one of the best action films ever made

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 1999)

Predator is a unique film. It combines elements of Rambo and Commando with Aliens. To combine a story that has an elite team of testosterone laden heroes with a scary story of an unseen force that hunts you in the jungle is ingenious. And it has to be mentioned here that what really makes this film work is the casting. Arnold is great but I really enjoyed the other six commandos. They all had their own personalities and I would have to say that my favourite one is Billy. He is played by Sonny Landham ( a Joel Silver favourite ) with a perfect amalgamation of fear and knowledge. He seems to be the only one that knows that something is following them in the jungle. And he has one of the best lines in the film. When Poncho asks him to reveal what it is that he seems to be keeping from everyone, he says, " I'm scared, " Poncho replies, " Bull****, you ain't afraid of no man. " To that he says, " There's something out there, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die." That is quite a chilling moment in the film.

By now we all know what the story is about so I won't recount what that is, but I will tell you what else is great about the film. First we can start with the direction. John McTiernan proved himself a worthy director and I would say that it was this film that got him the Die Hard reins. He has a great pace and a smart attention for detail. He tells the story at a quick pace but he doesn't reveal all the secrets at once. He lets the story unfold right before our eyes. And by the time Dutch is ready to do battle mano a beast, we are ready for Arnold to kick some serious ass. The jungle setting is perfectly filmed as well. We can feel the heat and sense the persperation dripping from the characters. The deaths are very well done as well. Everything from distant screams to someone losing an arm is done perfectly. And that is a compliment not only to McTiernan, but to the writers ( Jim and John Thomas, who would have thought they would end up writing the terrible Wild Wild West? ). The lines they give the commandos are funny and contain much macho linguistics, and that is what we want out of a film like this.
Predator is an action fans dream. It doesn't really slow down to get cute or philosophical, this is pure unadulterated action. So if that is your game then you can't go wrong with this film. This is one of the best action films to come out of the 80's.