There's not much about Alien Vs Predator: Requiem that works, though one element proves the Predator franchise may have a clearer future than its rival. Alien Vs Predator was a crossover between the two famed sci-fi monsters, but while it was a success back in 2004, it received mostly bad reviews. The PG-13 rating was commonly cited as a major issue, with no other entries in either franchise - before or since - bearing this more family-friendly rating.

The sequel Alien Vs Predator: Requiem thus sold itself on the fact it would be a hard R. A gory trailer teasing some of the carnage in the follow-up even got fans of both creatures excited, but upon release, it met a fairly scolding reception. Requiem is now considered the nadir of both franchises thanks to its paper-thin story and characters, over-reliance on bloodshed over tension or suspense, and for being surprisingly meanspirited.

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While Alien Vs Predator: Requiem was another hit, the reception told the studio it was probably best not to make a third entry. Both franchises have since both gone off in their own directions, with 2010's Predators being the best either has produced in the last decade. One of the elements commonly cited as a positive about Requiem is the character of Wolf, who is the Predator sent to Earth to kill the Predalien and clean up the mess. He's by far the most compelling and charismatic character in the movie, even without dialogue.

The Predalien fights a Predator in Alien Vs Predator Requiem's ending

Alien Vs Predator: Requiem perks up whenever Wolf appears, and the movie isn't focusing isn't on any of the one-dimensional human characters. He gets the coolest gadgets and most memorable moments, and even without exposition, it's always clear what he's trying to achieve in any given scene. This is proof it's entirely possible to craft a Predator movie focused on a titular hunter without the need to make a human character the audience surrogate. 2018's The Predator helped prove this further, with the Fugitive Predator being another highlight until he's killed off around the midway point.

A Predator movie focused on the title hunter would certainly be a fresh approach to a new movie. Whereas the Alien movie franchise has consistently had trouble reinventing itself, Alien Vs Predator: Requiem - despite its many faults - shows that a story crafted around a Predator protagonist could absolutely work. That said, a studio is unlikely to have faith in that concept, especially with a movie focused around a non-human hero who doesn't talk. Godzilla Vs Kong's hook was its two monsters, but even then, the studio felt some perfunctory human characters were necessary to make that crossover work. The next Predator movie is said to focus on a Comanche woman battling an alien hunter, and if it works, maybe it will encourage the writers of the follow-up to craft a story about a Yautja protagonist.

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