Cast: Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, Walton Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Louis Ozawa, Changchien

Category: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Despite being directed by Nimrod Antal, this is certainly one of Robert Rodriguez’s babies, as both the scriptwriter and producer. The film follows an elite group of professional human killers, and one doctor, as they come to realise they’ve been dispatched onto a remote planet which acts as a hunting preserve for the Predator race. Their task is to not only survive (a feat in itself), but to find a way off the planet, ensuring a follow-up film in the future.

Let’s get to the positives first. The action is, for the most part, enjoyable and well directed, allowing the viewer a great visual scope of what is going on in each scene. Also, all films of the Predator saga are referenced in some way, providing some fun for big-time fans. And there is, of course, the mandatory reference to a certain Tarantino film (you’ll know it when you see it) which certainly put a smile on my face.

By a long way, the most disappointing aspect of Predators was the atrocious screenplay. A well-structured script brimming with originality can bring the characters to life like no other filmmaking tool. A weak one offers no scope for the characters to appeal to the audience, because they feel like carbon copies of the generic models seen countless times in this genre.

I like to view Rodriguez as an auteur rather than just a filmmaker. As such, I expect that he would inject some of his own ideas, characters and scenarios seeing as he is a specialist of the self-reflexive B-movie genre. Instead, one gets the impression that he just sat back and let the film cruise along at a stressless pace, not at all interested in having its events stick in your mind after the closing credits.

As odd as it sounds, I actually drew major comparisons between Predators and Jennifer’s Body during the screening. Both films were presented as something they clearly weren’t, and both films featured personalities who, at their peak, are capable of contributing handsomely to quality films (Rodriguez with Sin City, and Diablo Cody with Juno). Unfortunately, when either writer operates outside their comfort zone, the screenplay becomes either lifeless or overly ambitious.

Just as confusing was the implementation of what has become known as the ‘Jaws complex’: the idea that, the longer a film’s antagonist is kept out of audience view, the more sinister and threatening their ultimate appearance becomes. But the fact that the viewer already knows what the Predators are capable of/look like through earlier films completely negates this idea, and eliminates any suspense that may have developed as well.

A minor gripe to finish on. There is a cat-and-mouse scene about midway through the movie which requires the characters to see where they are going, with the use of flares and flashlights. The problem is that, with every opportunity they get, the actors will flash them right down the lens of the main camera. Because of the intense contrast between light and darkness, this results in discomfort to one’s eyes, and detracts from the overall cinematic experience. Here’s hoping Rodriguez can bounce back with Machete, his highly anticipated QT collaboration.

3/10.

Author Bio: Johnny Hollywood

One day, a good friend started calling me Hollywood because of my never-ending desire to talk about films, and the nickname stuck like glue. There’s only one thing I love more than reviewing movies, and that’s discussing them with everybody and anybody, so never hesitate to tell me what you think about my work.