Predators

I have been an avid Predator fan since the Governor of California first tangled with one in the jungles back in 1987. I wasn't swayed a few years later when the black cop from Lethal Weapon took one of the same alien species out amidst gang warfare in a (then) futuristic Los Angeles. I stuck with it even through the AVP disaster (redeemed slightly by the second effort). Naturally, it was with extreme trepidation that I went into Predators; first showing on opening day. Robert Rodriguez's past film efforts coupled to some pretty tantalizing trailers was enough to put Paul WS Anderson's folly aside. Now that the material has had a few hours to settle in, I can state that the piece lived up to my expectations.

To clear the air right from the get-go, this is perhaps the theoretical sequel fans of the original have been waiting 23 years for. In fact, one of my few complaints is that the picture comes dangerously close to emulating the first film in multiple occasions. On the whole, there are enough diversions and new concepts presented to dismiss fears of it simply being a "redo", but Rodriguez very well may have studied the original a bit too closely in his pre-production inspiration. More on that later.

That said the film opens in an undisclosed time period but presumably present day based on some of the dialog shared throughout the movie and it does so with alarming efficiency; namely in the form of Adrien Brody's character plummeting toward the jungle from the stratosphere. He, along with several other humans, land within the very Earthen-like jungle only to slowly discover that they had been abducted from their daily lives and apparently deposited on some alien world.

In keeping with the Predator franchise's mythos, they are allotted weapons ranging from machine guns to pocketknives to aid them in their mission; in this case simply surviving.

I mentioned similarities to the original and right from the onset there are many! From the obvious jungle setting once again to the Gatling gun being used to clear foliage, on down to moments like a very warthog like alien being stabbed in the chest with a straight blade, a human-built net trap complete with swinging log, and an accidental tumble while being pursued by the Predator off a cliff into a quick moving river/ waterfall. There's even a moment where the "quiet guy" decides he has run long enough from the mysterious predators and turns back from the group in effort to challenge their pursuer with nothing more than a sword. Combine these onscreen moments with a John Debney score that was deliberately designed to mimic Alan Silvestri's (who was busy scoring The A-Team) work on the original 1987 film and it becomes easy to experience a little déjà vu.

The film's structure is similar to the original as well with a slow building methodical first half linked to a fairly action-packed conclusion. And non of these revelations are mere conjecture as when asked where he drew inspiration for how to make this film, Robert Rodriguez was quoted as saying he was inspired what to do from the original Predator, and what not to do by Predator 2 and both AVP efforts. Interestingly he also went on to say that he drew no inspiration whatsoever from the Predator comics.

The piece, which was shot in a fairly brisk 53-day span, introduces Adrien Brody in his first appearance as a genuine tough-guy and to answer the immediate question, yes he pulls it off for the most part. Taking a cue from Christian Bale's vocal performance as Batman, Brody delivers a forceful (if forced) gruff snarl that makes up for his lack of physical proportions typically considered requisite for the role. The remaining cast is solid as well, with nothing extraordinary to report but no glaring flaws/ miscasts to complain about either. Alice Braga continues the tradition of casting a Latin lead actress in the film and this is further cemented by the fact that Rodriquez himself has stated that the project is intended to be a part of the Predator franchise (making it Predator 3 by definition) and not a part of the AVP mythos which breaks this tradition.

Effects are truly spectacular this time around; not that the earlier entries ever had much to complain about, it was nice to see Predators that didn't rely simply on their high-tech weaponry as a means of eliminating their prey. Sure the shoulder-mount plasma guns are back as are the twin forearm razors but spears, whips, and boomerang-like fist-blades don't make an appearance here. Additionally, and it is yet to be seen whether the community at large will accept this one as part of the mythos, Rodriguez plays around a little bit with the Predator culture by introducing two different sects of Predators that are apparently quite un-fond of one another (quite a diversion from all of the past entries which showed definite camaraderie between the creatures).

And rest easy those who fear this as being the first of the 5 pictures featuring these costumes to fail to up the "ugly" factor of the unmasked aliens; the bar is raised once again with the addition of the superior of the two Predator species!

In all, Predators succeeds on many of the fundamental levels of suspense, action, horror and sheer nastiness that has elevated the first film to near legendary status while introducing enough uniqueness to prevent the experience from feeling like a carbon copy. I was particularly impressed with the explanation presented for alien abduction/ human disappearance here on Earth. The final homage is that events of the first film are actually referenced in the dialog but, and despite being acknowledged as a legitimate part of the franchise, events of the second film are not mentioned (which obsessed fans may take to mean this film is in fact set some time between 1987 (Predator 1) and 1997 (the setting for Predator 2).

Fans of the original will surely delight in Rodriguez's debut stab at the material and those of us who have found something to enjoy in all of the incarnations thus far will be especially impressed with where he has taken the franchise.