Predators

Aliens with Dreadlocks Fight Reject Action Stars

Nimrod Antal is a good action director. That is clear from the beginning of PREDATORS, a quasi-sequel to the original PREDATOR and a quasi-stand alone film in the so-callled mythology. Thrusting us into the story by literally dropping us into an alien planet, Antal uses a brilliantly languorous opening of half-discoveries, established badass-ness, and the signature predator death rattle to give a great mood to his film. Adrien Brody, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, and Topher Grace lead the cast of deadly killers who are dropped into the planet. It is eventually established that they are being hunted by the alien predators, and that they will all be picked off one by one until they're all dead. Apart from that being a given, because this is a monster movie in the 21st century, the sort of dignified structure is an odd way to start PREDATORS. Brody establishes himself as the leader of the pack, and just like in all the other predator and alien films, a few tactics are tried that don't work and leave extra characters dead, and a few tactics work that leave survivors undermined by the fact that no one's ever better off at the end of a disease/monster b-movie that they were to begin with. What's specifically frustrating about PREDATORS brand of 'everyone's fucked anyway' is that the potential exhibited in the direction of Antal doesn't deserve such a shoddy script filled with idiotic, wooden speech, and a killer that is frankly stupid and under-thoughtout. A few scenes here and there remind of the great beginning, but when the killer predators are self-admittedly unstoppable behemoths, the fact that they are so unbeatable makes the fate of the characters so pre-determined that the only fun that can be had is in deciding who lives and who dies (in order too). Essentially: boring. And a little gross.
Predators: ★★