Predator

An excellent action film with sci-fi admixture. McTiernan proves that he's not just an annoyed skilled director, but that he can enjoy the action nicely. I really like the work with the camera in the first part of the film, when our beautiful and muscular heroes are spied on (thermographic shots and camera raids are excellently used, which give a very cramped impression). The atmosphere of a bunch of mercenaries, which become game in the middle of the forest, is flawlessly dense and convincing. It's hard to judge whether the absence of acting is a bad thing, because some of Arnold's grimaces just belong to the golden fund of the acting anti-talent and sort of help make the film into a cult classic. I don't like action films, but I enjoyed this one... (12/05/2004)

Sweaty machismo grossly overstepping the boundaries of heterosexuality is a thing my childhood memories of Predator have mercifully kept from me, but in the field of gun-fetish and male-bonding of his day, McTiernan was in the big leagues. This film proves it from the shot of a casual Arnold flicking away a cigar butt in a helicopter to the final dick measuring with Winston's amazing creation. (26/07/2016)

It's still excellently rough, the great effects are still here, unbeatable Arnold, and above all, the incredible mask created by Stan Winston. The character of the Predator is so great on its own that it could carry the film, which to some extent happened here, but the jungle and the fear of individual mercenaries also work well. It's still entertaining, even after all these years. (22/10/2014)

A significantly overrated film that capitalizes on nostalgia and the age of reviewers. It does not come close to the genre's peak by any means. It is literally an embodiment of genre clichés and besides the action, it offers only the exoticism of the Central American jungle. A simple story, characters that don't need to act due to script requirements as long as they look fierce and shoot wildly around them. Lots of stupidity - one of the mercenaries is holding a machine gun in his hand that is mounted on the undercarriage of planes and weighs so much that if I had to drag it through the extreme conditions of the jungle with 100% humidity, I wouldn't wait for a predator and it would end right there for me (probably after five minutes). The film does not have particularly innovative direction, but John McTiernan maintains a certain level - within the genre, there are undoubtedly incomparably worse films. I would give it three stars, even though I'm not a fan of the genre, but the political backstory, when the American commando fights against evil guerrillas, was simply disgusting. The political reality of Central America in the 80s was exactly the opposite - the American government supported any dictatorial scum... Overall impression: 45%. (13/01/2009)

First-class and now deservedly legendary action movie, whose director managed to get the most out of the minimum. But that was back when John McTiernan still had form and didn't direct nonsense like his last few outputs. Predator has all the attributes that a proper action movie should have: tough heroes, a merciless killer, gripping atmosphere, excellent use of the harsh nature, which with the help of solid camera work often instills fear even without the direct presence of the hunter. And last but not least, there is also the great Arnold, who is tougher than the whole terrorist camp combined. A milestone that became a classic of its kind a long time ago. (14/01/2008)