An alien in the jungle

Rating: 6/10 (28 November 2014)

John McTiernan made a good fist of Predator but it was Die Hard where he hit pay dirt with a cracking action film combined with wit, humour, a devious plot and an action man better known for comedy roles.
Predator actually starts off in space as a pod heads for earth. Meanwhile Arnie and his crack team of special forces personnel are hired by CIA agent (Carl Weathers) to rescue some hostages which includes an important politician in the Central American jungle.
However the CIA have ulterior motives in sending the team. After a firefight with the rebels the team get picked off one by one. It seems something is watching them, something invisible and maybe alien.
After the success of Commando and The Running Man, the budgets and production values increased for Arnie action films. Predator shows it on screen with a better and more diverse cast as well including an early acting role for future action film scribe Shane Black.
This is a popcorn film with humour, action and teamwork. The latter part of the story pits Arnie against the Predator. Rather prophetically we see even in these early films Arnie having tender scenes with a latino lady.
The film is still a little formulaic, a little by the numbers. Apart from Carl Weathers we get little insight to the rest of Arnie's squadron who are shorthand stereotypes. However Arnie did realise after this film that if he was going to conquer the action genre, he needed to show more than his muscles but films with a good script, very good effects and a visionary but also zany action director. His next big action film, Total Recall would certainly deliver the goods.