Predators movie review

Today's Blog will be a bit lighter in tone than some of my others as I wanted to throw in my two cents on what everyone has been saying about this summer's Predators, hopefully you'll enjoy my review.

Predators movie review

By Richard Serrao

Directed by Nimrod Antal

Originally taken from a story idea written By Robert Rodriguez

Writers: Alex Litvak and Michael Finch

Actors: Adrien Brody: Royce

Topher Grace: Edwin

Alice Braga: Isabelle

Laurence Fishburne: Noland

Oleg Taktarov: Nikolai

Danny Trejo: Cuchillo

When I had heard that Robert Rodriguez was rebooting the Predator Franchise I was pretty excited for several reasons:

Pros:

(1) Rodriguez has a really good track record for doing his best work when he's involved on all levels

(2) He also has this incredible ability to get the most from whatever budget he has to work with.

(3) The ability to take things in a movie so over the top but it still never becomes a cliched thing to laugh at instead of being wowed.

Cons:

(1) When a big studio becomes involved the movie usually suffers. EG: Faculty,Once Upon A Time In Mexico

(2) I later found out he wasn't directing the reboot.

(3) Aliens Versus Predators (Nuff Said)

Okay so this was from my initial reaction to the news of the reboot.

Now let's jump into the actual review of the flick.

Predators starts up with Royce( Adrien Brody) free falling into the atmosphere from an unknown height and immediately I got the sense this wasn't going to be another Predator versus Aliens fiasco.

I originally had my doubts about Brody being able to play a bad ass mercenary. I'm happy to say Brody did surprise me quite a bit with his performance. He looked the part,having bulked up with some serious weight training and being stuck on location for several months while training 5-7 days a week and not being able to have sex. In an interview I read with Brody he said this helped him get into and maintain his character during the film's shoot and I have to agree with him on this. He acted like a thinking man's bad ass and not some half cocked steroid jock with no brains kinda hero.

The movie then begins introducing each character as they fall from the sky joining the cast. I personally liked each of the characters and actors that portrayed them, especially Alice Braga, who continues to surprise and endear herself more and more each time I see her in a movie. It was nice seeing Trejo in Predators unfortunately I felt he was highly underused but that's what happens when you have so many cool characters mixing it up. You just know that some of them are going to get the short end of the stick and this time around it was Trejo's Cuchillo.

I won't get into any more spoilers other than to say this movie follows the conventions and rules set by the original with Arnold. Sure there were a lot of homages to the classic. Honestly I was too busy enjoying the film to be nitpicking about something as mundane a problem as this. The jungle looks hot and dangerous,the Predators are awesome looking,even though I had read somewhere that someone had compared them to very angry vaginas. I don't know about you but if I saw a vagina that was that angry I think I would run for the hills. My next question would be where the hell are you guys sticking your penises?.....

Okay getting back on topic.

The idea of the hunting grounds or preserve being a planet where all types of soldiers and animals from various races are sent to help the Predators refine their skills is a natural evolution to the original. The action is well paced,directed with skill and I enjoyed each actors performance.

This is a summer flick just like the original and while Arnold isn't in it I feel it's a worthy sequel or reboot or however you want to phrase it. I enjoyed it and would go back and see it again in a heart beat. If you're a fan of the original check Predators out and see for yourself.