Let’s play a game shall we? This game is called what we need to make an eighties blockbuster movie. Aliens: check. Lots of Action: check. Stereotypical almost all male cast: check. Arnold Schwarzenegger: check.
So with an almost exact replica of the key ingredients (minus Arny of course) can Robert Rodriguez’s Predators live up to the same fame and success as it’s predecessor?
Say goodbye to planet earth folks. Next stop a planet which is entirely a hunting preserve. Royce (Adrien Brody) leads a team consisted of a drug lord Cuchillo (Danny Trejo), army specialists Nikolai (Oleg Taktarov) and Isabelle (Alice Braga), a murderer named Stans (Walton Goggins), Yakuza warrior Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchien), Sierra Leone death squad Mombasa (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) and finally Eric Foreman I mean Edwin (Topher Grace) through this foreign world as they try to avoid an unseens hunter…a predator if you will. That’s it…That’s all
The Good
Move Along Lieutenant Mike Harrigan This is the true sequel that should have happened back in 1990 instead of Danny Glover’s Concrete Jungle idea. Everything from the acting to the killing it all screams true to the original movie.
Once Upon a Time on a Unknown Plant Robert Rodriguez’s writing style fits perfectly into the world of Predators. From his rough and tough dialog to the at times quirky comments made by Topher Grace from time to time. This really makes you appreciate Robert’s work and excuse for his certain debacles *cough* The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl *cough*
Strap On Your Tube Tops The classic music is back and it has never sounded better! You feel like at any moment you’re going to see the Govinator himself to step from behind a tree with a lit cigar and say some kind cheesy catchphrase. The music is that good.
Red or Blue Pill I didn’t mention his name at top because he deserves his own little part. His name is Laurence Fishburne. He plays his mentally unstable character named Noland to a tee. It really seemed that he was born to play this role. Who ever chose to cast him did an awesome choice.
The Bad
I am Batman?. The pain being Adrien Brod’s Dark Knight-esque raspy voice. The man could have done without it. Leave the grunge to the bat piano man.
Ice Breakers The group may have melded just a little too well. They spent five minutes arguing and as soon as they spot the three moons they all come to a mutual understanding and decide that hey fighting each other is not cool mmmkay then after that they run as a very well oiled machine.
The Ugly
Let’s do the Time Warp Again Because of the restricted time length the film really felt fast forwarded to the end. As soon as their business with Noland is concluded it just flies to the ending. People get picked off in a ten minute time span. If they movie gets a sequel please make at least two hours long Fox. Ninety minute movies belong in 1980 along with Schwarzenegger’s career.
Final Verdict
With just a few negatives on under it’s belt Predators is exactly what the franchise needed Danny Glover, not AVP,. It keeps the story nostalgic enough but brings it’s own new flavors to the dinner table. Thank you kindly Mr. Rodriguez.