Hi, I work for a large mobile telecomms company. I live in Oxford but was born in Toronto, Canada. ...
Hi, I work for a large mobile telecomms company. I live in Oxford but was born in Toronto, Canada. Engaged to a lovely guy from Birmingham (see Sonatine on Ciao [love you babes xx]). Love playing guitar & midi keyboards when I can afford it. Have 2 ca...
Member since:03.01.2001
Reviews:86
Members who trust:8
A surprisingly solid well made "Arnie" film that holds the right balance of suspense, drama, action & thrills in equal measure.
Predator is no more than "Alien" versus "Rambo" for a rumble in the jungle. This could quite easily have been a Z-rated movie ending up on the video shelf with not even a fanfare to cheer it along. However, this film rises above the dross because of three solid elements - Director, John McTiernan (of Die Hard fame); Jim & John Thomas writing a very tight screenplay. And of course a testerone-filled film like this wouldn't be complete without the big star himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The premise of "Predator" and it's execution make this one of the all time great sci-fi horror films. The premise - that of an alien hunting human-heads in the jungle for his trophy room - is simply ingenious; especially when those heads belong to special forces commandos lead by Arnie, who can fight back.
John McTiernan proved himself a worthy director and I would say that it was this film that got him the Die Hard reins. He has a great pace and a smart attention for detail. He tells the story at a quick pace but he doesn't reveal all the secrets at once. He lets the story unfold right before our eyes. And by the time Dutch (Arnie) is ready to do battle man against beast, we are ready for Arnold to kick some serious alien ass.
The jungle setting is perfectly filmed as well. We can feel the heat and sense the persperation dripping from the characters. The deaths are very well done as well. Everything from distant screams to someone losing an arm is done perfectly. And that is a compliment not only to McTiernan, but to the writers as well, who really pace the film without an ounce of fat to weigh it down.
Predator is an action fans dream. It's so masculine & proud of itself you'd be pushed to find a subtle moment throughout. The commandos are all muscular types with 6-pack chests and rippling muscles, sharp one-liners and sweaty brows.
Arnie acts like Arnie always acts....but for a change this kind of scenario & savage environment suits him down to the ground, so we can ignore his male posturing and chewing of huge cigars while keeping a solid square jawline.
The film doesn't really slow down to get cute or philosophical, this is pure unadulterated action. So if that is your game then you can't go wrong with this film. This is one of the best action films to come out of the 80's although the latter sequel didn't even come close, but then again sequels very rarely do.
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Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 2007 - Action/Adventure - Director: Paul Greengrass - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, Edgar Ramirez, David Strathairn, Paddy Considine, Albert Finney
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Although it was only made in 1987,Predatoris already the kind of film that has action fans ... more
sighing, "They don't make 'em like that any more". Few later films can equal its testosterone-fuelled scenario, its graphic violence or its genuinely unnerving s...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Although it was only made in 1987,Predatoris already the kind of film that has action fans ... more
sighing, "They don't make 'em like that any more". Few later films can equal its testosterone-fuelled scenario, its graphic violence or its genuinely unnerving s...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Classic sci fi, plenty of violence and action, thrilling!!! some tense action to be enjoyed without a doubt Disadvantages: Getting on abit now, was made in 1987, but special effects are ace for the time
midjet666 04.02.2005 (07.02.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Predator (DVD)
Advantages: Classic sci fi, plenty of violence and action, thrilling!!! some tense action to be enjoyed without a doubt Disadvantages: Getting on abit now, was made in 1987, but special effects are ace for the time
midjet666 04.02.2005 (07.02.2005)
·
Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Predator (DVD)
![Predator - Single Disc Edition [1987] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78495661.jpg "Predator - Single Disc Edition [1987] [DVD]")
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![Predator [DVD] [1988] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/70483531.jpg "Predator [DVD] [1988] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]")
Feb 7th, 2001
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