Search
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Predator (2018) in Movies
Jun 19, 2019
Writer/Director Shane Black returns to the Predator franchise and looks to jumpstart the franchise in “The Predator”. Black played Hawkins in the classic original film and has since gone on to find success on the other side of the camera with hits like “Iron Man 3”, “The Nice Guys” and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. Black has also written many genre action films so his take on the iconic Predator has been eagerly awaited by fans who are eager to see the series get back on track.
The film centers on a crashed Predator ship which is witnessed by an American Sniper on assignment named “McKenna” (Boyd Holbrook). While able to recover artifacts from the crashed ships escape pod, McKenna also sees his team brutally taken out by the pilot and soon finds himself targeted by a secret organization due to his knowledge of the otherworldly guest.
At the same time, a Biologist named Casey (Olivia Munn), is brought to a secret locale where she gets an up close encounter with the ship’s pilot in captivity and learns that a government organization has been tracking the visitors and that their visits have increased in recent years.
At the same time McKenna is ushered off to a bus full of unhinged soldiers who are to be locked away due to their numerous issues. Unbeknownst to his superiors; McKenna has mailed the recovered technology to his son who thanks to being on the Autism Spectrum, is able to figure out aspects of the tech which he believes to be a game.
This all leads to a series of brutal encounters as an enhanced Predator arrives and with two of the deadly creatures on the loose, the unhinged soldiers are largely the best hope humanity has of surviving what is to come.
While aspects of the plot seem a bit muddled and at times a bit to linear; the film for the most part works for what fans want and in many places gives them the sequel they have waited for. There is a lot of humor in the film which reportedly divided early test audiences but the action is as brutal and graphic as one would want and expect from the series.
The film does have some big gaps in logic such as how a Biologist can be so comfy and skilled with Assault Weapons and seems to have no issues throwing herself into combat situations and the larger plot points of the Predator objective is intriguing and will open up much debate amongst fans.
The last third of the film was reshot and you can tell at times how parts seem a bit out of synch from early parts of the film especially in the appearance of some characters whose look changes during the film which clearly indicates when segments of the film were shot.
I know the film will likely divide some fans who do not like the humor and wanted a more evade and survive style plot but Black has crafted an interesting opening chapter which is said to be the first of a planned trilogy.
While far from perfect, “The Predator” does give fans some interesting characters and plenty of laughs to go with the action and is a worthy entry into the series as long as you are willing to overlook the issues and enjoy the ride.
http://sknr.net/2018/09/11/the-predator/
The film centers on a crashed Predator ship which is witnessed by an American Sniper on assignment named “McKenna” (Boyd Holbrook). While able to recover artifacts from the crashed ships escape pod, McKenna also sees his team brutally taken out by the pilot and soon finds himself targeted by a secret organization due to his knowledge of the otherworldly guest.
At the same time, a Biologist named Casey (Olivia Munn), is brought to a secret locale where she gets an up close encounter with the ship’s pilot in captivity and learns that a government organization has been tracking the visitors and that their visits have increased in recent years.
At the same time McKenna is ushered off to a bus full of unhinged soldiers who are to be locked away due to their numerous issues. Unbeknownst to his superiors; McKenna has mailed the recovered technology to his son who thanks to being on the Autism Spectrum, is able to figure out aspects of the tech which he believes to be a game.
This all leads to a series of brutal encounters as an enhanced Predator arrives and with two of the deadly creatures on the loose, the unhinged soldiers are largely the best hope humanity has of surviving what is to come.
While aspects of the plot seem a bit muddled and at times a bit to linear; the film for the most part works for what fans want and in many places gives them the sequel they have waited for. There is a lot of humor in the film which reportedly divided early test audiences but the action is as brutal and graphic as one would want and expect from the series.
The film does have some big gaps in logic such as how a Biologist can be so comfy and skilled with Assault Weapons and seems to have no issues throwing herself into combat situations and the larger plot points of the Predator objective is intriguing and will open up much debate amongst fans.
The last third of the film was reshot and you can tell at times how parts seem a bit out of synch from early parts of the film especially in the appearance of some characters whose look changes during the film which clearly indicates when segments of the film were shot.
I know the film will likely divide some fans who do not like the humor and wanted a more evade and survive style plot but Black has crafted an interesting opening chapter which is said to be the first of a planned trilogy.
While far from perfect, “The Predator” does give fans some interesting characters and plenty of laughs to go with the action and is a worthy entry into the series as long as you are willing to overlook the issues and enjoy the ride.
http://sknr.net/2018/09/11/the-predator/
Andy K (10823 KP) rated Predator (1987) in Movies
Apr 28, 2018
If a ever go deaf, it will be because of Predator!
I found a used Blu Ray at a local shop for $1.99 so I decided to upgrade my existing DVD and boy was it worth it. The picture and sound quality was amazing (deafening).
Almost everything about the film holds up given this is my 20+ viewing. Has to be in the top 5 action films of all time right along side Die Hard and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The remote setting, characters, musical score, tension, slow burn reveal and screenplay all lend to the pristine action and compelling storytelling here.
A have to admit a few optical effects and the Predator suit do look a bit dated now, but that does not impact my review.
Such a classic!
Almost everything about the film holds up given this is my 20+ viewing. Has to be in the top 5 action films of all time right along side Die Hard and Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
The remote setting, characters, musical score, tension, slow burn reveal and screenplay all lend to the pristine action and compelling storytelling here.
A have to admit a few optical effects and the Predator suit do look a bit dated now, but that does not impact my review.
Such a classic!
Dork_knight74 (881 KP) rated The Predator (2018) in Movies
Nov 28, 2018 (Updated Nov 28, 2018)
Entertaining
I like the predator movies. This one was not much different than the rest. Some new characters, plenty of intense(gory)action and cool special effents. Interesting idea about the gene splicing. The story was a little out there, but it's a movie about alien hunters, so don't take it too seriously. The alien dog was a weird part and Olivia Munn's character was not explained very well. How was this biologist so adept with weapons/ fighting? The acting was decent and the cinematography was done really well. Of course they left it open for a sequel(duh). Anyway, it was a fun, entertaining movie and I'd recommended it to antoine who's into action movies. Even if you've never seen a Predator film before. Worth a watch!
Lee KM Pallatina (951 KP) rated Aliens (1986) in Movies
Jun 18, 2019
Predator
a cult sci fi/horror movie set in deep space and follows Ripley, a badass gun toting killer when she needs to be. Ripley and crew mates are hunted down one by one and killed by a huge, stealthy acid drooling Alien.
Plenty of old school jump scares and some great graphics a dark atmosphere and nowhere to hide.
Plenty of old school jump scares and some great graphics a dark atmosphere and nowhere to hide.
Ollie SB (2279 KP) rated Predator: Hunting Grounds in Video Games
Apr 26, 2020
Mission Variety (2 more)
Teamwork
Character/Weapon Customisation
A fun game to play solo or with friends
Predator: Hunting Grounds is a new game from IllFonic, who previously created Friday the 13th: The Game - and it's easy to see the similarities between these games.
The idea is simple, you either play as the Predator, or as part of a 4 man fireteam.
As the Predator, your mission is simple, kill everything! To do this you will be able to seamlessly jump through the trees, using your various weapons/gear to hunt down and ruthlessly kill anything that moves.
As part of the fireteam, you and 3 other players will be given a mission to complete. You will have various objectives to complete within a time limit, before calling for a chopper and getting the hell out of there! During your mission you will have to fight your way through various waves of AI enemies to avoid being killed in action. Oh, there's also the small matter of avoiding the Predator as well, obviously.
Having played this game for a few hours, I'm finding it very fun so far. As you level up you will be able to unlock new weapons and gear, and the customisation options are quite impressive.
This game is totally online so you will be playing with other players around the world, however if you can I would suggest getting a fireteam full of your friends, it makes it a lot easier to complete the missions when you can communicate properly with your team.
As this game is very new, and it is an online game, there are a few bugs/glitches at the moment, however I'd imagine these will be fixed within a few updates.
The idea is simple, you either play as the Predator, or as part of a 4 man fireteam.
As the Predator, your mission is simple, kill everything! To do this you will be able to seamlessly jump through the trees, using your various weapons/gear to hunt down and ruthlessly kill anything that moves.
As part of the fireteam, you and 3 other players will be given a mission to complete. You will have various objectives to complete within a time limit, before calling for a chopper and getting the hell out of there! During your mission you will have to fight your way through various waves of AI enemies to avoid being killed in action. Oh, there's also the small matter of avoiding the Predator as well, obviously.
Having played this game for a few hours, I'm finding it very fun so far. As you level up you will be able to unlock new weapons and gear, and the customisation options are quite impressive.
This game is totally online so you will be playing with other players around the world, however if you can I would suggest getting a fireteam full of your friends, it makes it a lot easier to complete the missions when you can communicate properly with your team.
As this game is very new, and it is an online game, there are a few bugs/glitches at the moment, however I'd imagine these will be fixed within a few updates.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Predator (2018) in Movies
Oct 15, 2019 (Updated Dec 4, 2019)
A pretty shoddy sequel with some good moments here and there
There a lot of issues that kept The Predator from being a decent movie...
The special effects are a big one. A lot of the CGI in this is pretty dodgy. Especially for gore moments. It boggles my mind why a lot of horror films these days favour CGI over practical effects. Films like Alien, and The Thing (80s) stand as a testament to how practical horror work can be truly memorable.
In The Predator however, it's looks cartoony and fake - at one point I had to check I was watching a movie from 2018!
The dog creatures also look horrible - just bland and dark grey CGI blobs with teeth.
The 'classic' Predator that we see throughout this film is for the most part a guy in a suit, and it looks way better.
The characters are also an issue. They're not on the same level as awful as the characters from Predators, but they're all just unfunny walking cliches, which is a shame as there are some talented actors involved, trying to do the best with what they've been given.
The script attempts to shoehorn in plot strands that are not particularly relative to the overall narrative, including a complete tone deaf side plot about autism, which drags down what should be a pretty straightforward story.
The action isn't too bad, pretty entertaining as far as popcorn horror blockbusters go, with some creative deaths thrown in, but once again, the films over reliance on average CGI sours it all somewhat.
The Predator is not the awful film I had heard about, but it's predictably not a scratch on the original. Maybe it's time for the franchise to wrap it up.
The special effects are a big one. A lot of the CGI in this is pretty dodgy. Especially for gore moments. It boggles my mind why a lot of horror films these days favour CGI over practical effects. Films like Alien, and The Thing (80s) stand as a testament to how practical horror work can be truly memorable.
In The Predator however, it's looks cartoony and fake - at one point I had to check I was watching a movie from 2018!
The dog creatures also look horrible - just bland and dark grey CGI blobs with teeth.
The 'classic' Predator that we see throughout this film is for the most part a guy in a suit, and it looks way better.
The characters are also an issue. They're not on the same level as awful as the characters from Predators, but they're all just unfunny walking cliches, which is a shame as there are some talented actors involved, trying to do the best with what they've been given.
The script attempts to shoehorn in plot strands that are not particularly relative to the overall narrative, including a complete tone deaf side plot about autism, which drags down what should be a pretty straightforward story.
The action isn't too bad, pretty entertaining as far as popcorn horror blockbusters go, with some creative deaths thrown in, but once again, the films over reliance on average CGI sours it all somewhat.
The Predator is not the awful film I had heard about, but it's predictably not a scratch on the original. Maybe it's time for the franchise to wrap it up.
DC
Deception Creek
Book
A masked predator is stalking the small town of Oakridge. Known only as The Phantom, he strikes at...
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Predator (2018) in Movies
Sep 27, 2018 (Updated Oct 5, 2018)
The Ultimate Hunter Becomes Hunted Trope
After letting my girlfriend drag me to see A Simple Favor at the weekend, it was my turn to drag her to see something and to be honest, I think that she enjoyed this thing more than I did. This is a film that you can look at a couple of ways. You can either look at it and take none of it seriously, in which case this is a fairly fun, if extremely dumb action sci-fi romp, or you can take a bit more seriously, which I think the moviemakers want you to, in which case it is messy and unbearably cringey at times.
The main problem here is that I am not sure how the director wants us to take this film because the tone is all over the place, with some characters playing it totally straight and some just having a laugh with the ridiculously cheesy material they have been given to work with. The cast are okay, but it is as if they are all working on different movies. Boyd Holbrook, Alfie Allen and Olivia Munn are taking the whole thing pretty seriously and playing it straight while everyone else around them plays it comically and the clash of tones never really sits well throughout the movie. I am a long time Predator fan, I love the original and I think that Predators is a solid sequel too, (let's not mention Predator 2,) I am also a fan of Shane Black. I love the Lethal Weapon movies, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, so I should have loved this movie, yet it just didn't work as well as it sounds on paper.
The VFX in the film was okay at times, but at others the CGI, especially on The Predator himself, felt light and floaty and weightless, which is kinda the opposite of how the Predator is supposed to look as he moves about onscreen.
The whole 'hunter becomes the hunted,' trope actually serves as an appropriate metaphor for what this series has become. The once king of action sci fi (Predator) is now on the back foot and being outdone by a bigger, stronger competitor, (Avengers,) and by comparison, the OG hunter can't stand up to it's superior successor.
Overall, it's not the best Predator movie by a long shot, but it's definitely not the worst either. There are some laughs and some cool kills sprinkled through the film, but there are better action films that have dropped this year and there are better sci fi movies out there too that are more worthy of your time.
The main problem here is that I am not sure how the director wants us to take this film because the tone is all over the place, with some characters playing it totally straight and some just having a laugh with the ridiculously cheesy material they have been given to work with. The cast are okay, but it is as if they are all working on different movies. Boyd Holbrook, Alfie Allen and Olivia Munn are taking the whole thing pretty seriously and playing it straight while everyone else around them plays it comically and the clash of tones never really sits well throughout the movie. I am a long time Predator fan, I love the original and I think that Predators is a solid sequel too, (let's not mention Predator 2,) I am also a fan of Shane Black. I love the Lethal Weapon movies, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, so I should have loved this movie, yet it just didn't work as well as it sounds on paper.
The VFX in the film was okay at times, but at others the CGI, especially on The Predator himself, felt light and floaty and weightless, which is kinda the opposite of how the Predator is supposed to look as he moves about onscreen.
The whole 'hunter becomes the hunted,' trope actually serves as an appropriate metaphor for what this series has become. The once king of action sci fi (Predator) is now on the back foot and being outdone by a bigger, stronger competitor, (Avengers,) and by comparison, the OG hunter can't stand up to it's superior successor.
Overall, it's not the best Predator movie by a long shot, but it's definitely not the worst either. There are some laughs and some cool kills sprinkled through the film, but there are better action films that have dropped this year and there are better sci fi movies out there too that are more worthy of your time.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Prey (2022) in Movies
Aug 8, 2022
It's no secret that since the original and beloved Predator hit cinemas back in 1987, the franchise has seen a steady decline in quality, with each subsequent entry somehow managing to be less palatable than the one before. Not even IP crossovers could save it (although I'm still holding out hope for an Archie Vs Predator adaption someday.) It's a series that had been in dire need of a shake up for a long time, and that's exactly what Prey is. It swaps the modern settings we're used to, placing the action in the Comanche Nation in the early 1700s, it doubles down on the horror elements that have always bubbled beneath the surface, and most importantly, gives us the best and most memorable protagonist yet.
Naru, played by a truly fantastic Amber Midthunder, is a character who has something to prove. She falls down but doesn't accept defeat. She's relatable, determined, and ultimately, a perfect match for her enemy. One wonders who the prey that the title refers to truly is in this scenario. As such, the narrative plays out as a genuinely tense cat-and-mouse game between two abled warriors, both on the hunt, both trying to survive, and it's a joy to watch unfold.
The first third is a bit of a slow burn, allowing the audience to acclimate to the setting and culture. It gives everything a chance to breathe, and basks in some stunning vistas and beautiful cinematography. The vast majority of Prey was filmed on location in the Stoney Nakoda Nation in Canada. This gives the overall aesthetic a feeling of authenticity and wonder. The somewhat tepid pacing of the first third never gets boring, and remains engaging until things really kick off.
The first encounter the predator has with the human characters marks the start of something special, and from here on, the pedal is to the floor until the credits roll. The action scenes are as thrilling as they are brutal. This predator in particular feels more dangerous and ruthless than before, making minced meat of it's victims. The gore is impactful and the kills are creative. Some great sound editing ensures that even when the camera cuts away now and again, the violence is still felt in full. This is all complimented by the design of the predator. It's mask is more primitive than what we've seen in the past, meaning that even with all of it's high tech gadgets, the predator doesn't feel out of place. Everything climaxes in a hugely entertaining finale that would make Dutch proud. There are moments where Prey apes the original a bit, but it's all executed well, and never feels like it's grasping at nostalgic straws like some of the later sequels have done.
It's clear that there an abundance of positives exuded by Prey, a prequel that no one was chomping at the bit for, but a film that absolutely blows it's predecessors out of the water. Dan Trachtenberg has proven that he can step into a franchise and give us something new before with 10 Cloverfield Lane, and this just cements that claim. Prey is a well realised, and well put together project that is arguably the best entry in the entire Predator franchise, and one can only hope that any future installments are handled in the same way.
Naru, played by a truly fantastic Amber Midthunder, is a character who has something to prove. She falls down but doesn't accept defeat. She's relatable, determined, and ultimately, a perfect match for her enemy. One wonders who the prey that the title refers to truly is in this scenario. As such, the narrative plays out as a genuinely tense cat-and-mouse game between two abled warriors, both on the hunt, both trying to survive, and it's a joy to watch unfold.
The first third is a bit of a slow burn, allowing the audience to acclimate to the setting and culture. It gives everything a chance to breathe, and basks in some stunning vistas and beautiful cinematography. The vast majority of Prey was filmed on location in the Stoney Nakoda Nation in Canada. This gives the overall aesthetic a feeling of authenticity and wonder. The somewhat tepid pacing of the first third never gets boring, and remains engaging until things really kick off.
The first encounter the predator has with the human characters marks the start of something special, and from here on, the pedal is to the floor until the credits roll. The action scenes are as thrilling as they are brutal. This predator in particular feels more dangerous and ruthless than before, making minced meat of it's victims. The gore is impactful and the kills are creative. Some great sound editing ensures that even when the camera cuts away now and again, the violence is still felt in full. This is all complimented by the design of the predator. It's mask is more primitive than what we've seen in the past, meaning that even with all of it's high tech gadgets, the predator doesn't feel out of place. Everything climaxes in a hugely entertaining finale that would make Dutch proud. There are moments where Prey apes the original a bit, but it's all executed well, and never feels like it's grasping at nostalgic straws like some of the later sequels have done.
It's clear that there an abundance of positives exuded by Prey, a prequel that no one was chomping at the bit for, but a film that absolutely blows it's predecessors out of the water. Dan Trachtenberg has proven that he can step into a franchise and give us something new before with 10 Cloverfield Lane, and this just cements that claim. Prey is a well realised, and well put together project that is arguably the best entry in the entire Predator franchise, and one can only hope that any future installments are handled in the same way.