"Predators" Discuss/Grade (Spoilers)
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I don't think they "had" to be quotable. I just think writers back then had to rely a little more on their wit and creativity.
Now it seems they just write the bare minimum that's required, and let the cool visual effects do most of the work.
Yeah I think that movie gets an extra point just for the last five minutes in the alien ship. Alien Queen skull ftw.
I know what you mean by that, even though I prefer Aliens.
Aliens (and Alien for that matter) have a lot of 70s and 80s technology all over the place, and that 70s/80s view of the future. Lots of bleeding edge special effects that sometimes stand out a bit too much as special effects.
Predator looks like you could make it today, drop five soldiers in the jungle and other than the fact that they'd likely have better radios or satellite phones they wouldn't look too much different. It's jungle, M16s and Bowie knives and sweaty, jacked-up guys in fatigues, it doesn't get much less dated than that, at least in the last 30-40 years.
No joke. It's easily the best part of the movie. The rest is pretty forgettable.
Yeah I think that movie gets an extra point just for the last five minutes in the alien ship. Alien Queen skull ftw.
I actually think everything from the freezer battle onwards (including the battle on the roof) is really well done and intense as hell.
Unfortunately, all that is STILL only at the very end of the movie.
Just saw this earlier today, I thought it was pretty fun and had some good action. I admit I rolled my eyes when I first heard about this project, but once that first trailer came out it actually looked like it could be good.
There was a huge bit of misdirection in the trailer, though...
As for Predator 2, I agree that it's a bit underrated and gets kind of a bad rap. It certainly wasn't as good as its predecessor, and I'd put Predators up above it, too, but I still enjoyed it.
There was a huge bit of misdirection in the trailer, though...
In the part where they had a whole bunch of Predator targeting reticules centering on Royce. I was expecting a lot more Predators because of that. But, honestly, if there had been more, then nobody probably would have survived.
I always liked Predator 2... almost as much as the first film, but I seem to be in the minority there.
As for this new one, I give it a solid above average. It's not a classic like the original Predator (and there are a few scenes that feel like they were directly lifted from the first movie -- I'm sure they were intended to be homages, but I thought they were unnecessary, as well as a bit too obvious), and some moments did really strain plausibility, but overall it's an entertaining ride.
There are certainly a number of clichés, but let's face it, as well-done as the original film was, it had them in spades too. Thanks to McTiernan's slick direction, though, it was able to get away with that, and while this picture may not have quite as much style, it has enough of it to do the same.
As for this new one, I give it a solid above average. It's not a classic like the original Predator (and there are a few scenes that feel like they were directly lifted from the first movie -- I'm sure they were intended to be homages, but I thought they were unnecessary, as well as a bit too obvious), and some moments did really strain plausibility, but overall it's an entertaining ride.
There are certainly a number of clichés, but let's face it, as well-done as the original film was, it had them in spades too. Thanks to McTiernan's slick direction, though, it was able to get away with that, and while this picture may not have quite as much style, it has enough of it to do the same.
I was very hype about this film but as I was watching it the only word that came to mind was pointless.
I found myself not caring for the characters or the changes, the new super-predators and the hounds with too many horns or the other alien (s) prisoner (s) in the cages. None of the human characters were engaging, except perhaps for the convict; Walter Goggins plays scummy very well. There were good actors in the film, but outside the convict, none of their characters left much of an impression. Fishburne wasn't in the film long enough to make much of an impact, he was there for exposition and then dispatched. I also thought Danny Trejo would've lasted longer.
Topher Grace just doesn't convey menace to me. I wish they had gotten Elijah Wood, who did such a good job as Kevin in Sin City. I also didn't get why no one really questioned him about why he was there. Once Brody's character said he didn't fit, everyone just went with that. I was also expecting someone to freak that they were on an alien planet, but everyone seemed nonchalant about it. I was also wondering why no one pressed the female character about her knowledge of the Predators, or simply believed her story after it had been proven that she had kept things from them.
The FX were good and the action was solid, but I was hoping for more. Maybe learning more about the Predators and their culture, of their species getting a canon name. But the super-predator thing didn't do it for me. Where were they when the small fries were getting their asses handed to them in AVP? I know, I know, Predators is supposed to be a continuation solely of the original Predator. But to be honest, I enjoyed Predator II and AVP 2 better than this film.
I found myself not caring for the characters or the changes, the new super-predators and the hounds with too many horns or the other alien (s) prisoner (s) in the cages. None of the human characters were engaging, except perhaps for the convict; Walter Goggins plays scummy very well. There were good actors in the film, but outside the convict, none of their characters left much of an impression. Fishburne wasn't in the film long enough to make much of an impact, he was there for exposition and then dispatched. I also thought Danny Trejo would've lasted longer.
Topher Grace just doesn't convey menace to me. I wish they had gotten Elijah Wood, who did such a good job as Kevin in Sin City. I also didn't get why no one really questioned him about why he was there. Once Brody's character said he didn't fit, everyone just went with that. I was also expecting someone to freak that they were on an alien planet, but everyone seemed nonchalant about it. I was also wondering why no one pressed the female character about her knowledge of the Predators, or simply believed her story after it had been proven that she had kept things from them.
The FX were good and the action was solid, but I was hoping for more. Maybe learning more about the Predators and their culture, of their species getting a canon name. But the super-predator thing didn't do it for me. Where were they when the small fries were getting their asses handed to them in AVP? I know, I know, Predators is supposed to be a continuation solely of the original Predator. But to be honest, I enjoyed Predator II and AVP 2 better than this film.
I'd give it an above average. It was a workmanlike, B-grade action movie...but it was a good B-grade action movie. I enjoyed the considerable use of the James Horner themes from the original and the other allusions to it as well. Actually, I was surprised they didn't reiterate the "if it bleeds, we can kill it" or the "you're one ugly motherfucker" lines.
This one has a better cast than the original, too. A few don't last very long (Danny Trejo, Larry Fishburne), but they're still superior to "actors" like Jesse Ventura and Shane Black. I know, I know...total blasphemy. I completely intend to re-watch the original soon (and the sequel). Perhaps I will revise my opinions of them. But until then, I will continue my heresy.
About the only thing that didn't was was the...
This one has a better cast than the original, too. A few don't last very long (Danny Trejo, Larry Fishburne), but they're still superior to "actors" like Jesse Ventura and Shane Black. I know, I know...total blasphemy. I completely intend to re-watch the original soon (and the sequel). Perhaps I will revise my opinions of them. But until then, I will continue my heresy.
About the only thing that didn't was was the...
...reveal that Topher Grace was in fact a serial killer. It didn't really was with how the character had acted in previous scenes. I was hoping he was brought to the preserve for a more interesting reason.
My favorite part of the entire film was:
When the Yakuza guy went sword to blade with the Predator. It just shows how honorable the Predator species is, I mean the Pred could have just shot the Yakuza with no risk to himself, or even killed him when he was on the ground, but to let him get up and fight a proper sword fight was awesome.
^
I hope this isn't too much spoilage but there are two types of Predators in this film, the "Classic" Predators of the previous films and the "Black" Predators which are bigger, stronger, and meaner.
I think the Predators in the film fall between the lithe KPH and the bulkier variety from the AVP films. None of them are as good as KPH was.
I hope this isn't too much spoilage but there are two types of Predators in this film, the "Classic" Predators of the previous films and the "Black" Predators which are bigger, stronger, and meaner.
I think the Predators in the film fall between the lithe KPH and the bulkier variety from the AVP films. None of them are as good as KPH was.
I'm not sure it was my favourite scene, but it was definitely one I liked
Overall, I enjoyed the film
Is it just me or am I the only one that the main Predator was a Pred-alien?
