on your XMB
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Shane Black starred in the
original Predator as the first
member of Arnie’s team to die.A
s well as being cursed with a
face that looks like someone
kerb-stomped a lobster, the
poor Predator’s big-screen
fortunes seem to have been
hexed, with a succession of sub-par
sequels following the insta-classic
original. Now we have The Predator, but
despite the presence of the definitive
article in that title, the hunt is still on for
a definitive Predator sequel.
Written and directed by screenwriter
Shane Black with a nostalgic reverence
for the larger-than-life ’87 original, it’s
part-continuation, part-love letter to
the series. Logan’s Boyd Holbrook stars
as Quinn McKenna, the leader of oddball
veterans The Loonies. When a Predator
crash-lands on Earth, pursued by a
hulking ‘Upgrade Predator’, Quinn and
his ragtag crew become embroiled in
their interplanetary civil war.
As you’d expect from the brain
behind Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss
Bang Bang, The Predator is packed with
zippy badinage, juvenile humour, andamusing callbacks (most
satisfying – a running
joke about the inaccuracy
of the name ‘Predator’).
It’s also pleasingly gory,
with the Predator(s)
ripping, tearing, and
exploding squishy human
bodies into clouds of
crimson mist with
satisfying frequency.
But it’s a film that’s
clearly suffered some
behind-the-scenes woes.
The third act, in
particular, is rendered
borderline incoherent by
sloppy staging, gloomy
cinematography, and
choppy editing. Neither is
it helped by a handful of
ill-judged jokes which
leave a bad taste come
the credits. The hunt for
the perfect Predator
continues. Jordan FarleyThe Predator
Nostalgic sequel fails to hit its target
blu-rays
coming soon
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