Movie Reviews 2010: Predators

(Casting an Arnie lookalike for the latest Predator film wasn't going well)

Cast: Adrian Brody, Alice Braga, Topher Grace, Oleg Taktarov & Laurence Fishburne

Directed by: Nimrod Antal

Screenplay by: Alex Litvak, Michael Finch & Robert Rodriquez

Plot:

A group of elite warriors are parachuted on to an alien planet where they encounter an alien race known as Predators.

Verdict:

Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem was such a horrid mess it should have spelt the end for the Alien and Predator franchises. But two years down the line here we are again with Predators and some time next year, Alien will return as well. Interestingly though, a certain Robert Rodriquez first conceived this latest Predator flick a very long time ago and all though he decided not to direct, he still takes a producing credit.

Predators literally drops us right into the action and doesn't waste any time whatsoever trying to take the franchise in yet another direction - one of the fatal flaws of the A V P pictures - instead there is a real back-to-basics approach adapted here. For starters we are back in the jungle - no ordinary jungle though, the Predators home planet - where the Predators get to do some proper hunting. Also, Director Nimrod Antal handles the action scenes superbly with minimal fuss and minimal CG. It's almost believable that this could have been released all those years ago when Rodriquez first wrote the damn thing.

Still far from perfect though, Predators has plenty of problems. The plot is never given a moments thought and the ending suggests more films could follow. The characters are given similar treatment with no one standing out as either interesting or memorable. Topher Grace is a perfect example of poor casting and Laurence Fishburne's cameo as a sole survivor is just a bad excuse for filling screen time. Everyone else is just easy prey for the Predators, a bunch of walking cliches. Adrian Brody however fairs a bit better, beefing up considerably for the role, he is a convincing enough lead, playing well against type.

The most enjoyable aspect of Predators is the countless nods to the original film; hardcore fans of Predator will have a great time ticking off every one as they appear. The original Predator itself, check. The original score playing throughout, check. Jesse Ventura's giant gatling gun, check, and very neatly we now get to see a blade-versus-blade showdown between a Predator and a human, something that happened off screen in the 1987 film. And to round things off nicely, allowing you to leave with a smile on your face, a brilliant song choice that plays over the end credits.

DDD