Predator

31 years after its original release, it's hard to believe that there was once a time when John McTiernan's Predator wasn't revered as one of the best action movies of the modern era. Critics savaged the film, although now even the stuffiest of critics cannot deny its shamelessly muscly, bullet-spraying, blood-spattering charm. Predator is now held in as equally high regard as McTiernan's other action classic Die Hard - released the following year - and featured Arnold Schwarzenegger at the very top of his game. This was long before the Austrian hulk made a swerve into politics and became the self-parody he is today. The premise is almost offensively simple, but the execution makes this one of the most effortlessly enjoyable action movies of the 1980s. McTiernan knows exactly how to tear a jungle apart with gunfire, and set up his disposable supporting characters for a grisly death.

Special Forces major Dutch Schaefer (Schwarzenegger) is "choppahed" into South America, where is he given a mission to rescue an official who has fallen into the hands of some insurgents. Schaefer and his team - played by Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, Richard Chaves and Shane Black - are met by Schaefer's old Army buddy Dillon (Carl Weathers), and the two greet each other in the most 80s way possible by flexing their oiled and oversized muscles in a manly handshake. As the team venture further into the jungle, it becomes clear that Dillon isn't telling the whole story, and the mission becomes even more difficult when they capture a female hostage named Anna (Elpidia Carrillo). Yet this is far from their biggest problem, as on their tail is an alien with the ability to camouflage itself and see with thermal imaging, backed by an arsenal of powerful extra-terrestrial gadgets and a healthy appetite for the hunt. With the group being picked off one by one by this formidable enemy, Schaefer must get to the extraction point before he becomes another skull in the beast's growing collection of trophies.

The plot can be compared to countless B-movies throughout the years, but what worked for Alien also works for Predator. Take a simple premise, add some budget, bind it together with some good old-fashioned decent film-making, and the result is a timeless classic. Yes, the special effects have dated and most of the actors' stars have somewhat dimmed in the decades since, but Predator is even more of a blast now than it was when I stole my brother's VHS twenty-odd years ago. The sequels, spin-offs and comic-books have gone to great length to explain and develop the Predator's mythology, but McTiernan simply lets the monster do its thing. Played by the 7 ft 2 in Kevin Peter Hall, the Predator's formidable armour, weaponry, stealth and sheer repulsiveness has made it a sci-fi/horror icon. Like the Alien franchise, subsequent movies have felt the need to explain the creature's backstory, damaging their otherworldly mystery in the process, but Predator simply throws him into the mix and lets him loose on our world's finest warriors. With star Shane Black's reboot The Predator set to arrive shortly, now is the perfect time to revisit what drew audiences to the series in the first place, in spite of how your attitude may have soured after those terrible Alien cross-overs and the forgettable third entry from 2010.

One of the classic sci-fi movies and one of the most entertaining action movies ever made. Certainly one of the best Arnold movies, along with Terminator 1 and 2. Mix a simple but effective story, one cool alien, well directed action scenes, Arnold kicking ass and you get an top notch action movie. Sure, there are some exaggerated macho performances, but John knows how to do it with style.

So if you're a young (but not too young) movie viewer who haven't yet seen Predator, be sure to do so to get a sample of action 80's style with Arnold at his peak.

Rating: 8/10

This film will always have special place for me, as aside from being one of the best horror/sci-fi films of the eighties; it's also a huge childhood favourite of mine. Despite the fact that I've seen it dozens of times as a kid, I have only seen it once during adulthood; and that single viewing was more than enough to remind me what it is that I love about this film! Predator works 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 remembered. 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 the least of their worries...

The jungle makes for a great setting for an action sci-fi flick such as this. These sorts of films tend to be set in space, so seeing the action down here on earth is different; and the fact that it's set in the jungle, with it's dense foliage, ensures that Die Hard-director John McTiernan is able to bump up the suspense, as just like in the Vietnam war; the soldiers are dealing with an unknown enemy. 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 the film either!

Now, Arnold Schwarzenegger may well be a terrible 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 as the creature from 'Alien', but it's just as inventive. 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! Aside from being ingenious, the idea also borders on 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 - but its damn good mindless fun!

First of all, if you haven't seen this action, suspense and violence extravaganza, you most certainly are not a true action movie afficionado. The immediate grabbing feature of this movie is its score, very imaginatively composed and created by Alan Silvestri whose other credits include the Back to the Future series and other gems like Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The tempo and build up which the score lends to the film engage its viewers with feelings of fear and nerve wracking suspense for what lurks within the thick of the forest. Take note of Sonny Landham's comment;"there's something out there,and it ain't no man.

The action is fast, furious and merciless. The commandos are killed off one by one, leaving Arnie, Carl Weathers and the surviving members extremely terrified and on the verge of breaking down. Note the heated arguments that some of the commandos get into with each other. There is very animated and fiery action in the beginning (assault on the terrorist camp) but as we are introduced to the true terror of the jungle (or should I say, outer space), the action takes a turn for the more insane eg.Arnie running away armed only with a knife and trembling in fear, almost drowning in a waterfall and thereafter, continually pursued by the Predator). All this followed by a half hour long jungle battle mano a mano with spears, rocks and fists and hall deafening yells by both warriors. Very, very fierce and macho stuff I assure you all.

I shall not go into the other intricacies of the film and will leave it to the curiosity of potential/virgin viewers to find out for themselves. "Predator" is essentially one of the few action movies that truly lives up to its name and delivers the thrills and spills in no small amount and at breakneck speed. True connoisseurs of hard action.....YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!!!! 9.5/10

This movie is an absolute classic. This is the machoist movie ever made. Schwarzenegger in his prime, Carl Weathers, Jesse "The Body" Ventura and Bill Duke--I don't think the line up could have been any better except if they added Sly Stallone.

"Predator" is one of the rare movies from the 80's that I can watch again and again and not feel as though it's dated. The action was great, the lines were memorable and the predator was a beast.

"Predator" was a fresh addition to the action movie genre. No fighting gangs, or terrorists, or enemy nations--this was the toughest of the extraterrestrials versus the toughest on Earth. Man they don't make 'em like this anymore.