The Downfall of The Predator Franchise

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When people ask what is the greatest action film of all time, the two most common answers are Raiders of The Lost Ark, directed by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, and Die Hard, directed by John McTiernan. Both films are lauded for their thrilling sequences in which lone individuals

But the true greatest action film of all time is neither of these films. It is in fact another film directed by John McTiernan, that holds the undisputed title.

Predator is perhaps the ultimate action film. From it's perfectly efficient and irresistibly quotable screenplay, to its unbelievably tough characters, to its beautiful and haunting cinematography to it's gripping musical score, Predator is one of those films that can be classified as a perfect movie. It is a roller coaster from beginning to end, and every moment leaves you gripped on the edge of your seat. Let's take a look at just few aspects of Predator and what techniques it uses to be the epitome of a wild adrenaline rush

Action Heroes vs Aliens: The Ultimate 80's Battle

At the time of Predator's release, two genres were at the peak of prominence. Action films, particularly ones with Vietnam Veteran protagonists inspired by Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo, and scary extraterrestrial films, such as Ridley Scott's Alien and John Carpenter's The Thing. John McTiernan wisely took note of these trends and created the ultimate action film concept: What if an action hero was so invincible, that an alien would want him as a trophy? With inspiration of The Most Dangerous Game, McTiernan proceeded to craft a story that would become the ultimate action experience

Dutch and His Team:

A large part of the enjoyment of Predator comes from watching Arnold Schwarzenegger as the suave and resourceful Alan "Dutch" Schaefer, perhaps the most badass man to ever grace a cinema screen. How badass is Dutch? His first handshake becomes an arm wrestling match. How badass is he? He can lift the back of a truck and send it tumbling towards his enemies. How badass is he? He can impale enemies to doors with knives and blow up helicopters. How badass is he? When the Predator kills every member of his team, he's able to use guerilla warfare in a way that makes John Rambo look like Joe Bomowski. Then he gets into a fist fight with the Predator and manages to survive. But perhaps what cements Dutch as the greatest basses in cinematic history more than anything  is the fact that after all of that, HE OUTRUNS A FUCKING ALIEN NUKE!!!! That is easily the most badass thing ever. Sorry Indy, hiding in a fridge don't compare. Dutch outran an alien nuke. Rambo, you can never do anything as that. In terms of Stallone vs Schwarzenegger, Arnie has shit on lock.

And the thing is, every member of Dutch's team is just as badass. Blaine is mini gun wielding sexual Tyrannosaurus, Mac is a stealthy savage who will ghost you or a scorpion in two seconds. Billy is a seemingly supernatural native American tracker. Poncho is witty, and even the nerdy Hawkins is shown to be on point. Dillion might be treacherous, and Anna might be a captive, but even they know how get some good guerilla warfare in.

Badassery aside, they are just straight up likeable. Right from the beginning, we learn that they are a mercenary team with morals, and we see that they have a clear fraternal brotherhood that goes back years.

The Stakes: Main Characters Actually Die

Unlike Die Hard or Raiders, pretty much all of the supporting characters besides Anna die in Predator, which makes it a far more tense and emotionally gripping film in my opinion. As stated, the main cast of characters are very likeable, and very, very badass, so when the Predator starts picking them off, we feel their sadness and their panic. We root for Mac, Dillion, and Billy in their suicidal last stands because we feel their helplessness, which makes their inevitable deaths even more tragic

The Lore: Adding That Extra Sprinkle Of Supernatural

Throughout the film, Billy, through either very good spatial awareness or ostensibly some kind of supernatural clairvoyance, seems to sense the Predator, inducing fear into him that seems unnatural for a man of his stature. As the team slowly realize that they are being hunted by a creature that is not human, Anna gives an anecdote about how The Predator seems to have hunted people in her village for years, causing the villagers to create folklore about it. Billy's clairvoyance and Anna's story not only give us some information on the Predator but also add a supernatural layer to its already extraterrestrial presence, heightening its menace.

Predator 2: An Underrated Classic

Predator 2 is so underrated. While it may not be as perfectly written and filmed as its predecessor, it still does a good job at carrying on the events of the first film as well as identifying and mostly replicating what made the first film work.

Mike Harrigan: The World's Most Badass Cop

Just like the first film, the main protagonist of Predator 2 is the ultimate badass in his field. While Mike Harrigan may not be a soldier like Dutch, he's definitely not a guy you want to fuck with. Right from the beginning we see that he has no fear battling the paramilitary Colombian gangs of late 90's LA. He rescues officers, ignores his superiors, and goes to engage El Scorpio in what would have easily been the most epic gunfight ever if The Predator didn't show up first. After his friend Archuleta gets killed by the Predator,  Mike starts hunting down every lead he can, leading him to face off against the Predator in the ultimate duel.

Awesome Supporting Cast: Badass Backup

In the supporting cast are various lovable characters who, while not as magnetic as Dutch's team, still manage to steal every scene they are in. There's Archuleta, Mike's cool-headed long-time friend, whose tragic death by the Predator sends Mike on the hunt. There's Cantrell, Mike's tough and badass partner whom the Predator spares only because of her pregnancy, and then there's the legendary Bill Paxton as the incredibly vulgar but incredibly loyal Lambert, who dies in an extremely badass off-screen sacrifice against Predator, reminiscent of Billy's death in the first film. Even the insane cocaine snorting Colombians like El Scorpio and the voodoo-practicing Jamaican gangsters like King Willie and Gold Tooth, all of who end up being Predator fodder, were memorable in their brief but exhilarating scenes. And then there's Gary Busey, who is an absolutely blast to watch as the obsessive  Peter Keyes, head of a secret government task force who is absolutely determined to catch the Predator at all costs, only to be killed by the Predator after it evades his traps.

Stop the Nuke, Save the City 

The climax of Predator 2 an excellent spectacle. After the Predator kill Keyes and his team, Mike and the Predator face off, with Mike being forced to confront his fear of heights as he and the Predator battle until they both are hanging off of the ledge of a rooftop. The Predator attempts to detonate it's wrist-nuke, which based on what we saw in the first film, would have undoubtedly wiped out Los Angeles. However, Mike, the resourceful badass that he is, manages to severe the Predator's arm with it's own throwing disk, saving the entire city. The Predator retreats to it's ship and Mike gives chase, resulting in a final badass duel where Mike kills the Predator by stabbing it with the throwing disk. 

Suddenly, a whole clan of Predators appear, and give Mike a 16th century flint lock pistol as a trophy before leaving. As the government agents swarm in and regret their chance at losing the Predator, Mike wittingly quips that The Predators will be back. 

Predator 2 is a underrated action film and a worthy sequel to the original classic, with great characters, great dialogue, great direction, and great action setpieces, and throughout the years it has gained a cult following by fans who appreciate it greatness. Despite this, the film received negative reviews at the time of it's release and was grossed a far lower box office than it's predecessor, seemingly putting the Predator franchise in a state of hibernation

Alien Vs Predator: Too Soft

In 2002, began production on a new film, based on the 1989 Aliens vs Predators Dark Horse Comic Series, as well as the Xenomorph skull Easter egg seen at the end of Predator 2. The result was  2004's Alien Vs Predator,  directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, an okay but ultimately forgettable PG13 action film centered around scientists who must face off against the titular monsters after they uncover an ancient Aztec pyramid in Antarctica. The film lacked badass protagonists like those of the first two Predator films, as well as the gore and future aesthetic of the Alien franchise, ultimately leaving fans of both franchises feeling underwhelmed.

Alien Vs Predator: Requiem: Too Stupid

In 2007, a sequel was made to AVP, titled Alien Vs Predator Requiem. Starring Timothy Olyphaunt, best known from the show Justified, and Reiko Aylesworth, best known as Badass Michelle Dessler from 24, Alien Vs Predator: Requiem was centered around the residents of a small town forced to contend with a xenomorph outbreak as well as the Predator sent to hunt it. Despite the intriguing premise and an R rating, the film was maligned by critics and audiences, citing the stupidity of the characters as well as the excessive gore which seemed more cartoonist than creepy.

Robert Rodriguez ' Predators: Too Superficial

In 2010, acclaimed director Robert Rodriguez, well known for films such as El Mariachi, From Dusk Til Dawn, and Sin City, rebooted the Predator franchise with a new entry entitled Predators. This film followed a group of deadly soldiers, assassins, and serial killers who were transported from Earth to the Predators homeworld to be hunted for sport. The film was noted for its many callbacks to the original film, and received warm reviews and moderate box office success, but it was still notably inferior to the original. In my opinion, Robert Rodriguez misunderstood the appeal of the original film. While the characters in Predators are all skilled killers, none of them are as skilled as Dutch and his elite crew. As I stated before, the main concept of Predator is: what if an action hero was so invincible, an alien would want him as a trophy? The characters in Predator spend less time showcasing their skills and more time brooding about their lack of morality, leading to on-the-nose dialogue about how they are the real predators (ooh how smart).

John McTiernan's Predator is not a classic because of its moral discussions. It's a classic because Dutch and his crew are such a badass soldier that no human can match them, so it's time to bring on the next level of opponent, an alien. Unfortunately, Robert Rodriguez did not seem to understand this, leading to a moderately successful but ultimately forgettable entry

The Predator 2018: Ehh.....

Now in 2018, Shane Black, who played Hawkins in the original, and also helmed the substandard Iron Man 3, is going to release a new Predator film. How will this film turn out? Based on the trailer, we will have to see, but my hopes aren't high. It seems as though like Robert Rodriguez, Shane Black has misunderstood the main appeal of the original film. It seems as though the main protagonists of the new film will be military trained convicts and assassins. While this may lend to some testosterone-fueled banter (including Keegan Michael Key 's cringeworthy yo mama joke), it doesn't appear that they will have the invincible eliteness of Dutch's unit nor the invincible courage of Mike Harrigan. This protagonist invincibility is what made the first 2 films such classics, as it is their invincibility that makes them worthy of being hunted. Unfortunately this film seems to be lacking that, and instead we're getting a kid and some nonsense about a Super Predator. Could it be that Shane Black, the original Hawkins, doesn't understand what made the original Predator such a masterpiece? Maybe not. The film is going including Gary Busey's son, Jake Busey, as the son of Peter Keyes, thus making it the first Predator film to recognize Predator 2 as canon. This is definitely a good sign for fans, but while the film may feature references the first 2 Predator films, we will have to wait and see if it replicate their quality. 

My Potential Predator Movie:

If I were given the greenlight to write a Predator film, I would probably center it around a secret agent Ethan Hunt type. Perhaps a superspy is tracking down a WMD stolen by terrorists, and All of the sudden the Predator comes in, slaughters all of the terrorists, and spends the film hunting the superspy, with the spy having to use all of their skills to outwit and eventually kill the Predator. Perhaps terrorists could try to steal the Predator's wrist nuke. Either way, I think there is a lot of story potential with a Predator vs Secret Agent premise. We can only hope Hollywood makes it.

Will Hollywood ever make a good Predator movie? Should they even continue making Predator movies? You be the judge, you decide, hit the like button, comment, and subscribe.