Predator(1987) became such a cult phenomenon, that it spawned a sequel, two crossovers with the Alien Franchise, and a massive line of toys for both kids, and adults. The problem is, none of the following movies were any good. Sure, "Predator 2" gained a cult following, but there's a scene in the movie where an old lady smacks the predator with a broom as he runs through her apartment, so to me, it's a "so bad it's good" situation."Preadators" directed by Nimrod Antal, and produced by Robert Rodriguez, is a return to form for the franchise. It's more of a direct sequel to the original film than the sequel is, if that makes any sense. The events of the original film are referenced several times throughout the movie.
We open to Royce, played by Adrien Brody, free falling through the sky while unconscious. Recovering from his hard landing in an unknown jungle, he starts discovering that he wasn't he only one tossed out of an airplane. Murderers and mercenaries literally start falling from the sky. A ragtag group of complete strangers, with only one thing in common, they are all killers in one way or another.
The first act is spent mostly in a state of confusion. Not only is the audience confused as to what is going on, but so are the characters. Cautiously advancing through the strange jungle, they start to discover that they weren't the only people(things) dropped into this jungle. Empty cages, as well as skinned remains lead them to believe that they have been dropped here for a reason, to be hunted as game by somebody, or something.
The first encounter with something other-worldly, is in a sequence where the crew is ambushed by a horde of strange canine like creatures. It is at this point that they actually realize they are being treated as game, in a reserve. Predators, releasing the hounds in order to get their prey on the run, and give them the upper hand. This is our first real treatment to the gun porn aspect of this movie, while our characters fire their respective weapons wildly into the pack of vicious beasts. Anyone who has spent any amount of time playing Modern Warfare 2 will quickly recognize Royce's gun, an AA-12, which is a fully automatic 12 gauge shotgun. The FX in this sequence are a decent blend of both CG, and practical splatter. The creature design is awesome, but not quite as jaw-dropping as Stan Winston's original design for the Predator.
In a decision that could be viewed as either really smart, or supremely stupid, the group follows the "dogs" tracks back to what appears to be the Predators(plural) camp, we discover that there are different types of Predators present, and apparently, not all of them get along very well. Tied up in the camp is "Classic Predator" played by Derek Mears of "Friday The 13th" reboot fame.
One of the main problems I see people having with the movie is Adrien Brody's performance. While I find it to be an effective performance, some are accusing him of trying to mimic Christian Bale's raspy whisper. While this is partially true I suppose, Brody plays a hardened merc like one would picture a hardened merc being. No complaints from me in this department. Another complaint I have heard is that, if Arnie couldn't stand toe to toe with the original Predator, how is it that scrawny Adrien Brody is able to do so in this sequel? Without giving too much away, I don't feel that this is the case. Brody doesn't have a knock down/drag out with the Predator, he actually just exploits one of the Predators only weaknesses.
I've heard other complaints about the Jungle, and how it looks too earthly to be on another planet. These people aren't taking into consideration that this is sort of a hunting preserve. One of the first rules of hunting is to make your prey feel comfortable, so that they won't be expecting you when you make your move. Personally, I was glad to see straight up jungle, and not some ridiculously CG environment like that featured in "Avatar". It looks a lot better the way it is, trust me. It helps you connect the film to the original, and although it's a story about killer extra terrestrials hunting and slaughtering humans on another planet, it serves to keep the film as grounded in reality as possible.
As mentioned before, the FX were a solid mixture of practical, and CG. The Predators, of course are still the classic rubber suit monsters that they've always been. Opting for a CG solution would have completely ruined the film. Derek Mears brings that same aggression to screen that he put forth in the F13 remake, and was quite menacing.
Though not quite as tense as the first film, Predators manages to amp up the hunter/prey aspect this time around. In the first film, the rest of the team was done away with pretty fast, and you had the rest of the film filled with Arnie playing a game of cat and mouse with the predator. This time around, it's truly strength in numbers, as our mercs find ways to outsmart, and overpower the Predators that are tracking them down.
In a summer full of bland family flicks, fake vampire films, and soulless cash-ins, Predators is the real deal. It's not a mindless popcorn flick, but it is fun as hell to watch. Predators is the best film of the summer, and the Predator experience that fans have been begging for for decades. If the AVP series left a bad taste in your mouth, be prepared to wash it out with the bloody good time that is "Predators"
8/10
Bonus: Machete Theatrical Trailer
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