1,045 reviews
This movie is an absolute classic. This is the machoist movie ever made. Schwarzenegger in his prime, Carl Weathers, Jesse "The Body" Ventura and Bill Duke--I don't think the line up could have been any better except if they added Sly Stallone.
"Predator" is one of the rare movies from the 80's that I can watch again and again and not feel as though it's dated. The action was great, the lines were memorable and the predator was a beast.
"Predator" was a fresh addition to the action movie genre. No fighting gangs, or terrorists, or enemy nations--this was the toughest of the extraterrestrials versus the toughest on Earth. Man they don't make 'em like this anymore.
"Predator" is one of the rare movies from the 80's that I can watch again and again and not feel as though it's dated. The action was great, the lines were memorable and the predator was a beast.
"Predator" was a fresh addition to the action movie genre. No fighting gangs, or terrorists, or enemy nations--this was the toughest of the extraterrestrials versus the toughest on Earth. Man they don't make 'em like this anymore.
- view_and_review
- Jan 5, 2016
- Permalink
Predator is the perfect blend of 80's action and slasher style sci fi horror. Although it was coined "alien in the jungle" when the script was first floating around, Predator exceeded expectations and cemented itself as a sci-fi titan. Arguably Arnold's best role. The cast had outstanding chemistry and the characters traits and personalities were developed well through the action and what dialogue was there. Special nods to Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, and Jesse Ventura. Very well paced film and some of the best one liners of all time. Pairs together great with the explosive action and gruesome kills. The practical effects still hold up to this day, and the predator costume/design (RIP to the late Kevin Peter Hall who gave us an especially great predator performance) are ahead of it's time. An 80's sci fi gem and truly one of my favorite movies to watch, thank you to everyone who helped make this movie possible.
This film will always have special place for me, as aside from being one of the best horror/sci-fi films of the eighties; it's also a huge childhood favourite of mine. Despite the fact that I've seen it dozens of times as a kid, I have only seen it once during adulthood; and that single viewing was more than enough to remind me what it is that I love about this film! Predator works as a macho action film, gory horror and intriguing sci-fi, and despite it's short running time of just 100 minutes, it somehow manages to find room for all three. The fact that it stars action icon Arnold Schwarzenegger ensures that the film will always be favourably remembered. He's not a good actor, but Arnie always manages to bring that extra something to his movies. The plot is deliciously simple and follows a group of commandos that go off into the jungle on a secret mission. However, things go awry when it turns out that they aren't the only ones with weapons there. Finding the skinned bodies of the last group of men that entered the jungle is about to become the least of their worries...
The jungle makes for a great setting for an action sci-fi flick such as this. These sorts of films tend to be set in space, so seeing the action down here on earth is different; and the fact that it's set in the jungle, with it's dense foliage, ensures that Die Hard-director John McTiernan is able to bump up the suspense, as just like in the Vietnam war; the soldiers are dealing with an unknown enemy. The atmosphere really is excellent, and the special effects help to create a futuristic tone, while the suspense builds and makes sure that the audience are on the edge of their seats at all times. Predator was released hot on the heels of the success of James Cameron's amazing 'Aliens' - but don't be thinking this film is merely a rip off following a trend, Predator has more than enough up it's sleeve to ensure that isn't the case. The action is great, and director McTiernan clearly knows what he's doing. It's fast and furious, and the amount of weapons on display ensures that the film is sure to delight fans of macho action films. The fact that the lead actor is a monster of a man doesn't exactly hurt the film either!
Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger may well be a terrible actor; but it doesn't matter because it's his screen presence, not his acting ability, that makes his performances what they are. At times he's cringe-worthy, but it's hard to deny his prowess when it comes to the action sequences, and that is all a film of this nature needs. Arnie isn't the only big man in the film either, as an assortment of muscle men, including ex-wrestler Jesse Ventura, and Carl Weathers; Rocky's Apollo Creed, among other B-movie actors, join him. The man himself also finds himself a very worthy ally, in the form of the movie's central alien. The Predator may not be as beautiful as the creature from 'Alien', but it's just as inventive. Here we have an extra terrestrial that isn't merely trying to breed, or to 'phone home' - but one that is actually there to hunt humans for sport! Aside from being ingenious, the idea also borders on frightening. The gore here is gratuitous, but never goes over the top and on the whole, Predator is a film that never really got the credit it deserves. It's mindless fun - but its damn good mindless fun!
The jungle makes for a great setting for an action sci-fi flick such as this. These sorts of films tend to be set in space, so seeing the action down here on earth is different; and the fact that it's set in the jungle, with it's dense foliage, ensures that Die Hard-director John McTiernan is able to bump up the suspense, as just like in the Vietnam war; the soldiers are dealing with an unknown enemy. The atmosphere really is excellent, and the special effects help to create a futuristic tone, while the suspense builds and makes sure that the audience are on the edge of their seats at all times. Predator was released hot on the heels of the success of James Cameron's amazing 'Aliens' - but don't be thinking this film is merely a rip off following a trend, Predator has more than enough up it's sleeve to ensure that isn't the case. The action is great, and director McTiernan clearly knows what he's doing. It's fast and furious, and the amount of weapons on display ensures that the film is sure to delight fans of macho action films. The fact that the lead actor is a monster of a man doesn't exactly hurt the film either!
Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger may well be a terrible actor; but it doesn't matter because it's his screen presence, not his acting ability, that makes his performances what they are. At times he's cringe-worthy, but it's hard to deny his prowess when it comes to the action sequences, and that is all a film of this nature needs. Arnie isn't the only big man in the film either, as an assortment of muscle men, including ex-wrestler Jesse Ventura, and Carl Weathers; Rocky's Apollo Creed, among other B-movie actors, join him. The man himself also finds himself a very worthy ally, in the form of the movie's central alien. The Predator may not be as beautiful as the creature from 'Alien', but it's just as inventive. Here we have an extra terrestrial that isn't merely trying to breed, or to 'phone home' - but one that is actually there to hunt humans for sport! Aside from being ingenious, the idea also borders on frightening. The gore here is gratuitous, but never goes over the top and on the whole, Predator is a film that never really got the credit it deserves. It's mindless fun - but its damn good mindless fun!
- ivo-cobra8
- Dec 31, 2017
- Permalink
Predator is my favourite film, next to Rocky, and has always had a special place in my heart. Scaring me to death as a youngster, the film succeeds completely in merging different genres together. For the first part, a gung-ho action flick - for the second part, a nerve-jangling horror that develops into a tremendous adventure film.
The film feels like a real team effort, much like the heroes of the film itself. Everyone involved in the production has brought something creative, unique or memorable to the table and has made Predator become a hugely popular film and franchise.
Firstly, the scipt is chock-full of classic dialogue, making this one of the most quoted films in history, with so many cheesy one-liners that you've be forgiven for thinking the characters were being hunted by a hungry mouse. However, the script and the premise is genius - by simply pitting an alien hunter against Earth's finest prey, humans (commandos even), the situations write themselves; boy-scout traps, mud-camouflaged Arnie and the villain which imitates and toys with its prey. The sequel, which is OK but not a classic, managed to develop this idea even further with a wider arsenal and deeper understanding of the alien race, which gives this film a little something to separate it from other standard Alien-ripoffs.
Secondly, director John McTiernan keeps the film zooming along at a sensible pace. When there's any danger of actual character development, we move straight on to the next scene and dispense with said character lol. There's a tremendous atmosphere as the commandos enter the jungle - it's like another world and straight away the audience is thrown out of its seat with a shocking discovery up in the trees. In fact, the massive outbursts of violence in Predator are still very savage today and despite more violence now getting through censors, we don't get to see anything quite so shocking as skinned corpses and spinal cords being ripped out! Eventually, the tension is cranked up to breaking point as it's left to Arnie to "stick around" and avenge his team, Tarzan-style.
Next, the visual effects people should be congratulated. From amazing pyrotechnics to the legendary heat vision and camouflage which is part of Predator's unique quality. Even today, the image of a blurry silhouette running through the jungle gives me the shivers and when the final battle kicks in, sparks truly fly. The cameo-effect is one of the best special effects i've ever seen and feels like the discovery of bullet time or something just as classic.
Thank the lord for Stan Winston, who practically saved the film by ditching the original dopey design of the Predator and coming up with the masked humanoid with some nice dreadlocks. Most people prefer Giger's Alien design over this, but I always prefer the Predator, largely thanks to Kevin Peter Hall's performance. Instead of a guy in a suit, which Alien eventually seemed like at the end, we get a nasty looking alien under a mask. Never do we think that it's just a bloke under there. The Predator swings from to tree to tree like a monkey and bounds great distances like Frankenstein's monster on steroids. Instead of a clumsy, fake alien, we get something that really does act and look intelligent enough to hunt a team of crack commandos. The appearance itself is truly memorable and it's debatable whether the Pred looks cooler with or without his metal mask.
As I said before, it's a real ensemble effort and even the actors bring something to the film that stands out. We don't need character development for this type of film, we just need something that makes each guy different so that we know who's getting wasted - a problem which many monster flicks mess up by throwing in a bunch of blands. Here, every character is radically different; Dutch, the sensible team-leader (although Arnie doesn't exactly need to be distinguished), Dillon who has shades of Apollo Creed in trying to keep his cool and save face, Mac who starts off quite laid back and eventually goes mad, Blain who utters the best one-liners and carries a bleeding mini gun around(!), Billy the tracker who is just out-there and knows something's wrong from the off, Poncho who speaks Spanish and wields a grenade launcher and Hawkins who reads comics, works the radio and tells dirty jokes.
Finally, the score needs mentioning as this is one of the most atmospheric soundtracks ever and adds to the films pounding tension. As soon as we enter the jungle, the music spells doom for all with subtle tones that soon explode to life. Considering how much hiking through jungle there is (and yeah, the locations people should be noted as well because this is some truly bad-ass bush), it's surprising we don't feel it because the whole time Alan Silvestri keeps us entertained with the film's classic theme tune.
Spawning a decent sequel and countless other media, it goes to show the power of Predator. It all started here, when it was just considered an alien-ripoff but has since shrugged off those roots and claimed it's own slice of history. Everyone involved in the film has contributed something - it's as though their careers have all peaked at the same time and met up on this film. The result is just quality; remarkable, memorable and exhilarating.
The film feels like a real team effort, much like the heroes of the film itself. Everyone involved in the production has brought something creative, unique or memorable to the table and has made Predator become a hugely popular film and franchise.
Firstly, the scipt is chock-full of classic dialogue, making this one of the most quoted films in history, with so many cheesy one-liners that you've be forgiven for thinking the characters were being hunted by a hungry mouse. However, the script and the premise is genius - by simply pitting an alien hunter against Earth's finest prey, humans (commandos even), the situations write themselves; boy-scout traps, mud-camouflaged Arnie and the villain which imitates and toys with its prey. The sequel, which is OK but not a classic, managed to develop this idea even further with a wider arsenal and deeper understanding of the alien race, which gives this film a little something to separate it from other standard Alien-ripoffs.
Secondly, director John McTiernan keeps the film zooming along at a sensible pace. When there's any danger of actual character development, we move straight on to the next scene and dispense with said character lol. There's a tremendous atmosphere as the commandos enter the jungle - it's like another world and straight away the audience is thrown out of its seat with a shocking discovery up in the trees. In fact, the massive outbursts of violence in Predator are still very savage today and despite more violence now getting through censors, we don't get to see anything quite so shocking as skinned corpses and spinal cords being ripped out! Eventually, the tension is cranked up to breaking point as it's left to Arnie to "stick around" and avenge his team, Tarzan-style.
Next, the visual effects people should be congratulated. From amazing pyrotechnics to the legendary heat vision and camouflage which is part of Predator's unique quality. Even today, the image of a blurry silhouette running through the jungle gives me the shivers and when the final battle kicks in, sparks truly fly. The cameo-effect is one of the best special effects i've ever seen and feels like the discovery of bullet time or something just as classic.
Thank the lord for Stan Winston, who practically saved the film by ditching the original dopey design of the Predator and coming up with the masked humanoid with some nice dreadlocks. Most people prefer Giger's Alien design over this, but I always prefer the Predator, largely thanks to Kevin Peter Hall's performance. Instead of a guy in a suit, which Alien eventually seemed like at the end, we get a nasty looking alien under a mask. Never do we think that it's just a bloke under there. The Predator swings from to tree to tree like a monkey and bounds great distances like Frankenstein's monster on steroids. Instead of a clumsy, fake alien, we get something that really does act and look intelligent enough to hunt a team of crack commandos. The appearance itself is truly memorable and it's debatable whether the Pred looks cooler with or without his metal mask.
As I said before, it's a real ensemble effort and even the actors bring something to the film that stands out. We don't need character development for this type of film, we just need something that makes each guy different so that we know who's getting wasted - a problem which many monster flicks mess up by throwing in a bunch of blands. Here, every character is radically different; Dutch, the sensible team-leader (although Arnie doesn't exactly need to be distinguished), Dillon who has shades of Apollo Creed in trying to keep his cool and save face, Mac who starts off quite laid back and eventually goes mad, Blain who utters the best one-liners and carries a bleeding mini gun around(!), Billy the tracker who is just out-there and knows something's wrong from the off, Poncho who speaks Spanish and wields a grenade launcher and Hawkins who reads comics, works the radio and tells dirty jokes.
Finally, the score needs mentioning as this is one of the most atmospheric soundtracks ever and adds to the films pounding tension. As soon as we enter the jungle, the music spells doom for all with subtle tones that soon explode to life. Considering how much hiking through jungle there is (and yeah, the locations people should be noted as well because this is some truly bad-ass bush), it's surprising we don't feel it because the whole time Alan Silvestri keeps us entertained with the film's classic theme tune.
Spawning a decent sequel and countless other media, it goes to show the power of Predator. It all started here, when it was just considered an alien-ripoff but has since shrugged off those roots and claimed it's own slice of history. Everyone involved in the film has contributed something - it's as though their careers have all peaked at the same time and met up on this film. The result is just quality; remarkable, memorable and exhilarating.
- mjscarface
- Apr 19, 2007
- Permalink
Predator is definitely one of the best alien thrillers ever made. It is one of my personal favorite movies. When I first saw just a brief part of Predator when I was about five, I was freaked out and scared to even watch the movie for many ages, but eventually, once getting older, came to like it. The Predator, played by Kevin Peter Hall, is a very realistic and believable creature for the 1980s, when this movie was created. I like how humanlike its form is, and how un-humanlike it is at the same time. The creature's four mandibles were a great idea for its distinct facial characteristics and the creature's roar is awesome, one of the best ever produced. This movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Richard Chaves, Elipidi Carillo, Shane Black, and Sonny Landham and they are all believable in their roles and even add to the humor that this movie has. This is obviously the best of the Predator movies and still one of the most highly liked thrillers today. And let's all show respect for Kevin Peter Hall, who died a year after he had made Predator 2.
- TheUnknown837-1
- Jul 24, 2005
- Permalink
One of the classic sci-fi movies and one of the most entertaining action movies ever made. Certainly one of the best Arnold movies, along with Terminator 1 and 2. Mix a simple but effective story, one cool alien, well directed action scenes, Arnold kicking ass and you get an top notch action movie. Sure, there are some exaggerated macho performances, but John knows how to do it with style.
So if you're a young (but not too young) movie viewer who haven't yet seen Predator, be sure to do so to get a sample of action 80's style with Arnold at his peak.
Rating: 8/10
So if you're a young (but not too young) movie viewer who haven't yet seen Predator, be sure to do so to get a sample of action 80's style with Arnold at his peak.
Rating: 8/10
- lotus_chief
- Dec 8, 2003
- Permalink
One of Arnold´s best movies. Here he plays the leader for an elite army-unit who is given a mission to rescue south-american officials from left-wing terrorists in a south-american jungle. On their way to the terrorist compound one of the men sense something in the trees and they discover skinned corpses. What they don´t know is that an invisible alien creature is pursuing them. It has come to earth just to hunt for sport and Arnolds group makes a perfect target. The team reaches the terrorist´s camp and levels it to the ground in a very well filmed action-sequence. However they don´t manage to save the officials. When they return to rendez-vouz with the helicopter they are being hunted of the Predator who picks them off one by one. The Predator is a very well done film which catches you from the start. The location-filming is brilliant and so is the casting of tough characters in Arnolds team. I´m specially fond of Jesse Ventura. The script is un-pretentious and straight told. The monster is a kind of Rambo-Alien. Very awesome and very intelligent with the seven foot Kevin Peter Hall in the monster make-up. As always in Arnold´s films, the action scenes are of highest class. I consider this a winner and ranks it: 7 of 10.
- stefanerikson
- Dec 15, 2000
- Permalink
First of all, if you haven't seen this action, suspense and violence extravaganza, you most certainly are not a true action movie afficionado. The immediate grabbing feature of this movie is its score, very imaginatively composed and created by Alan Silvestri whose other credits include the Back to the Future series and other gems like Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The tempo and build up which the score lends to the film engage its viewers with feelings of fear and nerve wracking suspense for what lurks within the thick of the forest. Take note of Sonny Landham's comment;"there's something out there,and it ain't no man.
The action is fast, furious and merciless. The commandos are killed off one by one, leaving Arnie, Carl Weathers and the surviving members extremely terrified and on the verge of breaking down. Note the heated arguments that some of the commandos get into with each other. There is very animated and fiery action in the beginning (assault on the terrorist camp) but as we are introduced to the true terror of the jungle (or should I say, outer space), the action takes a turn for the more insane eg.Arnie running away armed only with a knife and trembling in fear, almost drowning in a waterfall and thereafter, continually pursued by the Predator). All this followed by a half hour long jungle battle mano a mano with spears, rocks and fists and hall deafening yells by both warriors. Very, very fierce and macho stuff I assure you all.
I shall not go into the other intricacies of the film and will leave it to the curiosity of potential/virgin viewers to find out for themselves. "Predator" is essentially one of the few action movies that truly lives up to its name and delivers the thrills and spills in no small amount and at breakneck speed. True connoisseurs of hard action.....YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!! 9.5/10
The action is fast, furious and merciless. The commandos are killed off one by one, leaving Arnie, Carl Weathers and the surviving members extremely terrified and on the verge of breaking down. Note the heated arguments that some of the commandos get into with each other. There is very animated and fiery action in the beginning (assault on the terrorist camp) but as we are introduced to the true terror of the jungle (or should I say, outer space), the action takes a turn for the more insane eg.Arnie running away armed only with a knife and trembling in fear, almost drowning in a waterfall and thereafter, continually pursued by the Predator). All this followed by a half hour long jungle battle mano a mano with spears, rocks and fists and hall deafening yells by both warriors. Very, very fierce and macho stuff I assure you all.
I shall not go into the other intricacies of the film and will leave it to the curiosity of potential/virgin viewers to find out for themselves. "Predator" is essentially one of the few action movies that truly lives up to its name and delivers the thrills and spills in no small amount and at breakneck speed. True connoisseurs of hard action.....YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!! 9.5/10
- adam_ahmad
- Nov 23, 2000
- Permalink
Watching `Predator', which is one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best action movies, it becomes obvious why Arnold's recent return to action (`End of Days', `The Sixth Day) have all tanked at the box office. For some reason, Arnold's chosen to play men with a dark past in his recent films, men with a complex background . . . men with laughably bad backstories. His great characters - such as Dutch Schaeffer in `Predator' - have no background. It's not necessary. The second Arnold steps onscreen, you know it's time for blood and bullets, plain and simple. Not every moviegoers' cup of tea, to be sure, but it works. Unlike `End of Days' or `The Sixth Day', classic Schwarzenegger action films like `Predator' never insult the audience by attempting to explain the often threadbare plot. Predator is kind of a Zen-philosophy action film - the violence and cheesy one-liners just happen.
`Predator' is a fairly simple story; it's essentially a sci-fi version of `The Most Dangerous Game.' A group of American soldiers, led by Dutch (Schwarzenegger) and his rival Dillon (Carl Weathers), lead a full-blown assault on a group of South American revolutionaries. Carnage ensues. After wiping out said revolutionaries, an alien creature armed to the teeth with high-powered weaponry - the Predator - assaults the American soldiers. More carnage ensues.
Hey, it's not exactly Shakespeare, but thoughtful, well-written action movies aren't exactly common. `Predator' works as an action movie - and as a darn good one - because it's kept simple (thus minimizing the plot holes and the head-scratching moments), it maintains a high level of excitement, action, and tension, and it's cool. Schwarzenegger is larger than life as Dutch, pure swaggering testosterone at its best. Jesse `The Body' rules as Blaine, Carl Weathers is icily cool as Dillon. . . and so on and so on. Enough sarcastic, macho one-liners and brutal firepower fill the movie to make it a male adolescent snapshot of tough-guy heaven. The Predator looks wicked as well - Stan Winston outdid himself, as the Predator does look and move like a vicious being from another world, and not just some stunt guy in a rubber suit. The direction by John McTiernan adds the final piece to the puzzle; the cinematography of the jungle is appropriately hot, steamy, and claustrophobic, and the quick pacing of the film moves rapid fire between all-out action and the tension of hunting one's prey . . . or being hunted. Everything adds up to a simple, streamlined, first-rate action movie.
Again, not the most intelligent film ever made, but `Predator' is still quite good - it's probably Schwarzenegger's best pure action movie. (Not his best movie overall, though; that honor belongs to the excellent `Kindergarten Cop'.) `Predator' is a lean, mean, intense action flick from start to finish.
Grade: B
`Predator' is a fairly simple story; it's essentially a sci-fi version of `The Most Dangerous Game.' A group of American soldiers, led by Dutch (Schwarzenegger) and his rival Dillon (Carl Weathers), lead a full-blown assault on a group of South American revolutionaries. Carnage ensues. After wiping out said revolutionaries, an alien creature armed to the teeth with high-powered weaponry - the Predator - assaults the American soldiers. More carnage ensues.
Hey, it's not exactly Shakespeare, but thoughtful, well-written action movies aren't exactly common. `Predator' works as an action movie - and as a darn good one - because it's kept simple (thus minimizing the plot holes and the head-scratching moments), it maintains a high level of excitement, action, and tension, and it's cool. Schwarzenegger is larger than life as Dutch, pure swaggering testosterone at its best. Jesse `The Body' rules as Blaine, Carl Weathers is icily cool as Dillon. . . and so on and so on. Enough sarcastic, macho one-liners and brutal firepower fill the movie to make it a male adolescent snapshot of tough-guy heaven. The Predator looks wicked as well - Stan Winston outdid himself, as the Predator does look and move like a vicious being from another world, and not just some stunt guy in a rubber suit. The direction by John McTiernan adds the final piece to the puzzle; the cinematography of the jungle is appropriately hot, steamy, and claustrophobic, and the quick pacing of the film moves rapid fire between all-out action and the tension of hunting one's prey . . . or being hunted. Everything adds up to a simple, streamlined, first-rate action movie.
Again, not the most intelligent film ever made, but `Predator' is still quite good - it's probably Schwarzenegger's best pure action movie. (Not his best movie overall, though; that honor belongs to the excellent `Kindergarten Cop'.) `Predator' is a lean, mean, intense action flick from start to finish.
Grade: B
- MadReviewer
- Apr 29, 2001
- Permalink
"Predator" is a genuine Classic. Action, Horror, Sci-Fi it's all there. Lets see for starters we have Arnold Schwarzenegger, on top form riding to the peak of his action status, leading a team of tough Commandos. Made up of a great cast including Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura and Bill Duke. They're on a mission to rescue Hostages from Gorilla forces but are double crossed by the C.I.A, stop there and you already have a great action movie.
But oh no, this film also has an Intergalactic Alien Big Game hunter equipped with plasma cannons, Stealth Invisibility and Thermal Vision. It would be so easy to imagine this film going nowhere if it where to have fallen into the wrong hands. You could really imagine a plot of an Alien hunting Commandos in the jungle coming off a bit lame but no, Fox thankfully had faith and McTierman had a vision. Fox's faith may have been down to there two previous unexpected big hits "Aliens" and "Commando" which you could possibly say this film is a hybrid of.
Film also benefits from being made in that 80s early 90s era where your action film could take its self seriously yet still not too seriously. One minute we see a fairly realistic use of of weapons and tactics the next Arnie throws a truck down a hill equipped with C4 and Jesse Ventura pulls out his M-134 Mini Gun and shreds some Gorillas.
The Predator it's self is a classic design, thanks to the genius Stan Winston, and in my opinion never looked better than in this movie. It looked slightly fake in Pred 2(Not a bad film too) and don't get me started on the travesty that is AvP. It could have been a different story if they had stuck to the big rubber turtle they had shot scenes with thank god Arnold himself suggested Winston.
I won't spoil the plot for anyone who's not yet seen it I just urge you to see this movie.
But oh no, this film also has an Intergalactic Alien Big Game hunter equipped with plasma cannons, Stealth Invisibility and Thermal Vision. It would be so easy to imagine this film going nowhere if it where to have fallen into the wrong hands. You could really imagine a plot of an Alien hunting Commandos in the jungle coming off a bit lame but no, Fox thankfully had faith and McTierman had a vision. Fox's faith may have been down to there two previous unexpected big hits "Aliens" and "Commando" which you could possibly say this film is a hybrid of.
Film also benefits from being made in that 80s early 90s era where your action film could take its self seriously yet still not too seriously. One minute we see a fairly realistic use of of weapons and tactics the next Arnie throws a truck down a hill equipped with C4 and Jesse Ventura pulls out his M-134 Mini Gun and shreds some Gorillas.
The Predator it's self is a classic design, thanks to the genius Stan Winston, and in my opinion never looked better than in this movie. It looked slightly fake in Pred 2(Not a bad film too) and don't get me started on the travesty that is AvP. It could have been a different story if they had stuck to the big rubber turtle they had shot scenes with thank god Arnold himself suggested Winston.
I won't spoil the plot for anyone who's not yet seen it I just urge you to see this movie.
The very definition of '80's action cinema, there are of course things about this that haven't aged well, especially when you rewatch this in the light of the excellent Prey. But John McTiernan knew what he was about, and it's still efficient, fun and doesn't mess around. It's inventively staged and I'd forgotten that there are lines in this which were the literal inspiration for the execrable The Expendables films. It's hard not to smile, though, and throw back to a simpler time in my life whilst doing so. I'm not a fan of the way slow-motion is used, and I don't think there's been many films more in love with guns than this. But try telling 15-year old me that.
- david-meldrum
- Sep 19, 2022
- Permalink
Looks like the only people inspired enough to comment on this movie are the people who love it, so I guess I'll be the voice of dissent-- I watched this for the first time after seeing the entire Alien series, as a way to prep for Alien vs Predator. I didn't expect much, especially after seeing the trailer, but I was surprised by how BORING this film is. The characters are completely two dimensional caricatures/stereotypes with no development whatsoever, the plot drags along, the only "action" is lots of shooting and marching around in the jungle, and the Predator doesn't even show up until an hour into the film. The lines are cliché and there isn't an ounce of tension or investment into the characters--by the time the first twenty minutes were over, I was actually waiting (eagerly) for them to be killed.
If you're into clichés, this movie is for you. If you'd prefer something with a bit more depth, stick with Alien (the original, NOT the sequel).
If you're into clichés, this movie is for you. If you'd prefer something with a bit more depth, stick with Alien (the original, NOT the sequel).
- sanscrainte
- Aug 8, 2009
- Permalink
"Predator" is a exciting action/horror film of 1987. "Predator" has a great plot to it, which is a group of United States army fighters are sent to a place to retrieve some hostages, later to find out that a "Predator" is after them one-by-one. The story is great except for a few things that don't make sense, these are toward's the film's climax. The acting in "Predator" is superb, "Arnold Schwarzenegger" as always puts 100% into his roles. "Carl Weathers" is perfect in this film as well. The music in "Predator" is perfect, it's very suspenseful and fits in perfectly with the scenes. The film is shot great, the camera man did a great job filming this movie. For a film that was made in 1987, "Predator" has special effects that still look realistic to this day. I highly recommend you watch "Predator" as it is a superb and exciting action/horror film of 1987.
Consider that so many of the roles that Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on are so similar, including Predator, and yet this film is so much better than most of the others. I enjoy watching his movies just because he's such a watch-able guy, even in his bad movies (which are many), but I think the thing that really makes Predator stand out is its simplicity. The movie starts, the guys get dropped in the jungle, lots of blood and carnage flies across the screen, and the movie simply ends. No romance, no complex back story, no soldier struggling with problems in his past or even trauma caused by the horrible things he experiences during the movie. This is one of the things that made First Blood so good. It may turn out to be a movie about a lot of muscle-bound meatheads in the woods, but it doesn't insult the audience or try to apply complexity to a story that can't support it.
Interestingly, the movie features two eventual governors. Jesse Ventura even wrote a book which was released while he was the governor of Minnesota and he used his favorite line in this movie as the title. And the book's actually pretty interesting; there are some funny stories in it about things that went on while they were filming this movie. Arnold, on the other hand, is actually (and thankfully) given a relatively small amount of stupid one-liners, which are an idiotic byproduct of hard action movies that I've never really understood the necessity for. They don't reveal anything about the characters who say them, they don't add to the story or further the plot, and with rare exceptions, they're not funny. But I guess comic relief has to come from somewhere, and since complexity is not a requisite for movies like this, I can't really expect a lot of thought being put into the comedic content either.
I watched Predator having never seen it from beginning to end and having just re-watched the original Alien. I am currently in the process of re-watching both series', for obvious reasons. One thing that I notice about both of them is the way they take their time in introducing the enemies which, in both films, are aliens. Predator doesn't waste much time dwelling on the origin of the alien, we pretty much assume it came from a space ship that flashed across the screen at the opening of the movie. Alien, on the other hand, went into remarkable detail about where its alien came from. What Predator does do, very effectively, I think, is that it has the guys fighting some very human enemies, which allows the movie to later take its sweet time in having them realize that the new enemy is not human at all. This is also, incidentally, weakly rehashed in the sequel, using the secrecy of this mission and team as an excuse to have more guys who don't know what's going on.
The death scenes are actually pretty tasteful, given the genre. They are just gory enough to illustrate the violence of the enemy without being gratuitous. Just enough is shown to show how vicious the alien is, and there are some strange things done to and with the bodies that make you wonder about the alien's intentions or needs. The first deaths suggest vengeance if not some sort of ritual, but later ones suggest that the alien may be feeding off of his (or her) victims. Oddly enough, it is not until the awful Predator 2 that we learn that it kills for sport.
Yes, the movie occasionally gets embarrassingly macho, but the skill with which it is put together far overshadows any tough-guy goofiness. Consider, for example, the ease with which the movie switches from showing the guys hunting the alien to their realization that they are the ones being hunted. In some cases, this transition takes place during a single shot and with virtually no movement in the shot at all except a change in someone's expression. It is truly a fight between a group of predators, which we understand because they are human like us, and a single predator whose powers and weaknesses are unknown. It's not Oscar material, needless to say, but it's a great action movie in part because it already knows that.
Interestingly, the movie features two eventual governors. Jesse Ventura even wrote a book which was released while he was the governor of Minnesota and he used his favorite line in this movie as the title. And the book's actually pretty interesting; there are some funny stories in it about things that went on while they were filming this movie. Arnold, on the other hand, is actually (and thankfully) given a relatively small amount of stupid one-liners, which are an idiotic byproduct of hard action movies that I've never really understood the necessity for. They don't reveal anything about the characters who say them, they don't add to the story or further the plot, and with rare exceptions, they're not funny. But I guess comic relief has to come from somewhere, and since complexity is not a requisite for movies like this, I can't really expect a lot of thought being put into the comedic content either.
I watched Predator having never seen it from beginning to end and having just re-watched the original Alien. I am currently in the process of re-watching both series', for obvious reasons. One thing that I notice about both of them is the way they take their time in introducing the enemies which, in both films, are aliens. Predator doesn't waste much time dwelling on the origin of the alien, we pretty much assume it came from a space ship that flashed across the screen at the opening of the movie. Alien, on the other hand, went into remarkable detail about where its alien came from. What Predator does do, very effectively, I think, is that it has the guys fighting some very human enemies, which allows the movie to later take its sweet time in having them realize that the new enemy is not human at all. This is also, incidentally, weakly rehashed in the sequel, using the secrecy of this mission and team as an excuse to have more guys who don't know what's going on.
The death scenes are actually pretty tasteful, given the genre. They are just gory enough to illustrate the violence of the enemy without being gratuitous. Just enough is shown to show how vicious the alien is, and there are some strange things done to and with the bodies that make you wonder about the alien's intentions or needs. The first deaths suggest vengeance if not some sort of ritual, but later ones suggest that the alien may be feeding off of his (or her) victims. Oddly enough, it is not until the awful Predator 2 that we learn that it kills for sport.
Yes, the movie occasionally gets embarrassingly macho, but the skill with which it is put together far overshadows any tough-guy goofiness. Consider, for example, the ease with which the movie switches from showing the guys hunting the alien to their realization that they are the ones being hunted. In some cases, this transition takes place during a single shot and with virtually no movement in the shot at all except a change in someone's expression. It is truly a fight between a group of predators, which we understand because they are human like us, and a single predator whose powers and weaknesses are unknown. It's not Oscar material, needless to say, but it's a great action movie in part because it already knows that.
- Anonymous_Maxine
- Nov 2, 2004
- Permalink
I will start this by giving my ratings, yes plural because to me as a sci-fi/action film fan the film has few peers, it is 100% pure suspense testo explosive fun that along side John McTiernan's other action template Die Hard, stands the test of time to the point that it will be thrilling viewers long after we have left this earth. So with that I give it a personal rating of 10/10, it's faultless for my needs in a genre I indulge and lose myself in on a frequent roster. For any other movie fan aware of the genre's traits and peccadilloes without being a fan of sorts, then I rate the film easily at 7 or 8 out of 10, what's not to like here?
The film is without a shadow of a doubt another allegory of Vietnam, a crack unit of soldiers are stuck in a central American jungle being killed off by an invisible enemy, the soldiers are there after being lied to by the powers that be, tactics are paramount but the enemy that stalks them holds all the aces. This crack special rescue team are a testosterone fuelled band of beef, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Sonny Landham, Bill Duke & Jesse Ventura, these five alone have a combined muscle weight heavy enough to have sunk the Titanic, and McTiernan uses the beefcakes to the max in a series of joyous ball busting sequences.
The dialogue is sharp and funny with Schwarzenegger quipping his way thru the first reel, and the score from Alan Silvestri pumps the blood at just the right time, whilst the effects crew have done sterling work to bring this "hardest man in the world versus bad ass alien predator" to life, none more so than when viewing POV heat seeking infa-red shots as our deadly alien killer. The end throws up some interesting thoughts, that have for better or worse? Been fleshed out with further films involving the predator of the title, but one should judge this film as a single entry because it sits at the top of the tree as one of the best of it's kind; so truly this is a benchmark for the genre that will take some beating as far as I'm concerned.
Enjoy 10/10
The film is without a shadow of a doubt another allegory of Vietnam, a crack unit of soldiers are stuck in a central American jungle being killed off by an invisible enemy, the soldiers are there after being lied to by the powers that be, tactics are paramount but the enemy that stalks them holds all the aces. This crack special rescue team are a testosterone fuelled band of beef, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Sonny Landham, Bill Duke & Jesse Ventura, these five alone have a combined muscle weight heavy enough to have sunk the Titanic, and McTiernan uses the beefcakes to the max in a series of joyous ball busting sequences.
The dialogue is sharp and funny with Schwarzenegger quipping his way thru the first reel, and the score from Alan Silvestri pumps the blood at just the right time, whilst the effects crew have done sterling work to bring this "hardest man in the world versus bad ass alien predator" to life, none more so than when viewing POV heat seeking infa-red shots as our deadly alien killer. The end throws up some interesting thoughts, that have for better or worse? Been fleshed out with further films involving the predator of the title, but one should judge this film as a single entry because it sits at the top of the tree as one of the best of it's kind; so truly this is a benchmark for the genre that will take some beating as far as I'm concerned.
Enjoy 10/10
- hitchcockthelegend
- Mar 3, 2008
- Permalink
- shortround8391
- Mar 15, 2009
- Permalink
31 years after its original release, it's hard to believe that there was once a time when John McTiernan's Predator wasn't revered as one of the best action movies of the modern era. Critics savaged the film, although now even the stuffiest of critics cannot deny its shamelessly muscly, bullet-spraying, blood-spattering charm. Predator is now held in as equally high regard as McTiernan's other action classic Die Hard - released the following year - and featured Arnold Schwarzenegger at the very top of his game. This was long before the Austrian hulk made a swerve into politics and became the self-parody he is today. The premise is almost offensively simple, but the execution makes this one of the most effortlessly enjoyable action movies of the 1980s. McTiernan knows exactly how to tear a jungle apart with gunfire, and set up his disposable supporting characters for a grisly death.
Special Forces major Dutch Schaefer (Schwarzenegger) is "choppahed" into South America, where is he given a mission to rescue an official who has fallen into the hands of some insurgents. Schaefer and his team - played by Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves and Shane Black - are met by Schaefer's old Army buddy Dillon (Carl Weathers), and the two greet each other in the most 80s way possible by flexing their oiled and oversized muscles in a manly handshake. As the team venture further into the jungle, it becomes clear that Dillon isn't telling the whole story, and the mission becomes even more difficult when they capture a female hostage named Anna (Elpidia Carrillo). Yet this is far from their biggest problem, as on their tail is an alien with the ability to camouflage itself and see with thermal imaging, backed by an arsenal of powerful extra-terrestrial gadgets and a healthy appetite for the hunt. With the group being picked off one by one by this formidable enemy, Schaefer must get to the extraction point before he becomes another skull in the beast's growing collection of trophies.
The plot can be compared to countless B-movies throughout the years, but what worked for Alien also works for Predator. Take a simple premise, add some budget, bind it together with some good old-fashioned decent film-making, and the result is a timeless classic. Yes, the special effects have dated and most of the actors' stars have somewhat dimmed in the decades since, but Predator is even more of a blast now than it was when I stole my brother's VHS twenty-odd years ago. The sequels, spin-offs and comic-books have gone to great length to explain and develop the Predator's mythology, but McTiernan simply lets the monster do its thing. Played by the 7 ft 2 in Kevin Peter Hall, the Predator's formidable armour, weaponry, stealth and sheer repulsiveness has made it a sci-fi/horror icon. Like the Alien franchise, subsequent movies have felt the need to explain the creature's backstory, damaging their otherworldly mystery in the process, but Predator simply throws him into the mix and lets him loose on our world's finest warriors. With star Shane Black's reboot The Predator set to arrive shortly, now is the perfect time to revisit what drew audiences to the series in the first place, in spite of how your attitude may have soured after those terrible Alien cross-overs and the forgettable third entry from 2010.
Special Forces major Dutch Schaefer (Schwarzenegger) is "choppahed" into South America, where is he given a mission to rescue an official who has fallen into the hands of some insurgents. Schaefer and his team - played by Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves and Shane Black - are met by Schaefer's old Army buddy Dillon (Carl Weathers), and the two greet each other in the most 80s way possible by flexing their oiled and oversized muscles in a manly handshake. As the team venture further into the jungle, it becomes clear that Dillon isn't telling the whole story, and the mission becomes even more difficult when they capture a female hostage named Anna (Elpidia Carrillo). Yet this is far from their biggest problem, as on their tail is an alien with the ability to camouflage itself and see with thermal imaging, backed by an arsenal of powerful extra-terrestrial gadgets and a healthy appetite for the hunt. With the group being picked off one by one by this formidable enemy, Schaefer must get to the extraction point before he becomes another skull in the beast's growing collection of trophies.
The plot can be compared to countless B-movies throughout the years, but what worked for Alien also works for Predator. Take a simple premise, add some budget, bind it together with some good old-fashioned decent film-making, and the result is a timeless classic. Yes, the special effects have dated and most of the actors' stars have somewhat dimmed in the decades since, but Predator is even more of a blast now than it was when I stole my brother's VHS twenty-odd years ago. The sequels, spin-offs and comic-books have gone to great length to explain and develop the Predator's mythology, but McTiernan simply lets the monster do its thing. Played by the 7 ft 2 in Kevin Peter Hall, the Predator's formidable armour, weaponry, stealth and sheer repulsiveness has made it a sci-fi/horror icon. Like the Alien franchise, subsequent movies have felt the need to explain the creature's backstory, damaging their otherworldly mystery in the process, but Predator simply throws him into the mix and lets him loose on our world's finest warriors. With star Shane Black's reboot The Predator set to arrive shortly, now is the perfect time to revisit what drew audiences to the series in the first place, in spite of how your attitude may have soured after those terrible Alien cross-overs and the forgettable third entry from 2010.
- tomgillespie2002
- Sep 9, 2018
- Permalink
Predator is certainly a film that marked the end of the 80s and even today impresses with its visuals. The antagonist's look is so striking and well done that many other monsters created today do not surpass him. Its look is grotesque and frightening, commanding great respect. The way the scenario is used is very interesting, since it matches the way the monster acts. The scenes where we are placed in the Predator's vision and we don't know what he looks like are perfect. It's amazing how the film builds him up without even showing his face. It's fun, it's charming and still manages to be scary for the look, this movie is still very good today.
- claszdsburrogato
- Aug 27, 2023
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Predator is a deservedly iconic action horror that's skillfully moves between both genres whilst delivering a tense, atmospheric and action packed experience. Arnold Schwarzenegger gives an incredible lead performance supported by Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham, Shane Black and Richard Chaves who are all great with fantastic chemistry. John McTiernan's direction is superb and it's extremely well filmed and expertly paced. The visual effects are excellent and the music by Alan Silvestri is perfect.
Great action, thriller and story with remarkable leads and moments. This one still stands as a classic for action movies.
- erentuna-97421
- Jun 4, 2020
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After the crash of a helicopter of a minister in a Central America island, Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his team of special force are assigned to rescue him from the guerrillas. Soon they learn that they were sent to the island for another reason and there is an alien warrior hunting them down.
"Predator" is a timeless sci-fi action film with Arnold Schwarzenegger and a team of "badasses". The stor is engaging and suspenseful even when the viewer sees many times. Thirty years after the release, "Predator" has become a classic in the genre. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Predador" ("Predator")
"Predator" is a timeless sci-fi action film with Arnold Schwarzenegger and a team of "badasses". The stor is engaging and suspenseful even when the viewer sees many times. Thirty years after the release, "Predator" has become a classic in the genre. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "Predador" ("Predator")
- claudio_carvalho
- Dec 22, 2017
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There are guns and other weapons a-blazing in this sci-fi "thriller" about an alien creature who's single-handedly wiping out an elite military team sent into the jungles of Central America to rescue some hostages. With all that, it sounds strange, but I found this tedious viewing all the way through. To me, it's most noteworthy for having two future US Governors in the cast. Jesse Ventura (future governor of Minnesota) played a small part, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (future governor of California) was the star. The story itself was repetitious all the way through, a traipse through the jungle while being stalked by a monster and the dialogue (as one might expect with this kind of movie) was weak. Schwarzenegger really was called upon to do very little except look tough - which, admittedly, he does well, and I wondered (as any thinking person would do) why the creature didn't just kill Dutch (Schwarzenegger) when it had him by the throat pinned against the tree? I suppose because that would have taken away the chance to have the really cool ending with a huge explosion and then Arnold standing victoriously in a macho pose as he looks around at the carnage. Tedious sums up all I need to say about this from my perspective.