Alien vs Predator (2004)

This movie contains lots of blue, since it takes place mostly in the arctic. It is usually accompanied by darkness, which is abundant throughout the film. Darkness conveys a sense of nighttime, a time our ancient ancestors saw as dangerous due to prowling predatory animals. I believe the aim of having the majority of the movie take place at nighttime is to play on this primal fear of the dark.



The use of small passageways by various characters heightens the tension and suspense because of their claustrophobic nature. Nobody today would design such small passageways for regular use, so we are accustomed to having a certain measure of space. Having the characters try to survive in such abnormal conditions gives a feeling of impending doom. A space which limits mobility to such a degree is as good as any trap, in some cases. And nothing says "dead meat" quite like a trap.



The inclusion of unidentifiable runes or hieroglyphs allows for a timed release of information regarding the plot. We must rely on the characters fluent in whatever language to decipher them for us. Often times this is done in a way that foreshadows events to come, or confirm suspicions.