Predator is a larger-than-life thrill ride.
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There was a time when Arnold Schwarzenegger ruled Hollywood. He was the ultimate action hero and it didn´t matter that the heavily muscled and accented actor was one dimensional in his acting skills and favored snappy one-liners over dramatic dialogue. The Austrian actor flexed his muscled and kicked some serious ass from film to film. Whether he was a hero in "Conan the Barbarian" or a villain in "The Terminator," Schwarzenegger was a force to be reckoned with and theater goers flocked to see any of the actor´s action films. 1987 was during a time when he was one of the biggest draws in cinema and "Predator" introduced the greatest nemesis to combat Schwarzenegger and made its mark as one of Arnold´s most memorable films.
"Predator" stars Schwarzenegger as Major Dutch Schaefer. Dutch is asked by his old friend Major George Dillon (Carl Weathers) to assist in a rescue mission. Dillon is now a CIA agent and Dutch trusts his old friend and leads his force of commandos into hostile territory where Val Verde rebels have perhaps kidnapped a presidential cabinet member. Among Dutch´s soldiers is the mini-gun toting and tobacco chewing Sergeant Blain Cooper (Jesse "The Body" Ventura), Sergeant Mac Elliot (Bill Duke), Corporal Rick Hawkins (Shane Black), Private Jorge Ramirez (Richard Chaves) and an American Indian solider, Private Billy Sole (Sonny Landham).
The mission seems simple enough, but shortly after they rappel into enemy territory, unusual circumstances surround them. They find the remains of a previous commando unit that apparently failed in the rescue attempt. The helicopter that had carried the supposed cabinet member is destroyed, but the manner in which the hostages were taken causes a stir among Duke´s men. They eventually find the rebel camp where it is believed that the cabinet member is being held, but it turns out to be nothing but a lie from Dillon as the camp contains intelligence that Dillon wanted to extract and he needed Duke´s help to infiltrate the camp. They slaughter the rebels and take a young woman, Anna (Elpidia Carrillo) as a hostage.
The first act is nothing more than a tease for the real thrill ride. Once Dutch and his soldiers wipe out the rebel outpost, all hell breaks loose. The men are systematically hunted and murdered by an invisible force that has some believing the forest is coming alive and murdering the commandos. One-by-one the men are murdered and Duke tries to destroy his adversary, that is, in fact the Predator (Kevin Peter Hall). They are outgunned and out classed by the alien invader and it isn´t long before Blain, Mac, Billy and the others fall prey to a hunter than moves among the trees and bleeds neon green hue of blood. Anna has seen what is hunting them and she is eventually given her freedom by Duke.
The third and final act finds Arnold tossing his weapons aside and getting dirty for a fight to the death with the larger and imposing alien adversary. This is the part of the film where the filmmakers decided to find the biggest actor they could and offer up a visibly dangerous villain who could actually best the incredibly muscular and chiseled Schwarzenegger. Once "Predator" shifts to a one-on-one struggle to survive between the heroic Duke and the alien Predator, the film is firing on all cylinders and offers up some of the more captivating and memorable action sequences in Schwarzenegger´s career. The scenes may not be as high-octane as other films starring the Austrian, but there is an element of danger that is rarely felt when Arnold is typically dodging bullets and spitting out grenades. "Predator" is a rare action film where it is believed that something might just defeat Arnold.
"Predator" features a number of large and in-charge actors. It also features two men that have served as Governor. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura are the two marquee names of the film and the best lines and most dynamic action sequences are saved for these two very large men. Who can forget Jesse Ventura stating "I have not time to bleed" or Arnold looking at the alien and stating the obvious "You are one ugly mother f****r!" Neither men will ever be remembered as great actors, but they both are larger than life presences and their oversized personas and physique are in full display in "Predator." "Rocky" star Carl Weathers and Bill Duke are other familiar faces that have found roles in films for their size and menacing size.
The plot itself is uneven, but very entertaining. The first act feels more like a military action film with enough gunfire, explosions and bad guys falling than any "Rambo" film. It works well, but the Predator is only hinted at though ´Predator Vision´ and quick glimpses of something in the trees. The film teases the audience with the forthcoming foe. The first act moves along nicely as the audience awaits to see the alien wreak havoc and makes for a convincing alternative to a number of other military action films. The second plot has some good one-liners, but serves as a long bridge between the first and third act. The kills made by the Predator are interesting, but aside from the heavy gunfire, the second act moves along too slowly before the film finally gets to see what they eagerly anticipate: Arnold vs. Alien.
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[release]22911[/release]