Predators

It's a return to the Eighties with a sequel that is worthy of the first Predator, instead of the inner-city Predator 2, and let's not even get started on Aliens Vs Predator ...

Predators starts a little bit like a hardcore Lost. A bunch of strangers wind up in a jungle and there's something in the trees ... you can guess it's a bunch of Predators, well, and other things. Adrien Brody plays the main lead as a more lithe Schwarzenegger role whilst other human 'predators', soldiers, gangsters etc. come along with him. The idea is that they are game for Predators to hunt and each set piece is them trying to survive. It is a definite homage to the original Predator with quite an identical set up (especially the end), but like how Aliens did with Alien, there's just a whole bunch more of them.

I went into this movie with pretty low hopes, I love the original Predator but felt like it would take a lot to do this justice but I actually was quite impressed. It might not be original, scary or particularly well-made, but for an action film it's a fair cop.

Directed by Vacancy's Nimrod Antal, this is a good step forward into a more illustrious Hollywood career, he clearly enjoys building up tension with the added satisfying touch of some good pay-offs. The settings look lush and rich, with a vibrant palette that gives it that European feel Antal is used to, the monsters look good and it's pretty much action from start to finish. They've also tried to give the Predators a bit more character by giving them unique 'tribal' looks and forcing them into two groups. They've also thrown in some weird predator dogs, some strange creatures which I imagine are also being hunted and a very crazy Laurence Fishburne as a survivor who has been there a little too long.

As you can imagine, one by one they get killed off, but each character has been thought about and there is often some good group dynamics. Adrien Brody steals the show for me, which is strange seeing as I don't rate him as an actor, but his soulless dead eyes and gruff voice make him perfectly cast in his lone wolf persona. The others I could give or take, except Walton Goggins whom I love anyway and is perfect as the crazy prisoner.

There's not much of a story apart from the fact that they have to survive. For some reason, one of the predators is tied up and there is a predator vs predator match which is pretty cool, there's also a secret within one of the group which was a bit predictable but generally speaking I had a good time watching this film. Though it was a bit confusing at times such as why the predators were in groups, why one was tied up, what the other creatures were, I'm sure they did explain all this but it felt a little bit like trying to overcomplicate something for no reason but to make the audience think. But then, maybe that's a good thing?

Seeing as Predator hasn't had a fair cop since his 80s heyday, this returning to the roots of the beast is something that has enough action to keep you happy, a simple enough plot to keep you sustained and is a good first step to recreating what Aliens Vs Predator has ruined. This isn't a film at the top of it's game, but instead is running with the same blood as the original Predator, a monster movie in a jungle.

Don't expect anything that will take your breath away, but I've seen a lot worse.

Rating: 6/10