Review of Predator (1987) by Art S — 17 Feb 2017

There's something odd about watching Predator 30 years after its release (for the first time). The soundtrack feels wrong - it is all symphonic, an old-school Hollywood score (by Alan Silvestri) - no rock music or blaring guitars or screeching crashing exploding "percussion".

This somehow makes Predator a bit dreamier and more unworldly than your modern action film. It also feels a lot more "low budget" - although in reality the special effects probably cost millions more than today's digital contributions.

A lot of things blow up. The plot is simple: Arnold and his band of commandos are dropped off in the jungle (Mexico playing South America) to rescue some hostages but instead meet a virtually indestructible, nearly invisible, humanoid alien with high tech weaponry hell-bent on destroying (and eating?) them.

By the end, it is Arnold vs. Predator mano a mano as you knew it would be. Arnold has his schtick down pat by this point in his career, letting one-liners rip and giving a surprisingly thoughtful performance (as far as he could).

His super-stardom and comedic turns were just a year or two away. In the end, Predator didn't exactly wow me but it held together fine. ImDB proudly announces that this is one of a few films with two future US Governors (Jesse Ventura is the other) - how's them apples?