Science Fiction Perfection

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2010)

I was 12 when I first saw Predator and it has been a firm sci-fi favorite ingrained in my psyche ever since. Predator, now 23 years old, hasn't aged and still feels current - if you can excuse the 80's testosterone. It just goes to show that expensive CGI is no match for a good story with a colourful and competent cast.
The story follows Dutch (Schwarzenegger) the leader of a specialized group of bad-ass soldiers who run rescue missions in areas Chuck Norris would be scared to go. He is duped into a supposed rescue mission in South America by an old college, Dillon (Carl Weathers) who now works for the CIA.
Once in the Jungle, Dillon's true reason for using Dutch becomes apparent when the team comes across the mutilated remains of a previous special ops team sent in by Dillon. The team is not there to rescue anyone, but stop an arms deal. Someone begins picking off the team one by one and and to quote Billy (Sonny Landham) who provides the spiritual insight "There is something out there, and it ain't no man". The action begins...
Alien hunters on safari, CIA operatives, professional black ops soldiers, South American rebels and a whole lot of hot steamy jungle in the mix and you have one of the greatest sci-fi films ever made.
The 80's style testosterone fueled acting gives great insight into the period and muscle-bound cast perform well and this must be Arnie's finest performance. Thankfully there isn't much of the of cheesy 80's dialog, like that painfully delivered by Bill Paxton in Aliens and Predator 2.
Like Ridley Scott's Alien, the franchise has only gone downhill since and fans have eagerly been waiting for Robert Rodriguez and NimrÃ³d Antal to restore the franchise to it's former glory with the release of Predators.
A timeless classic and sci-fi masterpiece. 10/10