'Predator's hits the ground running as far as opening scenes go. SPOILER**(Movie begins with Adrian Brody waking up in a freefall aimed for the ground like a missile, equipped w/ parachute of course) We find several strangers "dropped" off in a foreign land covered by dense jungles and rock formations. In the style of "SAW", the strangers recuperate and band together without any knowledge of how they got there or the events leading up to it.
We come to find out, as the group picks up other fallen persons, that they are all "badasses" from 'round the globe. We have a Mexican Cartel Soldier, Sierra Leone Rebel Soldier, Yakuza gangster, Death Row Convict, etc.)-they also display subtle similarities to some of the original characters, so look hard. The group is obviously lead by the film's biggest name, Adrian Brody, as a Mercenary complete with the Christian Bale Batman, tough man's voice (Not overdone, but i would have preferred less strain, definitely). This is an outright sequel in the franchise that pays serious homage to the 1st Predator film. The film score is almost identical to the criminally underrated original score, with good reason; it captures the isolation, suspense and action of the film almost flawlessly. The film is also shot, like the 1st, capturing their journey through uncharted territory and meet-ups with sticky situations.
As you can imagine, alot of whats going on involves the group's eagerness to find out what the hell's going on. As they continue, Brody picks up clues of other lifeforms that are in the vicinity of, well, wherever they are; ultimatley coming to the conclusion that, brace yourself, their being hunted. In the midst of all the badassery of the group comes 'That 70's Show's" very own Topher "Eric Foreman" Grace, who plays a...doctor. No apparent violent history, tie-ins with any gangs, druglords...just a doctor who has plenty of "know-it-all" scenes(for lack of a better descrip.).
So far, I.M.O, the film's living up to the hype.
However it does have its flaws, one of them being cheesy dialogue that is almost Idiot-Proof(i.e, publically stating why/how they are going to do something..over and over or **SPOILER** the scene where 'we" find out their on another planet, A.Brody says to the group "We need another plan" when in reality they never fuckin had one, and even during the next scene someone even complains about wandering aimlessly.
The scene that reveals the Predators was actually very entertaining..and violent. Set with booby traps, a whole lot of running, alien wolf dogs and a death scene; we come to find out theirs more than one, theirs an entire tribe. You will see all the cool gadgets the aliens possess (Infa-red vision, voice recordings, "that shoulder gun", the arm-sabers) plus new ones, in addition their bodies are a liitle sleeker and their costumes have some modifications.
The 1987 film's plot is referenced in the film as a "This same situation happened way back when" moment giving the group a heads up on how they hunt (infrared heat vision)
Plenty of gore (beheadings, liquified deaths, spine/skull removal, eviscerations, etc.)...definitely a highlight throughout
Laurence Fishburne has a cameo as a lone survivor on the planet; he answers alot of questions and offers a place to hide for the group...for a bit; other than that, thats about it
Throughout the rest of the film we find the group lessen in members while the rest put up a pretty damn good fight against the dreadlocked aliens
To end this, i'll tell you flat out, Go See It; even if you have no clue about the Predator franchise, you can mos def walk into this movie and understand everything afterwards..I give it a 7 out of 10, pros being good storyline, SFX and action..cons being crap dialogue from characters at times
Subject: 'Predators' Review- acrid.one 
Sat 17 Jul 2010, 8:50 am