The H-Bomb: Eight strangers are dropped into a jungle with no memory of how they got there. They’re an eclectic mix of soldiers and violent criminals and they’re all armed. The only one who appears to be out of place in this bunch is a dweeby doctor (Topher Grace). They wander about this strange jungle, finding empty cages attached to parachutes, plants that were thought to have been extinct on Earth, weird booby-traps, all the while they start to get the feeling that they’re being watched.
When they finally reach a point where they get a good view of the sky, they realize that they have been dropped onto another planet. (At this moment, I was expecting one of them to say, “We’re not in Kansas anymore.” Thank God that line never came) The self-appointed leader of the group, a mercenary named Royce (Adrien Brody), surmises that this world is in fact a giant game preserve for intergalactic headhunters and… well, they’re the game. I’d say that’s a pretty good guess.
Yes, it is true, the ugly motherfuckers are back, in their full dreadlocked, crab-faced glory. There are three of them this time around, as mean as they ever were, and they have some trophies to collect… trophies in the shape of human skulls. Now this band of social misfits (to put it politely) must set aside their differences and work together if they’re going to have even a shred of a chance of surviving this hunt.
This simple, straightforward, spatter heavy, gleefully R-rated throwback to the action flicks of yesteryear (yesteryear being the 80’s) is best enjoyed if you’re not expecting too much from it. If you are anticipating such things as a probable story that stands up to scrutiny and rich character development, then you are setting yourself up for massive disappointment. But if you go in looking for a fun, Sci-Fi shoot ‘em up, with carnage and gunplay to spare, then you’re likely to get your money’s worth and leave happy.
I wouldn’t say it’s as good as the original “Predator” (Arnold owns), but I enjoyed it more than the second one (Predator in L.A. … yawn), and it’s fucking “Citizen Kane” compared to those piece of shit “Alien vs. Predator” movies (those NEVER HAPPENED).
If I were to complain about anything, I’d say that the filmmakers (producer Robert Rodriguez and director Nimrod Antal) fell into the same trap that the people who made “Terminator Salvation” did by throwing in way too many homages to the original film (the minigun, the roll off the cliff into the river, the song over the end credits). Seriously, the references may be fun for some fans, but they hinder the film’s chance of having a life of its own. Also, I think it took the movie a little too long to get rolling. Yeah, it’s all a big mystery to the characters, but we the audience already know where it’s going. So while the main characters spend the first part of the picture wandering around scratching their heads, we the audience are left sitting there waiting for the Predators to show up.
However, once the movie does kick into gear, it’s pretty much a rockin’ rollercoaster ride all the way to the finish. It totally delivers the goods on the action front and the idea of the predator “hunting dogs” was a pretty slick touch. Director Antal actually came up with a number of imaginative and surprising action sequences, and unlike that cinematic poop stain “AvP: Requiem”, we can actually see what’s going on in them.
The performances are pretty solid for the most part, with Brody making a much more convincing action hero than I ever thought he would. I first assumed he was just slumming here, but I could tell he was actually giving it his all and having a blast with it. Alice Braga is both beautiful and badass as an Israeli sniper. Fans of Danny Trejo may be excited at first by the idea of him going toe-to-toe with the Predator, but any hopes of seeing that are quickly dashed as his character buys it very early in the film. Laurence Fishburne pops up in an entertaining extended cameo as a lone nutball who has managed to survive many of the hunting seasons on this planet. As far as Topher Grace’s doctor character goes, many of you are probably wondering “What the fuck is Topher Grace doing in a Predator movie?!” Relax, he’s not that bad here. He actually provides some comic relief without being obnoxious about it.
Overall, “Predators” is by no means groundbreaking or extraordinary, it’s not meant to be. It’s a fast, energetic thrill ride that’s a fun way to kill a couple of hours on the weekend. For fans of original Arnold flick, it’s a must see, and for fans of action movies in general, it’s definitely worth hunting down.
Overall I agree with the review by irate films as a fan of the original movies Predators was not a disappointment. The only thing I felt was casted incorrectly was the role played by Lawrence Fishborn. He was awful in this role I just could not believe he was able to survive for a period of time on this planet being overweight and out of shape. Luckily his role was limited in the movie.
The Fishburne part was originally meant to be Arnold's character from the first movie. When they couldn't get him (I guess being Governor of California is a full time job), they re-wrote to be Danny Glover's character from the second movie and tried to cast him. When they couldn't get Glover, they then rewrote to be some random dude and cast Fishburne. I didn't mind Fishburne, because I enjoyed his performance, but it would've been awesome if they had gotten Arnold or Glover.