“Predator” was originally a classic action/horror film from 1987 starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The movie was about a group of commandos who, while on a rescue mission in the Central American jungle finds themselves being hunted by an alien, dubbed the Predator, who hunts people for sport.
In this reboot, the story follows Army Ranger sniper McKenna, played by Boyd Holbrook, who sees a Predator after its ship crash lands. McKenna then finds himself caught up in an action-packed plot involving several Predators, a shady government agent, his autistic son and a bunch of other people.
This movie marks the fourth in the franchise. The original “Predator” was followed up years later by a poorly received sequel in 1990 with “Predator 2” and the spin off in 2010 “Predators,” which is a decent movie. And that’s not including the crossover franchise of “Alien Vs. Predator.”
This 2018 reboot is directed by Shane Black, who was a cast member of the original “Predator” – he’s the only one without any giant muscles. Black also did some uncredited work on the screenplay. It would seem he would be a perfect choice to direct this reboot.
Black clearly knows his way around an action film, especially an action/comedy.
It’s rather fitting the other movie I’m reviewing this week is “The Meg,” because these two do share similar qualities.
Both feature premises that are enjoyably over-the-top; however, they are different on how they handle these premises. “The Meg” didn’t embrace the over-the-top subject matter, but “Predator” did.
“The Meg” makes jokes about the giant shark that almost broke the fourth wall, but it didn’t work because it didn’t match the tone of the film.
“Predator” makes several references that jokingly call back to the original film, but it isn’t a problem because it matches the tone the filmmakers are going for. “Predator” doesn’t take itself seriously. There’s even a scene where a character makes a joke about sequels being dumb and then briefly glances at the camera.
The actors deliver the performances this movie calls for, with many of the actors playing wild and colorful characters. The acting is almost hammy, but it works and the actors do it well.
The only way their performances could have truly been better is if the script itself was better.
The script isn’t perfect and that does go for the rest of this movie. Some jokes are funny, some are not as funny, and then there are a couple of moments that are a bit predictable.
“Predator” is an enjoyable, over-the-top action film that honestly wasn’t the same as the original “Predator.” After all, the first one starred Schwarzenegger, who is an icon of cheesy movies.
This movie doesn’t deserve it’s poor reviews.
The original “Predator” and the reboot are two different movies. The original had more of a focus on action and horror with a little comedy. This reboot is a full-blown action comedy. Black is known for his action and even more for his comedy. While in terms of quality, the original is probably the better film, but the reboot is not too far behind.
With its action, humor and fun atmosphere, this is a modern blockbuster with the vibe of a 1980s one. If this sounds like a movie that seems like your cup of tea, I recommend giving it a try. It’s a good time.
