Predators (2010) Review

"This planet is a game preserve... and we're the game."- Royce.

Following on from the poorly received Alien vs. Predator films (which I'll get round to when covering the other Alien films), it was about time the Predator starred in its own film once again, and a good one at that. This reboot/sequel to the 1987 original, as the title suggests, involves more than one Predator this time around, and pits another team of lethal humans against the extraterrestrial force. Released in 2010 and produced by Robert Rodriguez, Predators was a return to form for the franchise, and so it's a real shame that it looks like this film won't get a sequel as the series is due to be rebooted again in the near future.

In a similar vein to the original, Predators is set in a jungle environment. However, as the team of soldiers and criminals who are unwittingly dropped there discover, the jungle acts as a game preserve planet for the Predators, and so Predators becomes the first film in the series to not be set on Earth. The human characters, unlike the team of commandos from the first film, are all strangers to one another, and so there is constant tension between them. This rag-tag group comes under the leadership of Royce (Adrien Brody), a mercenary who begins to understand the Predators tactics and strengths. He, along with sniper Isabelle (Alice Braga), is easily the most level headed of the group, whereas the rest are either paranoid, scared or say very little. The casting of Adrien Brody is certainly an interesting one. There's no doubt he can act (see The Pianist for his Oscar winning performance), but can he really be the Arnold Schwarzenegger equivalent and be convincing as a bad-ass action hero? I'm happy to say that Brody totally delivers in this role, not only outperforming the rest of the cast, but also not looking out of place when taking on the Predators. The other cast members also do well, which is a big compliment when compared to some of the acting in the last film to feature the Predator: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).

But what about the Predators? Well, there are four of them in this film, and not all of them are on the same side. The first time we see a Predator, it closely resembles the original Predator, so much so that you could be forgiven for thinking the filmmakers simply used the same costume. Very soon after the group encounter this particular Predator, three more show up to attack. We soon find out that these Predators are bigger, stronger, and certainly a lot meaner than any of the Predators in the previous films. These "Super Predators" (as they are referred to by the production team), unlike their predecessors, are more easily distinguishable from one another, with their masks having obvious variations such as the addition of tusks and jawbones of their prey. The designs of these Predators, I think, are even better than the others, with their more intimidating nature making them further stand out in the series' gallery of other Predators.

With four Predators and a group of deadly humans, there are plenty of opportunities for big action sequences. It is somewhat disappointing then, when we only see a Predator around 40 minutes into the film. Before that encounter, we have two decent action scenes: the first involving leftover traps set for the Predators, and the next featuring the Predator equivalent of dogs. Being that this is the fifth film to feature the Predators and has to introduce four of them, Predators lets itself down by attempting to be too much like the 1987 original. When the action finally gets going, it is more out of relief than suspense. Which is a shame, because some of the action is pretty good, the highlight being a one on one fight between the lead Super Predator and Classic Predator. Then comes Adrien Brody's big moment, the final fight of the film. It's here that Brody fully demonstrates his ability to play an action hero, as the sequence involves plenty of running and combat, all whilst being surrounded by fire. It's a thrilling sequence that serves as a satisfying end, as the film makes up for a slow start by delivering good suspense and development of Royce's character, as he learns that the best way to defeat the Predators is to work together.

Despite some flaws, Predators is the most creative of the series since the original, offering new Predators and a new world to set the action. For me, it follows the original a little too closely, but its merits are a strong lead performance by Adrien Brody and some good set pieces once the film gets going. Its clearly a better made film than both crossover films that preceded it and expands the world of the Predator franchise. If this upcoming reboot is instead a sequel to this film, Predators has laid the foundations for the series to be considered thrilling and creative once again. 

Pros:
+ Strong lead performance by Adrien Brody.
+ Fantastic new Predator designs, I'd say better than the rest.
+ Good action sequences in the later stages of the film.

Cons:
- Follows the original film too closely, with some sequences being a direct copy.
- Not all the human character's names are revealed, a big problem when you're trying to feel something for them when they get put in danger or killed off.