PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Predator turns 29 on Sunday, and since I’m one ugly mother fucker, I decided that I should be the one to write about it. Being the huge Arnold Schwarzenegger fan that I am, it’s no surprise that Predator is one of my all-time favorite movies – but what makes the film so great? When compared to the abundant selection of 80’s action films, why does Predator stand out? Grab your reading glasses and get to the choppa because that’s exactly what we’re exploring today!
It’s scary.
The 1980’s offered more action than that one kid you knew in high school – and it was glorious. The 80’s gave us timeless action films such as Die Hard, Rambo, and Lethal Weapon, but with the exception of films like The Terminator, Aliens, and Predator, the action was merely that… action. Predator seamlessly combines that macho 80’s action with horror in a way that few films have ever been able to accomplish – bringing the audience one of the most iconic horror villains ever put to screen in the process. While the predator picks apart Dutch’s (Schwarzenegger) men one by one, the tension becomes heightened by the jungle backdrop and the fact that the creature can remain invisible while it hunts its prey. When it comes down to Arnie VS. Predator (which everybody knew that it would), the viewer is so entranced that they wouldn’t dare breathe, much less make a sound, out of fear they might get Dutch killed. Not many films can accomplish such a feat, and it’s one of the reasons Predator has become a staple of both the action and the horror genres.
It’s badass.
Let me tell you something about Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer. This man is unrivaled in badassery. He is to action films what Michael Jordan was to basketball. To be the best, you’ve gotta beat the best – and Dutch is undefeated. Take one look at those massive goddamn biceps and tell me that you’re surprised.
As mentioned before, Predator is more than just an action movie, but that’s not to say there isn’t top-notch action here. John McTiernan (Die Hard, The Hunt for Red October, Last Action Hero) dishes out the action in spades in what would be the start of his lucrative career as an action filmmaker. Big guns. Big muscles. Big egos. I guarantee you that Michael Bay is a Predator fan.
It’s the greatest movie ever made.
Forget Citizen Kane. Forget The Godfather. Forget Gone with the Wind. John McTiernan’s Predator is THE NAME when it comes to all-time great films. Take one look at those massive goddamn biceps and tell me that you’re surprised.
The example so nice, you use it twice. That’s what I always say (I never say that). Predator begins as a straightforward action film about an elite team of special forces who are sent to a remote jungle in Central America to rescue hostages from guerrilla territory. After reaching the insurgent camp and taking care of business (killing a whole lot of bad guys), the group proceeds to their extraction point, unaware that they are being hunted by this son-of-a-bitch.
Predator is the ultimate example of man vs. man, man vs. nature, and man vs. self. It is a brave film that dares to pose questions such as: How much funnier would the movie have been if Shane Black had written the script instead of just starring as a one-note character? Why doesn’t Jesse Ventura allot time in his busy schedule to allow for something as simple as bleeding? How is Apollo Creed still alive after being murderboxed in Rocky IV? And most importantly, what the fuck is Sonny Landham doing?
There aren’t many films that I enjoy as much as Predator. Both as a child and as an adult, the film has been one of my go-to’s for entertainment. Predator is truly a perennial classic that will live on in the hearts of cinephiles until the end of time. Take one look at those massive goddamn biceps and tell me that you’re surprised.
Happy anniversary, Predator!!!
