Critique: Film> Reviews.

(This review contains spoilers. You have been warned.)

Predator is one of those movies that I will never get tired of watching. Brilliantly cast and fuelled with plenty of testosterone, this is a monstrous piece of sci-fi action set in the depths of the beautiful Puerto Vallortan jungle that never gets old. There is enough excitement, suspense and special effects here to keep, at the very least, the average movie-goer entertained from beginning to end.

So, the plot: Major Dutch Schaefer, leader of the US Army Special Forces Unit, is sent, rather reluctantly, on a rescue mission with his team of badasses into the depths of the jungle by his old buddy, Dillon (Carl Weathers, of Rocky fame). Upon landing, however, the team discover a crashed helicopter that is filled with dead soldiers, all of whom have been strangely skinned and left hanged. This is, of course, is the work of "The Predator" (played by 7' 2" Kevin Peter Hall), a green-bloodied hunter, who selects the most competitive prey and kills them to prove himself worthy of the "warrior" status amongst his own species. What follows is a deadly game of cat and mouse between the hunter and the hunted.

The premise is a pretty simple one, but for what Predator lacks in plot it makes up for with its characters. Like Aliens, the screen presence of the soldiers is so huge that it is enough to overshadow even that of the extraterrestrial villain, whom the movie takes its title from. There are plenty of trademark Arnie moments here, such as when he says "Stick around" after mounting a bad guy to the wall with his combat knife, and the infamous line "If it bleeds we can kill it" after discovering the alien is no match for an entourage of ammunition.

But it's not just Arnie in the spotlight: Even the characters that are killed off in the early stages of the film are admirable for their individual brilliance. Blain, iin particular, (played by Jesse "The Body" Ventura -- ex-WWF wrestler and current Governor of Minnesota) is memorable if only for the moment he offers a box of tobacco around the crew in the opening chopper scene, declaring "[You're a] bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damn sexual tyrannosaurus -- just like me," as they refuse him.

But great characters and killer dialogue aren't all that Predator has. Take the brilliant special effects, for example: The Predator’s clocking and infrared vision look great and still hold up to today's standards. Director John McTiernan (who later went onto direct Die Hard) also manages to pace things eloquently, mixing frenetic action with other moments of quiet suspense, so that we really fear the mystery of the jungle, yet at the same time anticipate what's coming. Further credit must be given to Alan Silvestri for his score, which assists in developing an intimidating atmosphere for man and alien to do battle.

Looking back now, 1987 was a good year for action movies. Along with Predator came The Running Man, Lethal Weapon, Over The Top and Robocop, making the genre as potent as ever. Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course, was at the centre of all the hype, starring here as Dutch in a role that was perfect for his insane machoism and hilarious wit. He may be a politician now, but the man definitely knew how to give the people what they wanted in terms of over-the-top action and subtle comedy; and Predator remains one of Arnie’s best.

(C) Andy Carrington, 2008.