'The Predator' Review

I've been a fan of the original Predator movie for a long time. I thought it was clever, fun, and exciting. I was also a little kid when I first saw that movie. I recently re-watched the original movie and realized that there are a few things that didn't translate well into 2018 but overall, I still had a great time watching it. I'm tempted to re-watch Predator 2 because I know I enjoyed Predators which came out a few years ago. Now the latest predator movie comes out. It's called The Predator. I don't know why they have to have such a weird naming convention for these movies but they went and did it anyway. I didn't know what to expect when I saw the newly released The Predator. The trailers made it seem like an all out action movie.

Here's the plot. There's a sniper that encounters the predator and without giving too much away he gets some of the predator's alien weapons and sends it to himself via mail. Now the army, as well as a predator hunter, are trying to find the alien weapons. Much of the fun in the movie involves the gang of misfits he befriends and how they try to get away from authorities and stop the predator hunter.

From the beginning of the movie, fans of the original movie will notice the homage to the original movie. There's a lot of homage played out in this movie. Some of it is easily missed if you blink. If you're a big fan of the series you'll catch a few of them. It's not necessary to catch all of these bits to appreciate the movie but they will give you a sense of nostalgia and a yearning to watch the old films again.

I was actually surprised to see the predator right away in the movie. The tone was definitely different from the other Predator movies that came out. They added a lot of comedy to this movie. The tone was like some sort of Marvel comic book movie. I didn't expect that tone from this movie, especially since none of the other movies were like this. I was okay with this change but I had to get used to it. I didn't think that it took too much away from the movie. Perhaps this change of tone was to attract the newer generation to this series. At least throw in a few more one-liners in there.

I wouldn't say that this is a masterpiece of a movie but it was a great popcorn flick. I enjoyed the jokes and the references to the other Predator movies. It also adds new elements to the Predator canon that I thought was a welcome change. These new additions help the series come up with possible sequels for the future.

What about the action? This is, of course, an action movie right? Well, I can say it's safe to say that they definitely delivered in the action department. They did not go light in the violence department. You'll see dismemberment, tons of gore, and it is vicious. It had me at the edge of my seat. I was absorbed and I think lots of people will be as well.

People that are hardcore Predator fans may be turned off by the comedic tone to the movie but overall, I think it's something that a lot of people should be able to enjoy. I will probably buy this movie on Blu Ray because I'm a Predator fan. It was a nice addition to the series.

As for a score, I think I would give this movie a 7.5 out of 10. I really enjoyed it and I think you have to watch it for what it is. It's a great action movie that you'll enjoy regardless if you've watched the old Predator movies or not.