This classic slice of Arnie action has hardly aged a day since its release back in 1987, remaining an excellent example of superior action movie directing by John McTiernan who would go on to make Die Hard. With an ensemble cast of loveable meatheads and one of Stan Winston's best ever designs for the alien, Predator still holds up as a damn fine film.
Man mountain Schwarzenegger plays Dutch, the leader of a group of mercenaries (but ethical ones, mind you) who are called in to the South American jungle in an apparent rescue mission by former comrade, now CIA spook Dillon (Apollo Creed himself, also known as Carl Weathers). After some action right out of the A-team (not surprising as the show's stunt coordinator, and occasional director, Craig R Baxley is stunt coordinator here) the team find out Dillon has been lying to them. This hardly matters however as there are more than just some South American guerillas waiting to jump off a tall struture in slow motion before an explosion goes off; something strange has picked off the other group of mercenaries that Dillon originally hired, and skinned their corpses. What is hiding in the trees and watching them? Could an alien from outer space be tracking them for sport? Soon, Dutch's team are being picked off one by one. Can the Austrian Oak defeat the Predator and 'ghet to da chopppeerrrr'?
Predator has many things going for it, especially taut, economical direction from McTiernan, a master of building suspense and a pacy script from brothers Jim and John Thomas (!) that sketches in enough characters details for the team of mercs that you get to like them. The casting of Dutch's team is spot on from Jesse Ventura's larger than life Blain, with his ridiculously large gun and cowboy hat to Bill Duke's softly spoken Mac. Even the lesser parts get a moment or two to shine, from Shane Black's Hawkins, always telling native American Billy (Sonny Landham) pussy jokes that the big guy doesn't get to Elpidia Carrillo's Anna, the token woman prisoner from the guerilla camp. Arnie is Arnie but here is at the height of his popularity, biceps rippling and spouting his James Bond-esque one-liners ('Stick around' as he throws a huge knife pinning a guerilla to the wall, for example). His unsubtle style of acting suits the premise well, especially when he disguises himself in mud and waits for the alien, eyes wide and staring and jaw grinding. I'd go as far as to say that this is his best movie.
While the classic scenario of a group being slowly picked off is suspenseful enough, the sci-fi element makes Predator irresistable. The visual effects may seem a little clunky now but the concept of the alien having a suit that can camouflage itself is brilliant as are the Predator's lurid primary colour point of view shots, which show it hunts by heat. The design of the Predator is a visual triumph (even if it does seem to be sporting a string vest), especially the dreadlock like hair and the brilliant face, based on a scorpion with moving mandibles. It's up there with the Alien and it's no surprise that the two classic designs were brought together in later movies, albiet with lamentable results. Predator is that rare beast, a hokum action throwaway that is done so well that it transcends its modest ambitions to become something memorable and enduring. Great stuff.
GK Rating: *****
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