Predator Reviews

This is yet another milestone of 80's action movie mayhem and when I was a kid, I really loved this flick. Indeed, when I was about 12 years old, I started to watch movies on my own and my first passion were action flicks. I used to watch tons of them and this one was definitely one of my favorites at the time. Basically, it was another badass action flick starring Arnold Schwarzenegger but the real brilliant touch was to combine a rather straightforward action flick with some science-fiction elements resulting in a very entertaining mix. To be honest, nowadays, I think it is a little too cheesy for my taste and the characters, even though they were totally badass, were seriously stereotypical and barely interesting. Still, there were so many things to enjoy here. Indeed, the music and the mood were just awesome, the Predator is one of the most fascinating Alien creature ever created and the whole thing was still damned entertaining. The best, in my opinion, is that the story was actually kind of lame when you think about it and you know all the way what's going to happen from the beginning until the end but since all the people involved played it completely straight, with no tongue-in-cheek whatsoever, it really worked. To conclude, it is another one of those movies which has been copied many times but the copycats never managed to make us forget this classic.

Pour moi, McTiernan s'embarque dans une déconstruction de la figure du "one-man army" qui prédominait dans le cinéma d'action de l'époque, déconstruction qui durera sur plusieurs films, de Predator (87) à The Last Action Hero (93), mettant tous les deux en vedette notre cher Arnold.

Predator ne verbalise pas autant son ironie que les films suivants du réalisateur, mais il faut le voir comme un Scream (ou un From Dusk Till Dawn, qui s'est de l'aveu même du réalisateur inspiré de la structure de notre Predator). Le film débute comme un one-man army classique, avec un rapport de force ridicule entre notre commando et ses adversaires, puis prend un virage complètement loufoque avec cette bête de l'espace qui décime les tueurs les mieux entraînés de la planète comme s'il s'agissait d'adolescents ayant outrepassé la frontière de Crystal Lake. Il y a un humour latent dans Predator: on pousse à l'excès les musculatures, les scènes de fusillades interminables (on en rit aujourd'hui, mais le réalisateur ne riait-il pas avec nous?)...

Il y a aussi par là un genre de retour aux sources du cinéma d'action: out les gros flingues et les types surentraînés, on ramène la précarité, l'état de crise, la forêt oppressante, le thème du retour à l'état sauvage... Chaque protagoniste doit affronter cette bête mystique qu'est le Prédateur, et la plupart échouent. On casse l'image du soldat sans peur, archétypal aux années 80, avec brio. C'est un film de contre-culture, qui s'oppose au cinéma d'action reaganien que je déteste, tout comme Die Hard l'année suivante. C'est aussi une perle de mise en scène pour l'époque.

The most manliest film in the world, directed by the only director to have had 3 successful back-to-back outings, and lead by cinema's most quotable action hero. So, what do you get? You get Predator. The 80's, *sigh*, the best decade for action movies. Now it's all CGI. Back in the 80's, every director's aim was to create the best action film on the market, ranging from the all-too-realistic Rambo to the implausible - but enjoyable - Commando to the legendary Terminator. Fast-forward 20 years and we get directors trying to prove just how much they can make a film squeal like a pig by (mostly) pointless CGI, cliche moments and sub-par script, ranging from the Men in Black sequels to Transformers to Skyline to pretty much every blockbuster released in the past 5 or 6 years.

Predator's first greatest move was to call in Arnie to play Dutch, the main protagonist of the film. He was one of the best actors back in the day not (only) because he could undertake any action he was given; But because he, as an actor and as a character, was self-aware. Apart from the Terminator films, he knew his films were bordering on goofy and/or silly and having a serious character to go along with it would just not cut it. Predator - by definition - is a silly film and quite irrational at times and Arnie knew better to work his mouth rather than his muscles alone. His funny, and quite-iconic - (Get to the Choppa!) -, quotes and mannerisms were evident enough that he was playing a real person, if not 100% realistic, and not just another cinematic cliche, although he does fall into that pit by the time the films comes down to its last 10 minutes.

On paper, it seems like a one-minded film and, you better believe it, it is. It only focuses on the action part. When it is time for the suspense or who-was-it part, a couple of expendables cannot be trusted to act like Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys. So they yell fuck it and spit on the ground and come to an agreement that whatever it is "If it bleeds, we can kill it", and we're steered back to the action part; Not that we ever career away from it but it brings us back there 100%. We get a-lot of explosions, bullets that never seem to end and just plain loudness. That's just the first part. The second part, however, turns into a I Spit On Your Grave comical - but enjoyable - mess.

Anyway, the Predator - the character - is one of the all-time coolest characters that only gets better in the Alien vs. Predator crossovers. Everything about the character is memorable, especially his roar. And if you think that's a dorky looking mask, you don't know anything!

In conclusion, one of the greatest films ever made, yes, but not one of the finest and one can easily lose interest right after when Anna starts to speak English. I mean, from there, things kinda went soft. Predator is a fun film that promises action + violence and it gives. Give it a try, won't you?

8.0/10

All this film was being criticised for on the brink of its release was that it is like a possible spoof of the Alien franchise but I must admit that I think the Alien franchise must have led something to make Predator and the rest of the films (aswell as Alien Vs. Predator and its sequel). When I first saw Predator (which was actually only early 2010), I was both horrified and blown away by it and there are many reasons for this! Obviously it was really scary and I feel that it should be known as one of the most spine-chilling thrillers that have ever been made. However, where I was blown away by Predator was that despite that story is obviously rather silly but the story just felt so real from the start to the end. It felt a lot like it was the audience who were the Predator's prey in the film too because we were fooled by a character like we are going to be killed and ripped apart by a random alien.


Despite its real randomness and its main purpose just to entertain, it is perhaps the manliest film one will ever watch as well as a total badass film too like the Alien franchise. I think what is so special about this franchise aswell as the Alien franchise too is that despite how fictional the characters are, it just feels so real and you are journeying alongside the characters in a terrifying ride which certainly does leave you off the edge of your seat as it did to me when I watched it for the first time and every time I watch it now after seeing it once.


The film begins with the arrival of a specialist Army Commando team (led by Alan 'Dutch' Schaeffer) at a US military outpost somewhere non-disclosed in Central America. After a short briefing from the commanding officer there, they learn that they are to rescue a 'Cabinet Minister' whom was in a helicopter that was shot down whilst flying over enemy territory. Accompanied by a CIA operative, they head deep into the jungle; only things are not as they seem. Almost immediately, they find the remnants of another US military team, Green Berets; who have been skinned alive by some unknown enemy. A short while later, they strike the enemy encampment; only to find that they have been set up by the CIA to bring back important military intelligence information, rather than effecting any rescue. But something else is hidden, waiting, watching in the jungle: an immensely advanced and powerful alien that hunts only the most dangerous prey in the universe - the Predator. One after another, the team is picked off as they desperately attempt to escape the jungle by reaching the extraction point as the enemy guerrillas and the Predator close in on their position, can any of them survive this nightmare?


Arnold Schwarzenegger was perhaps one of those actors who were in Hollywood's good books back in the 1980s especially for his roles in The Terminator and Commando but he proves once again in Predator that he is the most badass actor of all time despite that he is the actual prey this time not his enemies in the films he is in. His performance as Dutch was really good and I loved his character because he is the leader of the unit in the journey so it is his responsibility to be there for the rest of the unit. Plus, I admire that when Dutch seems to be the only person left in the jungle, he chooses to stand and fight against the Predator. Kevin Peter Hall was just badass also as the Predator but bloody hell! Just when we thought there wasn't anybody who is bigger in body build aswell as taller than Arnold Schwarzenegger, there happened to be Kevin Peter Hall! What makes the Predator character so great is that he isn't a CGI or modelled character like some characters like him are but because this alien is portrayed by a man, it makes him seem more real and more terrifying to watch especially just when the Predator unmasks. Kevin Peter Hall, may you rest in peace.


The direction from John McTiernan was just fantastic! There were moments where the directing was a bit like films such as Jaws, Alien and even Psycho with the very suspenseful music and the fact that a lot of the violence in the film looked totally real. I would've loved to have seen McTiernan's response when he saw Predator 2 seeing as that one was a massive disappointment to this one.


Overall, Predator is an absolutely fantastic action-science fiction-thriller that is definitely one of the best films of the 1980s. Arnie, you are one badass actor! Predator certainly is the most manly film one will ever seen aswell as one of the most badass films ever. It also deserved its rightful place as one of the best thrillers and science fiction films of all time. Unfortunately, Predator 2 was a huge failure to this one but thankfully, Predators was the sequel that Predator deserved. The film aswell as the Predator certainly is an ugly motherf**ker to watch!

"She says the jungle... it just came alive and took him."

There was a period back in the 1980s when Arnold Schwarzenegger ruled Hollywood. He was the ultimate action hero, and it didn't matter in the slightest that he was a one-dimensional actor who favoured snappy one-liners over Oscar-worthy dialogue. Whether he was the action hero in Commando or the villain in The Terminator, "Ah-nuld" was a force of star-power to be reckoned with, and movie-goers flocked to see any of his action films. 1987's Predator is simply the perfect '80s movie, offering an amalgamation of the three most popular mainstream genres of that decade: action-adventure, horror, and science fiction - and it's a Schwarzenegger flick to boot. All of these components are mixed up to form this heady brew of violent action, macho posturing and ridiculously quotable dialogue, which is all set at a breakneck pace.

At its most basic narrative level, Predator is your usual men-on-a-mission movie (think The Wild Geese or The Dirty Dozen) with added flourishes of horror and sci-fi. At the beginning of the film, Dutch Schaefer (Schwarzenegger) and his battle-hardened squad of elite commandos begrudgingly accept a mission set by the CIA to rescue a group of political hostages from guerrillas in the remote jungles of Central America. The assignment seems simple enough, but shortly after rappelling into enemy territory, Dutch and his team get the feeling that something isn't quite right. Not only have they been set up by the CIA who in reality wants them to recover military intelligence, but there's also something lurking in the jungle...a creature from another planet watching their every move. As the men head to the extraction point, they are slowly targeted one by one...

The rest of the movie sustains a skilfully realised dance between the increasingly desperate commandos (who are stripped of their physical and military superiority, and must resort to any trick in order to stay alive) and the titular Predator (who mixes futuristic technology with a taste for sadistic rituals). The fact that the Predator never gives a reason for its presence on Earth makes its hunting far more ruthless. Moreover, this creature has no voice and it can't be reasoned with - it's a hunter; pure and simple. And it slaughters the commandos for no reason other than it wants to. Unsurprisingly, the movie eventually boils down to a mano-a-mano standoff between Schwarzenegger and the Predator, with the stakes more equal when Dutch discovers an invisibility method. At this point, Predator announces its affinity for all things primeval, as Dutch has to reach deep inside himself and become a primordial warrior stripped of all guns and armour. The battles between Dutch and the Predator are highly exciting, and have been bestowed with an element of danger rarely felt when Arnie is typically dodging bullets - he's far more vulnerable when pitted against this strong otherworldly entity. Predator is a rare film in which a viewer gets the sense that something might just defeat Ah-nuld.

A huge part of what makes Predator such a top-shelf action flick is that it never stops charging ahead. There's a refreshingly uncomplicated plotline in place which is never dragged down by sprawling back-stories, rambling chunks of exposition or gratuitous distractions. Dutch and his commandos have a hell of a lot of personality, and the screenplay (credited to Jim & John Thomas) doles them out without ever stopping to catch a breath. The lulls in the action are always filled with something: mistrust, pig-sticking, pussy jokes, the nagging sense that something's not quite right, intense character interaction... The pacing never has the chance to drag. On top of this, Predator is one of the most quotable films in history (not far behind Arnie's Commando) - "If it bleeds, we can kill it"; "Get to the choppaaaah!"; "I ain't got time to bleed"; "You're one ugly motherfucker"...the list could keep going, but you get the idea.

This was director John McTiernan's second film, and his work here is brilliant. McTiernan has become famous for generating tension and suspense using confined locations, and for Predator he certainly uses the steamy jungle to great effect. His direction is claustrophobic and assured; confidently staging amazing action while also concentrating on tension and atmosphere. The jungle itself plays a crucial part in the proceedings, and it's wonderfully photographed by Donald McAlpine. Then there's the Predator itself. Despite being little more than a man in a suit that bleeds highlighter ink, it's a marvellous creation engineered by effects maestro Stan Winston (with some input from James Cameron). Played by Kevin Peter Hall (who stands an imposing 7'2"), the Predator is an unnerving combination of insect, reptile and professional wrestler. The creature effects are immaculate, with the invisibility camouflage optical effect still impressing to this day. Naturally, not all of the special effects stand up to this day. But happily, even the phoney-looking effects are still serviceable.

Predator features countless large and in-charge actors. Arnold Schwarzenegger leads the pack. He may not be Hollywood's greatest actor, but at the peak of his career, he certainly knew how to entertain an audience. Interestingly, the film features another actor who went on to serve as Governor - Jesse Ventura. The most dynamic action sequences are saved for these two very large men, whose oversized physiques are in full display here.
Two of the most macho African American performers of the 1980s also feature in Predator - Bill Duke and Carl Weathers. Both men submit highly authoritative performances. Sonny Landham was hired for the film under one condition: that he had a bodyguard with him at all times - not to protect Sonny but to protect everyone around the actor (he was prone to starting bar fights). That trivia fact reveals pretty much everything you need to know about the badass Landham. Rounding out the cast is the endearing Elpidia Carrillo as Anna, in addition to Richard Chaves and Shane Black as members of Dutch's unit. This was the film debut of Black, who became famous for his screenwriting. Indeed, Black penned Lethal Weapon, and spent his free time on the Predator set writing his screenplay for The Last Boy Scout.

With its thrilling, high-octane mix of Rambo and Aliens, Predator certainly delivers on its promise of non-stop, energetic action - and it does not disappoint in the macho department. It's cheesy as hell, of course, and slightly dated, but it's also entertaining and cool as hell, with tonnes of quotable lines and an utterly unforgettable villain. Predator is an action movie with something for everyone, and a jewel in Arnie's career.

10/10

Dutch:[the Predator pulls off his mask] You're one... ugly motherfucker!

A team of commandos, on a mission in a Central American jungle, find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Dutch

Strangely enough most of the film was shot under the original title Hunter, it was only later when the creature design was changed that the movie evolved the name Predator. The clapperboards showing the original title can be seen in the outtakes on the special edition DVD.

So Predator will always have a special spot reserved, from being one of the best horror/sci-fi films of 80s fare, it's also a huge childhood favourite of mine. Despite the fact that I've seen it dozens of times as a kid, Predator functions 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 recounted. 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 just the tip of the ice berg...

''When I was little, we found a man. He looked like - like, butchered. The old woman in the village crossed themselves... and whispered crazy things, strange things. "El Diablo cazador de hombres." Only in the hottest years this happens. And this year, it grows hot. We begin finding our men. We found them sometimes without their skins... and sometimes much, much worse. "El cazador trofeo de los hombres" means the demon who makes trophies of men.''

The jungle makes for a great setting for an action sci-fi adventure, becoming almost a character in itself.
These sorts of films tend to be set in space, so experiencing the action down on earth is a fresh approach; and the fact that it's set in the jungle, with it's dense foliage, cements the fact that Die Hard director John McTiernan is able to clock up the suspense, just like in the Vietnam war; the soldiers are dealing with an unknown enemy, a kind of guerrilla warfare visage. 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 matters either.
Arnold Schwarzenegger lost over 25 pounds before filming began in order to better fit the role of a special warfare operative, who would be lean as well as muscular.
Also is the third film in which Arnold Schwarzenegger wears a Seiko model H558-5009 diver's watch. Since nicknamed "The Arnold", it is highly sought-after by collectors and regularly trades for values in excess of its original retail cost. Its distinctive black collar and stainless steel fittings suitably complements Schwarzenegger's exaggerated arm muscles in his early films.

Blain: You lose it here and you're in a world of hurt.

According to an interview with director John McTiernan, the "hole in the jungle" appearance of the Predator was played by Jean-Claude Van Damme in a "blue screen" (actually red) suit. Van Damme quit after two days, unhappy with being cast as an uncredited special effect. The alien was scrapped, redesigned and was eventually played by 7'2" Kevin Peter Hall.

Two of the actors portraying commandos besieged by the Predator have been elected to state governorships: Jesse Ventura (Independent) was elected Governor of Minnesota in 1998, and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Republican) was elected Governor of California in a hotly-contested recall election in 2003. In addition, Sonny Landham (Republican) ran an unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Kentucky in 2003.
A bold attempt was also made to get shots of the Predator swinging from tree to tree using a monkey in a red special-effects suit. However, the monkey kept removing the suit and the idea was abandoned.

Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger may well be a standardly predictable 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 and graceful as the creature from Alien, but it's just as inventive and sports a different kind of intelligence. 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, for fun.
Aside from being ingenious, the idea also borders on the insanely 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 yet entertaining and inspiring despite some dated effects.

Interesting Goofs

Revealing mistakes: When Mac removes the scorpion from Dillon's shoulder, a gray adhesive can be seen holding the scorpion when Mac holds up the knife.

Continuity: When Arnold is swinging through the trees trying to get the predator to follow him into the trap, there is a clip where he his hugging the tree and his hair is messy. There is a pan of the forest then back to Arnold but now his hair is all neat and tidy.

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Poncho climbs the rope to check out the chopper, the hook on the rope's end is lifted by his clothes. When it drops back onto the chopper there is no metal sound.

Crew or equipment visible: When Poncho is hit with the log the Predator just shot, you can see the ramp that flings Poncho into the air right under him.

Factual errors: It is not possible to fire a mini gun, which Blain carries, without some power source, which he does not carry; the pack on his back only contains ammunition. Further more, if a human were to fire a mini gun with live ammunition, one would be propelled backwards by the recoil.

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Dutch is running from the Predator, and trying to lead the beast into the small tunnel which contains the "trap", a quick cut-away shot of the trap mechanism appears to be a photo of the trap, as opposed to "live" footage, and even appears to be a bit out of focus.

The Predator: Anytime.

Despite the cookie-cutter characters and limited acting range of the whole cast (the Governator Arnold among them), this movie works very well. Three quarters of it is basically the alien predator hunting down the small band of mercenaries. That three quarters works very effectively and thanks to the fact that there weren't any over the top special effects and practically no computer imagery, the movie has aged very well. An action movie that doesn't embarrass itself despite the passage of twenty years, that's a rarity and this makes it a classic.

What a supreme flick! Even after 20 years, this film still holds its ground against the action 'titans' of today. An absolutely outrageous, over muscled, gung-ho, special forces military team are sent into the rainforests of South America to rescue a missing US Chopper. 'Cept not being able to save the personnel of the downed craft, the mission goes perfectly. However, they are being observed by an unknown entity.

The story starts quite slow but when they reach the Guerilla camp, it goes mental! The word overkill is not enough to describe the elation you feel when Dutch's team waltz in to a heavily fortified enemy stronghold and then walk out with a few scratches! The tone is always about waiting, everytime there isn't an immediate action shot, you are literally sitting there waiting for the next. It builds you up throughout the narrative so you are not left disappointed.

The casting for this film could not be improved upon. Bodybuilders, Athletes and Mr. Universe!! It is pure masculinity running through their veins. It goes to show the success of muscle bound heroes of the 80s really paid off. You didn't need Oscar winners or bright young stars; You needed masculine men who could crush your dreams with a flex of their eyebrow. Arnold Schwarzenegger plays the leader of the squad and with his star power made the film recognisable among the other action films that sprouted up at this time.

The soundtrack is to die for! Not only does it provide a perfect stalker theme but it manages to stay with you hours after watching. If P. Diddy - Bad Boy for Life & NERD - Lapdance weren't already my theme tunes. I'd pick the Predator Theme! Not to mention Long Tall Sally blairing at illegal volumes as they soar over enemy territory!

Starting a franchise aswell has got to be one of the greatest feats of this film. The notion of a deadly extra-terrestrial that has a sense of sportsmanship and honour with its killing gives it a whole new dimension. Usually their is no prejudice in a monster movie. It simply kills on contact! The Predator is one of the most iconic figures of the science fiction genre. This great film portrayed it/them in a way you could never forget.

The Predator series hasn't improved since this film but at least it has time to improve and grow...still!