October Horror 2015 - Predator

"There's something out there waiting for us, and it ain't no man. We're all gonna die."


I took a long time to think over this choice because, in a way, Predator is more an action/sci-fi film than it is a horror. The fact it's about some commandos in the jungle, shooting up a storm, while also being led by Austrian meat-head himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, it's difficult to really justify that the movie was in any way of the horror genre. But when you think about it, these aspects really work when you consider the enemy, along with the setting, is just a balanced threat that brings it to a horror level; while the characters and tone of the film is like that of an action film, the titular Predator is ingenious in bringing in popular tropes of the horror film genre (a seemingly invincible threat, vulnerability brought on by lack of control, an environment that makes it so that the threat can appear out of nowhere, and the fact the characters are killed off one by one like they would in a slasher film). The predator is just the slasher, given power to match the gun-toting commandos who are just as powerless as a random teenager is to a machete-wielding maniac.
Is this is all ingenious commentary that I'm examining from the story, or is it just my own biases to explain why this should be considered among the greats of the horror genre? Either one could be a reasonable point, but I honestly hope that the former will be the most true.


A team of elite commandos, led by a man named "Dutch", are sent to a central american jungle that is filled with guerrilla forces that have taken in hostages that the CIA wants back. Once they are dropped in, the team discovers some gruesome sights, such as a previous team that has been skinned and hung from the trees; over time they find evidences of attackers, hidden from sight, killing with methods that seem untraceable. Soon enough they find the camp and afterwords make their trip for pick-up, but become aware that they are being followed by a being they can't see, and who is in some way a part of the wilderness. As their members are being picked off, they realize that the threat is not only very advanced and powerful, but also... not human. Dutch and his team must survive the venture through the jungles, all the while they're being hunted by a creature that watches over them all, and is ready for a challenge.


Let's get the most obvious thing out: Arnold Schwarzenegger. I'm sure everyone is aware of his acting, as well some memorable lines like "Get to the choppa!", but in all fairness he does give a great performance for this film. He, as well as the other actors, excellently get across that they have worked together for years and have a strong relationship with one another. The way they talk to each other, most notably in the helicopter scene, is both great and genuinely hilarious, which makes scenes where they are killed off and discover the dead to feel sad and worthy of sympathy. Arnold does have his one-liners, and does everyone else, but it works for the film we get. Honestly, I have little to no complains about the actors present, they do a great job.
Now that doesn't necessarily mean that the story is without fault. While it is simple and is made to set up the situation, much of the story surrounding the reasoning they are at the jungle and the camp they invade isn't special and it seems to go nowhere in terms of narrative and character development. The intrigue surrounding the Predator is the real story, but that shows up more around the 2-3rd part of the film. Meanwhile we have the plot about the guerrillas which is ok for moving the movie forward, it ends up feeling almost forgettable when certain characters die off and the mystery surrounding it is easily solved and shortly talked about. The plot is mainly a tool, and not something to truly remember, so I wouldn't be surprised if most of you end up forgetting it like I have.
The Predator is great all around. It's concept is interesting, the way it moves and kills when hidden is frightening, and the design of the creature itself when it does show is very memorable and powerful. It doesn't show up until around the 3rd, and what you see until then is early blending and CGI work that helps create a suspenseful presence. When it does have its appearance the scenes are great in that they help to show how menacing and smart the creature is, especially so when it reveals the weaponry it uses. It's a great match for Arnold and the commandos, and the scenes where it fights and hunts them all is fantastic.
The film feels short, which isn't really a negative. It knows where the focus is so it tries to speed things along with much of the story that leads up to the 'hunt'. Still, there are a lot of great scenes, and the commandos themselves don't feel too expendable since the film does develop them where it needs to. At the same time though, while there are no scenes that truly come off as pointless, the scenes we get are pressed on so we can get to the points we want to get to. It's basically the same sort of storytelling that's expected with action films, just mixed in with horror.

Perhaps I am overthinking this film and it is just one of those interesting, though entertaining, mixes of action and science fiction. Maybe the horror is added on, or it's one of the main points. Either way, Predator is a fun film, with great horror elements and a monster that definitely earns it's status as a horror/science fiction icon.

I recommend you check it out whenever you can.