A Great Step Forward in the Action Genre

Rating: 10/10 (8 March 2016)

Predator is directed by John McTiernan and is the story of a group of testosterone fueled men that are sent on a mission in Central America and end up being forced to fight a being much beyond their comprehension and abilities combined. This thing is targeting them all, picking them off one by one. It kills for sport and "decorates" the dead bodies. Dutch, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger must lead his team in this battle of the fates, pitting predator against prey.
Predator is easily one of the best action movies ever made. Everything contained in this film is pure masculinity, from a close up of Dutch and Dillon's (Carl Weathers) biceps when shaking hands, to Arnie covering himself in mud so that the predator's vision of him is obscured. This movie screams testosterone, and I love every second of it. However, I feel that a girl could enjoy the movie as well. It's not just a film made for manly men, it's made for lovers of action, whether that be a man, a woman, or a little kid that likes explosions and gunfire.
The best thing about this film is the memorability factor. Anyone who is a regularly movie goer should be able to recall the first time they saw this film, just because of how memorable it is. At least two or three lines in this film are everyday terms, including "If it bleeds, we can kill it," to the ever-so-famous "get to the choppa!" This movie is very memorable, and forever will be an icon for the action genre.
The direction and cinematography throughout the film are also pretty great. Each shot captures the Central American jungle very well, engulfing the audience in the environment that these men are in. There are a few smaller jump scares throughout the movie, and the suspense is expressed very well, thanks to the camera angles, and any other element that factors into the few seconds leading to the jump, including the rising background music, and the actors' facial expression. This is how action and suspense should be filmed; not shaky cam.
This leads into my next and final point, which is the acting. All of the actors, from Arnie to Carl Weathers, to Jesse Ventura (who plays Blain) do amazing. They, like mentioned before, capture the masculinity this film brings to the table majorly, and the viewer can tell they have all transformed in one way or another for their role. Arnold Schwarzenegger actually lost about 20 pounds or so for this film, because he figured that a military man would be muscular and lean, not just a barge, like he formerly was.
Overall, Predator is a great step forward in the action genre, and brought many new factors to the table. The film is near flawless, and definitely deserves an A+, or a 10 out of 10.