Director: John McTiernan
Writer: Jim Thomas, John Thomas (Screenplay)
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves, R.G. Armstrong, Shane Black, Kevin Peter Hall
Plot: A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: True Classic
Story: Predator starts as a team of American Commandos led by Dutch (Schwarzenegger) are joined by CIA agent Dillion (Weathers) to go into the South American jungle to rescue hostages taken by guerrillas.
Dutch finding out his team were used to complete a different mission he orders an immediate evacuate only to find themselves having to fight an invisible enemy with weapons stronger than anything they have seen before.
Predator has one of the simplest stories for action sci-fi with it being man versus unknown enemy. When it comes to the story the film really doesn’t need anything more than this because anything that over complicates the story taking away from the action.
Actor Review
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Dutch is the tough leader of a group of lit commandoes that get assigned to the South American jungle for their latest mission, working with former friend and CIA agent Dillion he finds himself facing off against an alien creature that is picking off his men. Arnold is a perfect choice for this role, strong, tough and able to handle himself in a fight in what could be one of his most iconic roles.
Carl Weathers: Dillion is the former soldier who served next to Dutch but now is a CIA agent, he knows Dutch’s skills and recruits him into helping with the mission in the jungle but he does have other motives. Carl is good in this role even if the character comes off feeling genetic.
Elpidia Carrillo: Anna is found in the jungle with the enemies, she gets captured to be taken back by Dillion but she knows what the men are up against in the jungle. Elpidia is good but also really just the damsel in distress figure.
Bill Duke: Mac is one of the soldiers in Dutch’s unit, he is the first to come face to face with the enemy where the others can’t believe what they are actually up against. Bill is good in this like all of soldier characters.
Support Cast: Predator has a small supporting cast with most just being the different members of the unit who all do a good job throughout.
Director Review: John McTiernan – John gives us one of the best action sci-fi films ever made with perfect casting and a simple story that works so well.
Action: Predator has great action sequences happening throughout.
Adventure: Predator throws our characters into an adventure style survival story.
Sci-Fi: Predator puts our humans against aliens to create the battle arena.
Settings: Predator is set entirely within the jungle which help show the isolation the characters face against the predator.
Special Effects: Predator has brilliant special effects for the time that have mostly all stood the test of time too.
Suggestion: Predator is a film I think all film fans should have seen at least it once. (Watch)
Best Part: Final showdown.
Worst Part: Pointless dialog in the final showdown.
Believability: No
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Yes
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: Nominated for one Oscar
Box Office: $60 Million
Budget: $15 Million
Runtime: 1 Hour 47 Minutes
Tagline: It came for the thrill of the hunt. It picked the wrong man to hunt.
Overall: True classic of the genre that shows just how to make a simple story so much fun.
Rating
