There's something out there and it ain't no man, we're all gonna die

Rating: Null/10 (9 January 2001)

That one line from Sonny Landham sums up the entire movie - there is something out there which isn't a man and they are all going to die (with the exception of Arnie.)
Schwarzennegger is at his best here and even manages some semi-good acting, had he stuck to movies like this instead of trying to move into comedy (Jingle all the way ring a bell) he might not be the memory he has now become. (best scene: standing on a rock with a flaming torch and yelling)
Carl Weathers has always been one of my favourite actors since I first saw him as the infinatly charismatic Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies and he comes off excellently here as the mistrusted outsider. (best scene: fighting the predator just before his arm is blown off)
Elpidia Carrillo was an actress I had not previously encountered before seeing this film but she does a superb job with the small part she is given, but some sub titles would have been useful when she lapses into Spanish or Mexican (also she is gorgeous which never hurts) - I believe they also made a good choice by not putting her in a position to have to play the weak women who needs rescuing all the time as this would have been completly unrealistic and very annoying. The actress herself deserves credit also for taking this part since a lot of women would not even consider taking part in a movie such as this and for being able to avoid her character being more or less terified than the men in the film. (best scene: kneeling the jungle with the soldiers and telling them of her peoples legends surrounding the predator - in english!)
Bill Duke brings a certain level of intensity and emotional impact as the man who loses his best friend and sets out to avenge him, along the way he uses more ammo than the entire soviet army, kills an innocent boar and works his razor to death. (best scene: chasing the predater through the jungle singing long tall sally)
Jesse "the body" Ventura the future governor of Minnesota shines in his role as the sergeant with an attitude and though he dies early on has possibly the most emotionally pivotal role in the whole film as he sets up Mac's actions for the rest of the film. (best scene: spitting tobacco on Carl Weathers shoe in the helicopter.)
Sonny Landham gives the most wideranging and suspensful performance as the one who knows there is something wrong but does not know what, his character is also the one responsible for most of the revelations about the killer i.e. it being a hunter and killing them one by one as well as finding Harper's body. (best scene: cutting his chest and standing with knife ready waiting to die.)
Richard Chaves displays the most emotion in his role as Poncho but does well to balance this by not going overboard and ruining the feel of the film, he also acts as the translator for Anna. (best scene: asking Billy what he knows about the predator.)
Finally Shane Black the future author of Lethal Weapon another of my favourites has possibly the smallest and least vital role as it is obvious he was just included in the film to insert some of those terrible pussy jokes and once he ran out of those he was cut - ha, ha. (best scene: the first pussy joke in the helicopter when he turns back to his map in embarrassment.)
A fine film which unlike many of its kind in the nineties doesn't pretend to be something it isn't.