Get to da chopper!

Rating: 9/10 (20 January 2018)

Well this really sums it up doesn't it? Action films from the 80's are in my opinion unparalleled, no other period in film making perfected the genre as well as this glorious decade did, and "Predator" was one of the best.
Probably the joint biggest star in Hollywood at the time, it either had to be Arnie or Stallone didn't it, and in this film it was Arnie who got the nod; pure testosterone fueled manly action in a time before action heroes became weak and filled with needless emotion, as is the case in today's world.
The acting itself wasn't exactly great, but who cares about that, this isn't a quintessential period drama, this is pure bad-to-the-bones action nothing more, throw in a bit of the old sci-fi and you've got a winner.
"Predator" is a proper popcorn muncher, the action is raw and doesn't stop for a heartbeat, it just keeps going and keeps going, characters are disposed of periodically by the mysterious predator, keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout; yes there were other "Predator" and "Predator" related films over the years, but nothing will ever beat the original.
Particularly I enjoyed how they kept the titular villain hidden behind a wall of invisible energy, this greatly added to the suspense by not giving away the creatures appearance, it allowed your imagination to do the work, something a lot of modern film makers don't seem to understand.
Other than the obvious predator itself, there was very little in the way of special effects, the film instead relied on raw, gritty realism to convey the action, again something a lot of modern film makers don't seem to understand.
Definitely a one to watch for any film fan, just sit back and enjoy.