

But compared toRequiem, Paul WS AndersonsAVPwas positively glowing a riot of colour, like DisneysFantasia.

Requiems rapid-fire opening half introduces a bewildering array of characters.

Theres Ricky, his pizza-delivering younger brother.

Requiemintroduces so many characters so quickly that it becomes difficult to mentally tag who all of them are.

Because shes wearing Ripleys dressing gown fromAliens.

Look:

Disappointingly, she doesnt get to wear this while shes shooting aliens later in the film.

[NB: Thanks to reader and Geek chum David Bullock for pointing out theAliensdressing gown reference!]

Well, we thought it was interesting.

Its as though Alan has a job to do, but keeps getting distracted by his own hunting instincts.

Whats Alan up to?

Our best guess is that hes worried about ruining theAlienseries continuity.

Throughout the second half of the film, the Pred-Alien and its soldiers pop up all over town.

As the waitresss torso bursts open, a litter of about four or five chestbursters issues forth.

Sure, theyre quiet and stealthy, but youd think someone would mention the hideous stench before they pounce.

As the makers ofRequiemgleefully probe at the outer reaches of bad taste, the xenomorphs advance on a hospital.

Its an example ofRequiems tendency to go for cheap, button-pushing shocks rather than flesh-crawling horror.

Thinking about it, thatll probably be something we can look forward to ifAVP3ever happens.

Newt stand-in Molly is at her bedroom window when she suddenly spots something toothsome in the trees outside.

Hearing her screams, Mollys mother and father (thats Tim and former helicopter pilot Kelly, remember?)

attempt to placate her.

Tim says, confidently.

Molly and Kelly, understandably, leg it.

Every major character has a tie to another one from an earlier movie.

And for that, we should probably be begrudgingly grateful.