Review of Predator (1987) by Justin B — 05 Jan 2012

Normally I wouldn't really be trying to find the math behind it all because it's just another excessively violent sci-fi action flick; but this one was not that easy to get around.

The action moved so quickly that I thought I had missed out on a critical part of the whole plot; the "predator" itself.

I couldn't overlook questions such as why would an alien species go to all the effort to send a creature to earth, just so that it could swing from the trees and skin American soldiers?

Or, why would a creature so technologically advanced need to bother with hand-to-hand combat, when it could just zap Arnold with a ray gun?

And why would this so technologically advanced creature kill itself in the end!? The creature clearly still had some weapons at its disposal, so why wouldn't it go out fighting, why would just activate self destruct and end itself probably just for the sake of killing Dutch as well?

Now the very first time I saw this movie, clearly I would have been too young to understand, but getting a chance to see it again and again, thereby turning me into a fan has only now given me the answers to my questions and a much deeper appreciation for the film.

Predators are just that, predators. They're drawn to conflict (and clearly heat) and are all about the challenge; and I think it's safe to assume a group of heavily armed commandos is a worthy challenge.

They're also seemingly honourable fighters and not a bunch of violent, mindless marauders, which explains the end.

The predator kills itself because it knows it's already dying and well, why not go out with a bang, literally. The creature could have chose to fight it out to the last but I guess it figured hey, if I continue to fight, I'm gonna lose anyway so, so be it.

This film is officially added to my "needed to take a second look to understand and the appreciate" list.