Effective and stylish sci-fi/actioner

Rating: 7/10 (12 August 2004)

John McTiernan's Predator is a slick, gory thriller with a strong villain and an effectively played hero. Dutch Schaeffer (Arnie) leads a team of elite commandos into the Central American jungle to rescue a cabinet minister. Before long, his team discovers that it is being hunted by a mysterious alien--a being that has travelled to this planet to kill for sport.
Pros: Gorgeous photography (helped in no small part by the beautiful Mexican locations); A brilliant creature design by Stan Winston; Nifty "cloak" effects; Thermo-vision; Tight, energetic direction by McTiernan; and a great score by the underrated Alan Silvestri.
Cons: Highly irritating, overly macho commandos, entirely too convinced of their own "bad-assness"; Poor dialogue; Merely average acting; Jesse Ventura; Jesse Ventura; Some dated effects; Jesse Ventura.
7/10 Good fun, but no match for the superior Alien series