The familiar aliens of the Predator franchise (pictured above) have new motivations in the fourth movie of the film series. The Predator features realistic creatures, but lets audiences down with a weak script (courtesy of Creative Commons).
Lovers of action and Arnold Schwarzenegger are sure to be familiar with the 1987 film Predator. While not a perfect movie, the original Predator maintains an impressive following of loyal fans who have hoped for a reboot that matched the original’s immersive style and complex lore. Shane Black’s The Predator is not that film.
The Predator tells the story of army ranger sniper Quinn McKenna—Boyd Holbrook—after his covert mission is interrupted by the crashing of an alien ship. The crash kills his squad members and the United States puts McKenna and the so-called “Predator” in captivity.
After the Predator escapes imprisonment, McKenna arranges a group of misfits comprised of biologist Casey Bracket— Olivia Munn—and a few discharged soldiers called “the loonies.” This band of heroes venture off to destroy the Predator, but they must also avoid both the government officials seeking to cover up the existence of aliens and a second, rival predator with mysterious motivations.
The Predator’s most egregious flaw is its pacing. From the very beginning, the film moves into the action quickly to enthrall the audience with gory altercations between humans and predators. While it is nice to see that the film is aware of its own appeal, this fast pace leads to a messy script that never offers depth to the world or story.
Plot points are thrown in suddenly and dropped without any real explanation; characters often demonstrate unrealistic knowledge of alien technology. The cuts are too quick and offer few moments for the audience to enjoy any of the effects or choreography. The uneven pacing also breaks any sense of suspense that is meant to occur.
The acting and dialogue are similarly spotty. Most performances were solid, especially those of Quinn’s son Rory—Jacob Tremblay—and ex-soldier Nebraska Williams—Trevante Rhodes. These actors, however, were not paired with a tightly written script.
There are many moments, both serious and comical, that fall flat due to rather cheesy dialogue. On the other hand, there are many comedic moments that work well and make the audience connect with the characters despite their lackluster backstories.
The Predator’s special effects were also hit-or-miss. When portrayed using practical effects, the predators look the most convincing they’ve been since the conception of the Predator franchise. Many of the film’s CGI effects are spectacular.
There are, however, many times when the CGI effects fall short. There are several close-up shots of aliens, gore and spatter effects that look awful or dated, immediately destroying the audience’s sense of immersion.
After the many peaks and valleys that audiences go through while watching this film, they’re met with one of the worst endings to a film this year. The ending clearly baits a sequel with a premise that seems both utterly ridiculous and tone-deaf to what fans of the original Predator movies probably want from future sequels.
The ending also leaves plenty of plot threads dangling, which is sure to disappoint anyone who cared about the story by the end.
Overall, The Predator was a mediocre film. It has some competent performances and scenes, but most of the film ranges from boring to ridiculous. While many lifelong Predator fans will have some fun with this film, those new to the franchise are unlikely to get hooked on this entry.