Alien, Predator, AvP (news)

[FPAlpha]

With both the Alien and Predator (and let's face it Terminator) franchises one thing is crystal clear, when they make a straightforward films and keep things simple. People vs Predator(s) or Xenomorph(s), those films tend to be good, when they complicate the plot those films tend to be shite.

Maybe but how long can you exploit the same formula and just change scenery?

I'm not saying one need to make an arthouse movie out of it but i wish we'd get something more unique than what i described. I just hope they don't take this as a template and send Predators up against ancient warrior cultures ( though Samurai vs. Predator would look cool).

 

[Starkers]

The difficulty is, as cool as Predators are, they're incredibly two dimensional. They hunt. That's what they do, all they do. Frankly I think changing the scenery is perhaps all you can do.

 

[valkyrie013]

Maybe next film, shake it up.
Predator comes down to hunt.. but in the first 5 minutes, its killed by the humans. Something like a reverse. theres 5 predators in the ship, and we keep on killing them untill the leader comes down. Then we take there ship and leave. Think, Final Destination, but with the predators buying it in creative ways.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

The Predators work best as foils for the human characters. The less known about them, the more mysterious they are, the better they are able to allow the human protagonists (and even antagonists) to reflect different aspects of humanity. Different settings can offer different perspectives and commentaries on historical and societal issues. Of course, to shake things up, sometimes the Predators would have to actually win, and head off-world with their trophies.

Would make for an interesting series.

Though, I suppose, that concept might be better suited for graphic novels than feature films. Or maybe a limited run Netflix-type series.

 

[Mage]

https://www.joblo.com/prey-jesse-ventura-praises-the-predator-prequel/

To the haters...... Jesse Ventura says you're wrong. Case closed.

Yes, this was tongue in cheek since most haters will take this seriously.

 

[FPAlpha]

The difficulty is, as cool as Predators are, they're incredibly two dimensional. They hunt. That's what they do, all they do. Frankly I think changing the scenery is perhaps all you can do.

So why not try and make them three dimensional and explore them? Cost may be the biggest factor but good villains need good backstories or they become boring. Prey is right at the limit for me and was saved by the unusual setting and the low tech aspect vs. the High Tech Predator.

However a second movie in that style is not something i'd want to see because it would be boring as hell.

The AvP comics expanded their culture a bit, especially the sequel to the first one when we see the human they took with them live within their culture. I think it's past time to develop the Predators more, because while their gadgets are cool i don't need to see the xth iteration of some seeker projectile.

 

[fireproof78]

Maybe but how long can you exploit the same formula and just change scenery?

I don't know? How long have we had monster and horror movies?

 

[Jedi Marso]

Maybe but how long can you exploit the same formula and just change scenery?

I'm not saying one need to make an arthouse movie out of it but i wish we'd get something more unique than what i described. I just hope they don't take this as a template and send Predators up against ancient warrior cultures ( though Samurai vs. Predator would look cool).

The trick is putting a new and interesting spin on the elements that made the original successful. This movie managed to do that, for the most part. I'd like to see the franchise move into the future, though, and see what happens when the Colonial Marines come to town with some Vasquez and Hicks types, who understand what the Predator is, and they aren't afraid to go head to head.

 

[FPAlpha]

The trick is putting a new and interesting spin on the elements that made the original successful. This movie managed to do that, for the most part. I'd like to see the franchise move into the future, though, and see what happens when the Colonial Marines come to town with some Vasquez and Hicks types, who understand what the Predator is, and they aren't afraid to go head to head.

That could be one hell of an awesome action movie - Pro against Pro. I'd like to see that.

 

[USS Firefly]

So why not try and make them three dimensional and explore them? Cost may be the biggest factor but good villains need good backstories or they become boring. Prey is right at the limit for me and was saved by the unusual setting and the low tech aspect vs. the High Tech Predator.

However a second movie in that style is not something i'd want to see because it would be boring as hell.

The AvP comics expanded their culture a bit, especially the sequel to the first one when we see the human they took with them live within their culture. I think it's past time to develop the Predators more, because while their gadgets are cool i don't need to see the xth iteration of some seeker projectile.

Are there novels you know of that expanded their culture or only comics?

 

[Mage]

Are there novels you know of that expanded their culture or only comics?

The Rage War Trilogy has some very interesting insights in Yautja culture.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

There were some Predator games on PS2 I never got around to playing. I might have to get them and check them out since I think I'm going to be on a Predator kick for a while

OK I was going to suggest an open world Predator game would be cool, but apparently that's what Predator: Concrete Jungle for PlayStation 2 is

 

[Mojochi]

All in all, it wasn't that bad of a movie, I guess, even though the dog stole most of the movie from the actual characters. It's just... that gotta be the most whack ass Predator in the history of predatoring. Dude was wandering the countryside skinning snakes & canines & shit. They should've called that movie "A Predator Picnic". Even the premise of hunting tribal humans seems like a weak ass challenge, unless he's the species' biggest imbecile or something

Is that shit even worth making the trip from another planet? By the look of that beastly freak, he could probably find tougher shit to hunt & kill in his own species' local pet shop. They really took a lot of the gusto out of that franchise with this imho

 

[Kai "the spy"]

https://www.joblo.com/prey-jesse-ventura-praises-the-predator-prequel/

To the haters...... Jesse Ventura says you're wrong. Case closed.

Yes, this was tongue in cheek since most haters will take this seriously.

Bill Duke also likes the movie and Midthunder.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Watched it, enjoyed it.

As others have said, it's hard for me to get past a skinny girl being the action hero badass, but they did two things to make it at least semi-plausible: 1) She came from a Neolithic culture where she would have been naturally strong, hardy, and fast for a human woman by contemporary standards, and 2) In the end, she won more with her wits than straight brawn.

I had no more trouble believing Naru could take down a Predator than I could Danny Glover's Lt. Mike Harrigan. Both used their environments and their wits (and the Predator's own technology) to prevail

Solid B+. Would have been an A except for the painfully glaring 'Disney Princess' element of it. I do think they could have let this one loose in theaters- I would have gone. Think of how awesome this could have been with Wes Studi in his prime as the main protagonist!

Technically, Naru is sort of a Disney princess now that Disney owns 20th Century Studios (I guess it could also be argued that the Xenomorph Queen in Aliens also technically could be considered a Disney Princess )

 

[fireproof78]

I had no more trouble believing Naru could take down a Predator than I could Danny Glover's Lt. Mike Harrigan. Both used their environments and their wits (and the Predator's own technology) to prevail

It's not like Naru didn't witness a bunch of people try and fail either with the Predator.

 

[Grendelsbayne]

And it's not like even Dutch was ever actually a match for the Predator in any way, regardless of his fancy weapons (which were useless) or his muscles (which weren't even the right type of physique to actually 'realistically' be a fantastic fighter anyway - body building is for show, not for strength). It's his intelligence, powers of observation and resourcefulness that make him a great hero. Just like Naru.

 

[Mojochi]

I don't have any problem with who the hero is per say. I thought she was fine. Decent enough actress as well. As others have pointed out, how big or tough they are isn't the determining factor anyhow. What robbed it of a little gusto imho is that in other installments, they are literally gunning down on this beast with ordnance & automatic munitions to the extreme, in order to even get a speck of blood from it, which seemed like exactly who these predators hunt, for that very reason, their badassery in warfare... & in this movie it's picking on people with bows or axes, & doing only about as well. It's just a bad look for this Predator. Even worse is WTF it's hanging around doing here in the 1st place, hunting wolves & snakes etc...

This thing kills alien xenomorphs, man. I just can't get excited it killed a wild dog chasing a bunny... or even that bear. A bear? So what?

Again, the characters were fine. Interesting even. The Predator itself though? Comes off as a punk ass imho lol

 

[fireproof78]

Hunters enjoy a variety of game hunting. Some times you want something that is actively hunting you back (mountain lions) and sometimes you want something easier and enjoyable.

And you can't get excited by a bear? Bears are fucking terrifying. Damn I hated that scene so much.

I blame The Edge.

 

[Kai "the spy"]

This movie might also, if not actively retcon, then at least ignore the history introduced in AvP about Predators hunting Xenomorphs on Earth, or any other place for that matter. In that case, this Predator watching and hunting snakes, wolves and bears would make sense as it is investigating the food chain to see which is the greatest local predator and thus the worthiest prey.