Alien vs Predator VS Freddy vs Jason

                                                                  TALE OF THE TAPE

               Title: Alien vs Predator                                               Title: Freddy vs Jason

               Tomato Meter: 22%                                                    Tomato Meter: 41 %

                IMDB Rating: 5.4                                                        IMDB Rating: 5.7

               Starring: Alexa Woods, Lance Henriksen                  Starring: Robert Englund, Monica Keena

               Director: Sam Firstenberg                                          Director: Menahem Golan

               Box Office: $171.1 million                                           Box Office: $113.0 million

               Academy: n/a                                                              Academy: n/a

               Year: 2004                                                                   Year: 2003

Fanboys delight. Two franchise vs franchise films go at it tooth and nail guaranteed to leave a high body count.

In 1990, a disappointing follow up to Arnold Schwarzenegger's Predator saw the extra-terrestrial hunter looking for game in our urban jungle, Los Angeles.  However, when Danny Glover boarded the ship and saw their trophy room, skulls collected from various worlds, sci-fi fans had their imaginations explode to life. The unmistakable skull of a xenomorph, the term used to describe the alien creatures in the Alien franchise, hung on the wall. For the next 14 years, Alien vs Predator came to life in comic books, toys and video games. That is, until 2004 when the sci-fi match up hit the big screen.

Sadly, it was panned by critics, and fans gave it only a luke-warm reception. Human beings were simply cannon fodder, with the heroine easy to spot from minute one. This stood in stark contrast to both Alien and Predator films, which took their time introducing characters, plot and story. Both films exhausted nearly an hour before their unearthly baddies began their thing. The life cycle of the aliens also seemed to be forced as an entire generation was spawned in what seemed only a few hours.  The premise of the film was a discovered temple of unknown origin shows up in Antarctica, and Charles Wayland (Lance Henriksen) puts together an expedition. Alien fans will remember Lance Henriksen as Bishop, the android from the Alien sequel Aliens. Wayland, was the name of the corporation that sent Ripley and her crew to LB-422 in the original Alien. Thus, drawing the conclusion that this is how Wayland Enterprise knew about Xenomorphs, and that the Bishop model was based on the companies founder. So they investigate the temple accidentally setting off a device that hatches the alien eggs. It also sends a transmission to the Predators. The inference here is that long ago, the Predators used this location to hatch the aliens and kill them. A sort of controlled basic training for their young to hone their hunting skills. Getting to the meat and potatoes of this match up, the fight sequences do not disappoint. Both Predators and Aliens make full use of their skills and innovations to kill the other. The Aliens are definitely the bad guys, where the Predators become necessary evils. A loose alliance is formed between the last surviving human and Predator to destroy the Queen and exterminate the nest.

In 1993, Friday the 13th, part IX: Jason Goes To Hell is released to little fanfare as the series was fizzling out. Paramount sold the franchise rights to New Line Cinema, and wanting to try something new, conceptualized the idea that Jason is some demonic spirit, and when killed at the beginning of the film, it passes from victim to victim trying to reach his home, the Vorhees Manor. In the movies climax, Jason returns in full hockey masked glory before being defeated by our heroes. Eldridge lights and demonic hands drag Jason down into the dirt for all time (or until Jason X). But in one final scene before the credits role, we see Jason's mask half buried in the dirt, until a familiar arm clad in a red/green sweater and a metallic glove with knives on the fingers, reaches up and snags the mask, and a familiar laugh is heard.

This, of course, lit a fire of excitement in the hearts of horror fans, as there hasn't been an epic movie monster confrontation since Dracula met Frankenstein. Also panned by critics and average movie goers, Freddy vs Jason was well received by its target audience. This film was well crafted in how it blended both mythologies together, as well as building upon them. We get an insight into Jason's psyche as Freddy confronts him initially in Jason's subconscious. Robert Englund returns to play Freddy, and seems to truly relish in returning to his signature role. He seems more passionate in this installment since Nightmare on Elm St. part 3. Freddy still mixes his offbeat humor with terror, but is unmistakably more demonic and sinister than in past films. Jason has been played by several actors over the years, this time by Ken Kirzinger. Die hard fans of the Friday series were upset that Kane Hodder, arguably the best Jason, wasn't asked to reprise his role. This time around, Jason is far more brutal and savage in his killing m.o..

The premise is that the parents have erased Freddy from the town's history. They never speak his name, and the last surviving teens are sent to a mental institute where they are given experimental drugs to suppress their dreams. Freddy needs to be remembered. Fear is what fuels his power. So, he "searches the bowels of hell" to find someone to help him. He disguises himself as Mrs. Vorhees, Jason's Mother. He tricks him into once again resurrecting and to march from Crystal Lake to Springfield and punish the children. The townspeople interpret the slayings as a sign Freddy has returned. He hasn't, but the fear of Freddy grows and he slowly regains his power. Soon, Freddy is back haunting dreams, until he loses potential victims to Jason. Jason is a dog that will not go back to his leash, and now Freddy must confront Jason or lose his bid over their souls. Both Freddy and Jason are at their most villainous, but Jason does elicit some sympathy. Like Dracula meets Frankenstein, Freddy is clearly the evil mastermind, and Jason is the mindless thug that turns on its master.

Their epic battle wages across the dreamworld and the real world. Both characters are very primal, as illustrated in their origin stories. Freddy first dying by fire, Jason by drowning in water. In classic slasher fare, there is plenty of blood and enough bare breasts to satisfy the requirements. In the end, Jason and Freddy battle to a no score draw, with Jason returning to the lake, and Freddy into the dreamworld.

Clearly AVP has had a longer build up, bigger budget, and enough AVP material to draw on. Yet it failed to satisfy audiences. Freddy vs Jason was clearly enjoyed by cult followers of either franchise, and simply told the better story. This fight was over before it began. AVP is TKO'ed in the 2nd round.

Winner: Freddy vs Jason