MOVIE REVIEW (REVIEW)

Missing the Point:
Neil Genzlinger's "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), Aliens and Predators Still Can't Seem to Get Along"

By Steve Rules
Published: April 25, 2008

The first thing one notices when reading Neil Genzlinger's December 2007 review of Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is his comment on the light level in the movie. This half-hearted, poorly conceived introduction continues for a painful three paragraphs, demonstrating what is the central point of this review: Neil Genzlinger phoned this one in.

Really, Mr. Genzlinger? I've read your review of Negadon: The Monster From Mars. I loved it. It was fantastic. To be faced with this is something of an insult. "Bring your night-vision goggles to this one"? It's like you're not even trying. I know you are now the copy editor for the New York Times, but is that responsibility that distracting? Have the years dulled your witty insight into the magic of film? I hope not.

As the review continues things do not get better. Genzlinger states that the movie is "nothing to be ashamed of." Who is he trying to convince? I've come to trust Mr. Genzlinger's opinion over the years, but this makes me slightly uneasy. It sounds less like he's expressing his heartfelt opinion and more like he's trying to fool himself into believing he liked the movie.

Mr. Genzlinger then distills the plot of every Alien and/or Predator movie so far into several sentences. A review is hardly the place for a plot synopsis. Save that for Fandango. People read reviews to determine whether something is worth their time or money. Not to get caught up on a combined 50 years of story lines.

I could spend a lot of time nitpicking Mr. Genzlinger's review but I'll skip right to the end. The last paragraph, two lines, reads more like notes he jotted on a pad of paper in a darkened theater than something that belongs in a review in the New York Times. The last line, in particular, leaves the reader on a confused note. Is this a movie worth seeing? In high school they taught you, tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell 'em what you told 'em. This is a simple journalistic dictum that has been followed for ages and never fails. Why reinvent the wheel?

In summary, Neil Genzlinger's renowned literary talent and critiquing skills were hardly put to use in this review. There was some controversy regarding whether Mr. Genzlinger may have been coerced into writing a positive review but I will not entertain such balderdash. The point is that the NY Times, and Mr. Genzlinger himself, should have enough integrity to make sure that this sort of sloppy, half-hearted work does not end up in that fine paper. In closing, I leave you with some highlights from the comments section of this review from NYTimes.com.

"This is... a critic who is either on the take or such a moron that the NYT should fire him." - jsjfm2000
"I found myself admiring the pecs on the Predator - whew, they were hot. " - lizinsaraota
"babies are food. its wonderful. " - getrobbed

Neil Genzlinger's "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), Aliens and Predators Still Can't Seem to Get Along" first appeared in the NY Times on December 26, 2007. Neil Genzlinger is a playwright and a critic who frequently writes for the NY Times and currently serves as the copy editor for that paper.

Steve Rules is an active, albeit new, contributor to SF0. He hopes you enjoyed this review.

References:
1. Neil Genzlinger's Review of Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem
2. Neil Genzlinger's Wikipedia Entry
3. Neil Genzlinger on Rotten Tomatoes
4. Neil Genzlinger's Critics Picks on NYTimes.com
5. Neil Genzlinger's Review of Negadon: The Monster from Mars
6. NY Times Review Comment Section. I do not recommend you read this.
7. Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem on Wikipedia
8. Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem on Metacritic
9. Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem on Rotten Tomatoes
10. Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem on IMDB
11. Alien (1979) on IMDB
12. Predator (1987) on IMDB
13. I briefly considered ordering a reprint of Neil's review. Briefly.