Predators

          To preface this article, I must say that along with the Alien, Back to the Future, and Terminator series’, the Predator franchise is one of my favorites.  The newest addition to the franchise is Predators, produced by Robert Rodriguez.  Delivering a phenomenal script and storyline, Predators is one of 2010’s best films. To bridge the 20 year gap in between official Predator movies (AVP doesn’t count), multiple homages were added to the film.  The American soldier’s last stand, the skinned animals, and the 1987 Guatemala story all are prime examples of this.

          Predators had a great lineup of characters that varied from creepy to hilarious which can be used to ease some tension.  The dialogue between characters is wonderful and keeps the viewer interested. In many conversations, inductive reasoning skills are used by characters which supplies a mental stimulant to the viewing experience.  Also, these characters are played incredibly well, which adds to my overall praise of the film.  The acting is believable and accurate despite the stressful circumstances.  As the story progresses and the tension builds, I was able to sense fear within the actions of the characters. Other than the normal “twitchy-ness,” the actors’ subtile movements such as eye-flickering and swallowing convinced me of their fear and paranoia. 

          One of my favorite creepy scenes happens in the beginning of the film when Chuchillo (Danny Trejo) is booby trapped in an open field. Kneeling in the middle of the field, Chuchillo calls out for help until his friends arrive. After everyone abandons him, Isabella shoots and kills Chuchillo only to realize that he was already dead and it was the predators that were impersonating him. Suspenseful, frightening, and morally confusing, this scene freaks me out every time.

          The cinematography was great and definitely added to the film.  Many shots were long, wide, and silent shots of the jungle.  Having nothing move made the tension rise and forced the viewers on the edge of their seats.  Other than these occasional shots, one in particular caught my eye. After the group discovers the first predator, they roll down a hill and fall off a cliff into a lake. The camera follows the characters over the edge and plunges down into the water with them. This shot pulled me into the movie and made me feel like it was actually happening.

          Other than the entire concept, there were a few things in the film that I found unrealistic. When the predators’ dogs are attacking the humans, Royce manages to cut off a dog’s head in a single chop.  I found it hard to believe that steel blade could go through that much meat and bone so easily. I have never cut the head off of anything so how would I know. Also, when Royce is fighting the super predator in the end, Isabella quickly recovers from her drug induced state and helps Royce. She was poisoned only a few minutes earlier and became functional after only a few minutes.  Lets just call that one “movie magic.”

          Luckily, the film has an open ending for a possible sequel. Producer Robert Rodriguez has talked with Adrian Brody and confirms that there will be a Predators sequel. Predators is one of the few great remakes of classic movies. Can you think of any other ones?