It has been twenty long years since a Predator movie graced the big screen (discounting the Alien VS Predator franchise) which is far, far too long. After innumerable scripts and pitches it is Robert Rodriguez’s vision which has finally made it to the big screen under the direction of Nimrod Antal. The first thing that we need to understand about this film is that it is not a remake or a ‘reimagining’ but a sequel, specifically to the first movie, which is referenced by Isabelle (Alice Braga) in one of Predators exposition sequences. As a fan of the first, and indeed the underrated second movie, I was thrilled at the possibility of the Predator returning to the big screen and the series returning to its roots.
The result of this is a very strong Sci-Fi/Horror movie. In taking the story back to the jungle (although this time it is the predator’s planet and the humans are the aliens) Antal and Rodriguez make a statement of intent to leave the sins which have been committed against the franchise behind and get back to basics. One of the strongest aspects of the film is its cast; both Laurence Fishburne and Danny Trejo both give useful turns in the supporting cast and Alice Braga commands the screen magnificently as Isabelle. The real standout performance however, was from Adrien Brody as Royce. When I first found out that Brody was to play the lead in a new Predator movie I was unsure to say the least. But, he turns in a performance which ticked all of the classic action hero boxes and was more than a little referential of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s turn as Dutch in the 1987 original. Another aspect of the film I found particularly enjoyable was its ability to keep the viewer hooked until the final credits roll, helped by some tout editing and a very effective twist which I for one did not see coming.
However, Predators is by no means perfect. At times I felt like the plot was a little on the thin side and many of the characters were not given a deep enough back story for the viewer to think of them as anything other than fodder to be killed off by the predators, and not to care about them enough to want them to live. The biggest issue I had with the film was the fact that, at times, it felt like a bit of a re-run of the original and that Rodriguez’s script is more concerned with paying homage to John McTiernan’s classic than striking out on its own and taking the series in a new and exciting direction. As well as this, I felt that the sub plot of there being two types of Predator, with one being dominant of the other was a paper thin creation which exists within the film solely to give the humans an opportunity to attempt to escape the planet.
Despite its flaws, Predators is a no holds barred, old school action movie, and it makes absolutely no apologies for being so. This lack of pretention is something that I greatly respect about the film. In short, it’s no classic but at least its damn good fun.
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