Predators

There are tons of reboots coming out these days. One interesting idea was the decision to do a new Predator movie with Adrien Brody as the lead. The original used Arnold Schwarzenegger. That’s like 100 lbs difference in muscle. But even with that in mind, Brody was pretty jacked and believable in the position as the main bad ass.

The movie focuses on a group of elite killers who are dropped onto another planet as game for a group of brutal aliens to hunt. Yes, that description is The Most Dangerous Game with aliens. However, that story always seems to stay relevant with audiences because of how obscure a concept it is. Topher Grace, Laurence Fishburne, and a fairly unknown cast join Brody in Predators. I hope it doesn’t spoil anything when I say that the all get picked off one by one and the confusion and fear the characters feel is similar to the original.

This time the film has better special effects than the 1987 version and the aliens are superior looking to the original. But why there was no attempt to come up with a brand new concept for the franchise baffles me. It’s basically the predators hunt humans and this time they have home field advantage. Nonetheless, the film begins with a unique establishing scene that gets the viewers heart racing immediately. After things calm down, the intriguing (yet recycled) plotline often battles with awkward and campy dialogue that is a small step below laughable. Adrien Brody shows he can be an action star, but neglects some of his Oscar winning prowess as an actor.

The supporting cast presents itself as solid for portions of the film with each individual taking their turn with cheesy lines. The predator monsters are their usual bug faced, dreadlocked selves and even with their fairly ridiculous look it is one that has become Iconic in the sci-fi world. With the clicking sound they give off it made for some dramatic encounters… that tended to end with brutal murder. It is Predators after all. (7.0 out of 10)