One Of The Greatest Action Movies Of All Time And An Excellent,Unforgettable Classic. Arnold Schwarzenegger And John McTierman At Their Best

Rating: 10/10 (19 March 2013)

Predator is one of the greatest Action movies ever made that mixes Action,Sci-Fi,Adventure and Horror and is not only one of my favorite Action movies,but one of my favorite movies period. Filled with brilliant,non-stop Action,great direction and amazing special effects Predator is an excellent and unforgettable Action classic and is Arnold Schwarzenegger and John McTierman at their best.
Set in Central America,Predator tells the story about a group of commandos who have been sent on a rescue mission. While they complete their mission the group discover that they are being hunted by a lethal alien. Now Dutch(Arnold Schwarzenegger)and his squad have to figure out how to stop this alien and stay alive.
What if the character Rambo faced off against the Alien in the Alien franchise? You get Predator,an intense,Action packed film that is one of the greatest Action films of all time and an unforgettable classic that never slows down and is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. One of the things that I love about Predator is the way that it's set-up in the first 40 minutes. During the early part of the film we assume as the viewer that this is going to be just another Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle,but the film cleverly turns you on it's head when the alien attacks and kills and you know that this is not going to be your regular Schwarzenegger film,but a tale of survival and staying alive. The concept of Predator is original and brilliant because the alien is looking for big game hunting and skinning humans and wanting trophies the same way humans do when humans are hunting animals and in this film the concept of hunting is turned on it's head. The use of the Central American jungle is great and adds to the films dread and dark atmosphere because when the characters are in the jungle you'll feel like it goes on forever and that there is no way out and it's the end for the characters. You feel that none of the characters are safe. The hot temperature and sweating adds to the film as well because it's very realistic and you will feel like you're in a hot oven or heater and want to get out and scream at the top of your lungs. And speaking of the characters,despite their strong arms and toughness they a little depth and you feel for the characters and the plight that they go through whether it's dealing with the heat,the Predator,getting out of the jungle or trying to stay alive. The Action in the film is excellent because it builds up thanks to the suspense of most of the scenes and the tension element involved and when the film's tension stops the Action explodes like a bomb and the Action comes fast like a quick punch in the face and you never know what hit you. It's some of the best Action scenes in the 80s and of all-time. The Predator Alien is one of the greatest creatures in the history of cinema and I think one of reasons he's a great Alien and creature is because he's not like other Alien creatures. The Predator isn't trying to take over the world or possess a human body,he's just a hunter and a dangerous killer looking for trophies to take back to his planet. The Predator stalks his prey with smarts and a great use of his weapons. What's also great about the Predator in this film is that we don't see much until the very end which is a smart thing because it adds to the mystery of The Predator and I think makes the Predator more frightening. The Predator is such an amazing creature and when you first see him you will never forget him. The final 30 minutes of this film is a powerful and truly flawless execution of Action and white hot Suspense and is so intense that you will probably want to watch it again because the ending is very exciting and explosive. It is a truly amazing,thrilling and brilliant conclusion to this amazing movie one of the many reasons Predator is a classic.
The whole cast does great jobs in their roles. Arnold Schwarzenegger is excellent as Dutch,with Schwarzenegger bringing depth and charisma to the role. Carl Weathers is wonderful as Dillon,Dutch's friend and army buddy. Elpidia Carrillo does a great job as Anna,a girl that's captured by the commandos then helps them out. Bill Duke is menacing and intense as Mac. Jesse Ventura gives a fun and entertaining performance as Blain,the tobacco eating,big armed soldier. Sonny Landham gives a great,intense performance as Billy,a man of few words. Richard Graves is wonderful as Poncho. Shane Black does a good job as Hawkins,a guy who tells a good dirty joke. R.G. Armstrong gives a fine performance as General Phillips. The late great Kevin Peter Hall is brilliant as The Predator,using excellent body language and movements with his eyes and head. His performances in Predator 1 and 2 will live on forever. R.I.P Kevin Peter Hall.
The direction by John McTierman is brilliant,with McTierman constantly moving the camera and using great angles,giving the film a excellent energy and fast pace. McTierman also does an amazing with the Action scenes and does with great intensity. Great job,McTierman.
The score by Alan Silvestri is masterful,intense,dark and suspenseful and definitely adds to the greatness of the film. A great score. There's also a great use of the classic Long Tall Sally by Little Richard.
The special make-up effects with The Predator creature by the late great effects artist Stan Winston is amazing and iconic and right next to the Terminator films this is his best work. R.I.P Stan Winston.
In final word,if you love Action films,Sci-Fi films or Schwarzenegger films,I highly suggest you see Predator,a landmark Action classic that you can watch again and again. Highly Recommended. 10/10.