Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Predator

Before “The Expendables” were ever thought up of, director John McTiernan had the vision to cast a large amount of movie tough guys for a film that dealt with a group of armed force fighting an invisible murderer in the jungles of Central America. From Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, former wrestler Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Sonny Landham and the ever popular Arnold Schwarzenegger. “Predator” has a multinational of bulky guys and sweat that has one of the best casts of an action film ever. 1987 had one of the most unique and new action thrillers ever made.

Felix Vasquez said in his review, ““Predator” skirted the edges of B movie cheese to become an grade A science fiction actioner about a stealthy powerful alien foe who begins to systematically knock off threatening mercenaries that have just happened to interfere in its fight for survival in a foreign world when its ship crash lands in the jungles of Guatemala.” Just then Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Schwarzenegger) is called in to the country with his platoon to rescue a hostage of local guerillas. However, nothing is what it looks like as most of the Guerillas have no clue why local American soldiers and pilots have appeared hung upside down and ripped of skin. While rescuing a hostage for their mission and trying to make it back to their check point they found for themselves that they’re all being tracked by something evil that looks like it has the upper hand in the fight and will stop at nothing to kill the platoon as victims in its deadly mission.

Despite that “Predator” had mixed reactions from critics has been one of the best fan favorite science fiction films of all time and for good reason. Vasquez said, “The film is teeming with enthusiasm and charm relying heavily on its cast to keep it moving along and they oblige two fold. Every character is allowed their own moment against the creature and in spite of failing fantastically to bring it to its knees learn what a true prey is like in the cruel jungles of this country.” Most of the film’s action scenes are still completely exciting and special, especially when looking at this as a film from the late eighties.

Vasquez mentioned, “The thermal imagery point of view shots along with the droning of the creature’s own technology is still a trademark genre facet on par with the Jaws theme and signals a moment in time where it promises to destroy anyone around it. What begins as a simple slash and grab film transforms in to a fight for survival as the soldiers soon figure out their tactics are pointless against this unseen foe and must try to re-build their own principles of self-preservation or die at the talons of this monster.” Director McTiernan smartly keeps the predator unclear by trees and its high-tech cloaking device that makes it something that’s kind of invincible and really aggressive, especially when its victim responds to its attacks.

Once the body count begins growing, the fight between man and predator increases to a nail-biting fight of intelligence between Dutch and this crab faced murderer, both who want to kill the other while gathering the benefits of war. Vasquez admitted, ““Predator” is a very testosterone laced action thriller with an enemy that was one of a kind back in the eighties and it still holds up as a prime piece of entertainment for anyone in the market for military roughnecks taking on an alien foe.” Even for a film made in 1987, John McTiernan’s action thriller still looks new and unique with great performances, a great cast, and a villain that would be copied for a long time and never really equal when looking at danger, aggression and a complete eye appeal.

Undeniably, this is one of the best action films of all time. If you haven’t seen it, go out and see it, this is a requirement. You have to see this film because you will absolutely love it and get engaged in the fight. Especially with great Schwarzenegger lines, like his famous, “GET TO THE CHOPPA!” Don’t miss your chance to see this movie.

Seeing how great of a movie this was, it seemed inevitable that they would decide to make a sequel to this movie. How is that compared to the first one? Find out Friday when we continue going through “Halloween Month.”

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