Predator is the definition of a cheesy 80's classic. It's pretty much a B-Movie but with a bigger cast, and yet it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's a smart move from John McTiernan. The obvious comparisons to Alien are obvious, after all they do clash later on in the franchise...but Alien this is not. What we have instead is a fun, cheesy, entertaining popcorn flick and boy it's a good time. The script!? It's so damn good and horrible at the same time. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the legend that he is, really throws himself into this and elevates the script. We get some of his most famous lines in this film such as "Come on kill me! Do it! I'm right here, kill me!", "Stick around!" and of course the most famous line that is simply the best thing ever: "RUN! GOOOO! GET TO THE CHOPPA!!!". I'm literally cracking up as I type this review, ahhhh the essence of perfection! This is probably my favourite performance from him, it's not everyday we see him as a military covert specialist only for him to then become the equivalent of Tarzan as he goes head to head with the titular alien. Both are the perfect specimen of their species. Human vs Alien. Schwarzenegger vs Predator. Oh, and can we take a minute to appreciate the testosterone levels? The arm muscles on these guys are just ridiculous! The Predator is on Earth simply to hunt humans for fun, no complex story needed...it's another survival plot. The pacing is pretty rapid, I never felt bored watching it. The action scenes, particularly when they storm the enemy base, were exciting and well filmed. It's far from excellent though. The effects have not aged well at all, the acting is mediocre, the sub-plot regarding the asset was dull and the musical score felt rather...joyous at times? Didn't always work for me. However, this is a damn fun film and always a good laugh which has created another famous alien race for Hollywood to cherish.
