On P List of Movie Reviews
(For optimum viewing, adjust the zoom level of your browser to 125%.)
Predator (1987)
Rate:
10
Viewed:
10/03, 8/04, 7/07, 10/10, 9/20
7/07:
As often as I have seen Predator, it always does a good job of putting me in a nostalgic mood for the old taste of
how action movies used to be.
Far better than most films of the genre, Predator is a hell of a ride. This is about muscles, guns, and blowing
up things. Arnold Schwarzenegger is unforgettable as Major Dutch. So are the others such as Sonny Landham, Jesse "The Body"
Ventura, Carl Weathers, Shane Black, Bill Duke, and Richard Chaves. Ironically, three of them ran for the state governorship,
winning two.
I first saw Predator in 1987 and thought of it a brilliant masterpiece. My sentiment hasn't changed at
all to this day. The following are still classic:
"Get to da choppa!!!"
"You're ghostin' us, motherfucker."
"Get to da choppa!!!"
"I ain't got time to bleed."
"Son of a bitch is dug in like an Alabama tick."
"Get to da choppa!!!"
"There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man."
"If it bleeds, we can kill it."
"Get to da choppa!!!"
"You're one ugly motherfucker."
"Get to da choppa!!!"
The best part is when everybody has a full-on carnage against the jungle with the most firepower ever. It's a brilliant
moment of hilarity. How about the shot of Dillon throwing his arm against Arnold's which shows off the huge pumps of
their biceps? It's a can't-beat testosterone classic.
All in all, Predator is among the best movies ever made.
10/10:
In the vein of And Then There Were None, Predator is the one of
the best sci-fi horror pictures of all time.
What I love is the subtle diversion. At first, the plot seems to be a simple rescue mission which quickly
turns out to have sinister undertones, hence the dramatic ending. Although Arnold Schwarzenegger's physique looks
unbelievably amazing, the Predator is something else.
A clever aspect is the use of brains over brawn. Yeah, nearly all characters were loaded with an
insane amount of muscles and testosterone, but they got killed, regardless. Once the surviving characters put the
clues together and understood the kind of enemy they were up against, they came to realize that it had become a grave
situation and that they must save the world from this formidable alien.
All in all, Predator is an unforgettable Schwarzenegger classic.
9/20:
Predator absolutely deserves a '10'.
At first, the film looks like another Commando, but it's been set apart by the sci-fi
horror elements. The editing is first-rate in terms of storytelling. Rules for the Predator are clearly defined over
the course of time. Hence, my intelligence is never insulted at any point.
What's interesting about the cast is how muscle-bounded they were and yet all but one had been
defeated by the Predator. Dutch has the toughest task at the end by using all of his physical energy in order to overcome
the incredible odds. It also helps that he was lucky to survive this long given how randomly his co-members were
killed. He was also able to learn more about his foe's strengths and weaknesses.
So yes, everybody is amazing. They play memorable characters with unforgettable lines. Their
display of muscles and firepower is unbelievable. The scene of them shooting at the jungle and hitting absolutely nothing
but trunks and leaves is priceless.
All in all, Predator and The Terminator are the only two films in Arnold
Schwarzenegger's résumé that rival many Stallone actioners of the 80's.