Predator (1987)

Plot Outline: A special forces unit are sent into the South American jungle to rescue some hostages taken captive by some guerrillas. But in the jungle they encounter something more deadly than a group of guerrillas. They encounter an alien which proceeds to stalk and hunt them using a variety of futuristic weaponry to do so.

The Review: It’s not the best of plots and the acting consists of mainly grunting but Predator is a gripping, relentless action film and up there with the best of the genre. I mean when you have a group of muscle mean such as Arnie, Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura, there isn’t going to be any Oscar nominations, just a whole bunch of grunting and flexing of biceps. However in the 15 years (at time of writing) since it was released, Predator hasn't lost any of it's original charm. Why it is such a great action film isn't really known. It just is. The muscle men, so often the scapegoat of bad films, manage to make something of the situation and you can actually believe that they are a crack team (with the exception of the nerdy Hawkins, who seems completely out of place). Their military manoeuvres are done believably and there is a certain camaraderie amongst the group. With little plot, the film doesn't have that many plot holes in so you can just sit back and enjoy the ride. The thing about this film is that it doesn’t just delve into the action either. It gradually builds up (some may find the beginning very boring) and even when the fighting does start, it is only in small pockets here and there, unlike its sequel. The battle scenes are tremendous though and do pack some firepower and punch: I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that mini-gun. The alien's weapons are all masterfully created - you know you're not up against something from Earth when the laser weapons start firing. There is a hilarious scene where the surviving commandos simply pump bullets into the jungle for about 10 minutes (well it seemed that way). But once it comes down to Arnie Vs the alien, the film does get a little more ridiculous and loses some of it's appeal. After all, the predator has just wiped out an entire commando team. The actual predator alien is a weird but original creation, which is instantly recognisable and has gone down as one of the classic film monsters. Kudos to Stan Winston on an excellent job. The predator's menace is also enhanced with the brilliant "thermal imaging" point of view shots we are treated to throughout the film. This really does crank up the tension as we can see what the alien sees. The jungle settings are also superbly visualised, mixing the right elements of natural beauty but the fact that you're in the middle of nowhere. Add in a pretty riveting soundtrack and you have Predator.

Final Verdict: Predator is a classic action film and certainly one of my favourite films of all time. McTiernan realises that plot and characters aren't really necessary when you move the film along at such a quick pace, have some great action set pieces and a kick ass alien.

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