Blu-ray Review
Predator
Directed by: John McTiernan Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Kevin Peter Hall Running Time: 1 hr 30 mins Rating: R Due Out: June 30, 2010
PLOT: A group of soldiers (lead by Schwarzenegger) head into a South American jungle on a rescue mission, only to be hunted by a violent alien with invisibility capabilities.
WHO'S IT FOR?: Any person with a decent amount of testosterone pumping through their body. Having large muscles or an NRA membership is not required.
MOVIE:
Predator rides an explosive-filled train towards the land of awful-greatness reigned over by Commando, but never gets there. Instead, it stays somewhere in-between fun and cheese whiz. Overall, this isn’t a negative attribute. Stocking more explosions in a random first action scene than most movies pack into a climax, Predator is gloriously a grade-A action that does a decent enough job to distract its macho audience from realizing it’s a B-movie.
There’s a whole lot of 80’s brand muscles bulging in this movie, from Jesse Ventura to Scwhwarzenegger, but that isn’t the corniest part of the film. It’s that “ugly motherfucker” of a space villain who packs as many logic flaws as he/she (this movie just assumes male) does random surgical equipment. And for the record, only humans would think to compartmentalize their surgeon’s tools the way this title character does. Plus, does Predator really have to “laugh” at the end?
Still, this movie's awesomeness can't be disputed. Predator is a welcome deity to the land of sci-fi action.
MOVIE SCORE: 8/10
EXTRAS
Predator: Evolution of a Species - Hunters of Extreme Perfection - This oddly titled special feature does not talk as much about the Predator villain so much as show what filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Nimrod Antal think about the franchise (hint: they think very highly of it). An introspective special feature to the movie, but not so much for the title character.
Text Commentary by Film Historian Eric Lichtenfeld - As the movie plays, interviews with the writers, stars, and director are transcribed into text, and offer a plethora of information behind the making of the film.
Sneak Peek at the new Predators - Essentially an extended trailer for the latest installment, with a brief hype-up by producer Robert Rodriguez cut between footage from the film.
OTHER EXTRAS:
Audio Commentary by Director John McTiernan If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It: The Making of Predator Inside the Predator Featurettes Special Effects Featurettes Short Takes with the Filmmakers Deleted Scenes and Outtakes Photo Gallery and Predator Profile
FINAL SCORE: 7/10