"Stick around." (possible minor spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (4 August 2004)

Although "Predator" is by no means the best action movie of the 1980s (that would be "Aliens") or Arnold's best movie of the 80s (I'd have to say "Terminator"), "Predator" is still an excellent piece of work, and the blueprint for the focused pure action film. No time is spent on a meaningless romance (the downfall of many an action flick), or with long monologues or discussions. The film alternates fairly regularly between two types of scenes, suspense and action. As it progresses, "Predator" spends more and more time on the action scenes, but there is actually quite a long period in the beginning with no gunshots and no fistfights, only suspense setting up second and third portions of the movie: the attack on the guerilla camp and the ensuing attempt by the team to "get to the chopper," and the section from the waterfall to the end, where Dutch must fight the Predator. All the performances in this are more than adequate. Weathers is good as the former-soldier-now-businessman, Arnold portrays the limited array of emotions required--fear, anger, confusion, and resolution--just fine, and the rest of the players perform reasonably well in non-demanding roles. No commentary on "Predator" would be complete without a mention of two more things. First, the dialogue produces some amazingly quotable gems, usually said by Jesse Ventura. Statements like "I ain't got time to bleed" lend themselves to everyday conversation exceedingly well. Second, "Predator" has a scene in which more munitions are expended than perhaps any other movie not featuring D-Day. At least an acre of the jungle is just completely decimated, and that's just damn cool. In conclusion, if you're in the mood for an action movie, "Predator" will fit the bill in just about every way.