The Predator should come with a warning. “This film might lower your IQ, watch at your own risk.”
It’s surprising and disappointing that Shane Black wrote and directed this. Because this is such a tonally deaf mess that I can only assume it was cut to ribbons. It’s so poor that on release in 2018 it made me wonder if we should have any more Predator films.
The title screen had barely disappeared before questions started forming. Who are they? What are they doing? Why the fuck are they doing it? The story has no focus. Family drama? Autism is a superpower? Predators (as they’re called by name in the film stupidly!) upgrading their genetic structure. The army wanting all of it. It doesn’t come together well, and feels misguided at best. It’s a blob of a thing.
Even basic levels of scrutiny expose gaping holes. Try explaining the story and you’ll sound like an idiot. Then try discussing any character without touching upon how flat and boring they are. Note for all – offensive and loud isn’t the same as sharp and funny.
Then there’s the reliance on CGI. An 11 foot tall antagonist looks silly in both it’s outrageous size and in how it interacts with it’s surroundings. The editing is also all over the place.. So much so that someone killed themselves and I didn’t immediately know!
Then there’s the ending, which would embarass a ten a year old with it’s stupidity. I find it cringeworthy that multiple people were paid to create it. Laser sights everywhere! It’s a horrific piece of sequel-bait which has fortunately been ignored.
The Predator is a bloated, ill-considered and bloody annoying film that doesn’t deserve your time. A waste of everyone involved. Fortunately there’s much better to watch, both before and after.
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