Note: This is a spoiler-free The Predator movie review
This article originally published on PureFandom.com
I’ve been critical of the Hollywood reboot. It’s played out, it limits creativity, and frankly, it’s lazy. Sometimes the reboot can hit, however, and restore the faith.
The Predator is 100 minutes of mind-melting entertainment, where every scene is driven by laugh-out-loud comedy and ’80s-style action.
The comedy element is the most surprising thing to come from The Predator. This movie is legitimately a comedy with aliens and guns and explosions in between — not the other way around.
Keegan-Michael Key is funny (that one can be expected). Olivia Munn is funny. Trevante Rhodes is funny. Thomas Jane is funny. And they’re all funny because the other one is. The cast really works well off each other, and it’s fun to see a cast chemistry like that.
There is A LOT of cursing in the dialogue, and it makes for a clear effort toward “cheap laughs”. Some of them land and some of them are just cheap, but overall The Predator is a comedic success because of that dialogue and sarcastic ribbing back and forth between the characters.
Sterling K. Brown is funny as well, but he’s also more in his role as Traeger. Simply put, the man commands every scene in which he appears. He’s strong in every role he plays, and this is no exception. Brown is biting and chilling in a matter-of-fact manner as his role of the main human antagonist. To put it another way, he’s a real asshole but somehow still likable. It’s quite a feat. Brown is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors.
Get To Da Action!
The Predator can be as funny as it likes. If it doesn’t bring the old Predator elements back to life it wouldn’t get reboot approval. Lucky for us, there are plenty of past callbacks to enjoy.
For my money, the original Predator alien itself is awesome and still holds up better than any of the mythical creatures created in the ’80s. I was excited to see the 2018 version going in — The Predator delivers and then some. The click language is back. That beautiful hair is back. Being able to jump 35 feet into the air is back. And ripping people in half is certainly back. In fact, the main thing that changed about the Predator is now he’s much bigger and more badass. All that flies with me.
Apart from the monster himself, the best thing about the old Predator films was two-fold — explosions and unlimited bullets. Again, The Predator brings both. Explosions ranging from a science lab to a spaceship are there for your viewing pleasure. There’s also a school bus and multiple cop cars that get the pyrotechnic treatment, just for good measure.
The unlimited bullets is really where this Predator rendition thrives, however. The cast of soldiers might as well have mowed down an entire forest with how many rounds are being fired off. Every machine gun has the trigger permanently pulled back and every handgun has 128 bullets somehow. This is a key component to Predator films of the past, and it’s brought back with a vengeance in The Predator.
Should I see The Predator?
This movie is a lot of fun. If you’re a fan of the original Predator movies, I think this version does them justice. Even if you’re not, but you’re a fan of action films, this is one of the better ones to come out this year. Grab your popcorn, turn your brain off, and enjoy the 2018 version of an ’80s classic.
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(Featured Image via 20th Century Fox)
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