I hope you got to see the 30th anniversary showing at the cinema recently. This is my all time favourite film and was always gutted I was too young first time it was on.
I'm at work listening to this in the background, So I might be wrong, but I don't think you mentioned how this movie was supposed to have an anti-gun message. With this team of bad arses being effectively useless against one creature. One of the most famous scenes showing the team level the jungle and not kill anything was supposed to show how pointless guns are.
The Predator doesn't blow himself up to avoid accepting defeat, he does so to avoid humans claiming his lethal technology which could be used against his race.
The scene in the chopper where the team is riding to the insertion point is such a classic. In two minutes we establish exactly who the main characters are, their personalities and motivation. It's such a brilliantly efficient scene.
Stevie Jo Poncho is the last of the Commandos to be killed off, he tells Blaine to strap this one your sore ass or “You have time to duck” after Blaine says I Ain’t got time to bleed”
Yeah especially when you look at other of Arnold's movies where he's some bullet proof tough guy who can take out legions of people like in Commando. while i do enjoy Commando it is hard to believe that Arnold might lose in the end but when he's fighting the predator there is a genuine chance Arnold might die. Like in the climax when he's fighting the predator in hand to hand combat and he is hopelessly outmatched when i first saw that i actually thought he would lose in the end.
The Predator isn't playing unfair, the entire concept is to reflect how we hunt animals on our own world. We use high technology and superior intelligence against animals that have very little chance against us. The Predator at least gives us a chance and hunts intelligent creatures. We do not. Also, it doesn't kill itself out of petulance, it understands that it's existence and technology must remain hidden.
The stakes are uneven, of course. The animal wins if it escapes. The hunter wins if it kills the animal. So if hunting is a "sport" it's actually a single player game.
That concept doesn't make any sense. Our intelligence is what set us apart from the animals. Many animals run much faster than we can run. Some of them are much stronger than we are. They have their strengths and we have ours. Because our intelligence is much more effective than their strengths, should we not use it?
"A bunch of stupidly buff men, firing off shitloads of rounds of ammunition, and a big alien to battle against; what more could you want from a film??" Well said, Oliver Harper.
***** Never heard of John Wick or seen Bourne. Mad Max was excellent but Force Awakens was just a repeat of a film I saw 30 odd years ago (New Hope) so hard to get that excited whilst watching it as I knew what was going to happen beat for beat every scene.
I don't find CGI action as visceral or investing because I know it's fake so modern action movies just don't get my adrenaline pumping the way seeing real physical action does.
***** When two actors fight or a practical effect attacks someone, it's an actual real, physical thing happening on screen. When there are real explosions and actual vehicles on screen it's a real thing being filmed. Not a CGI cartoon.
This has always been one of my favorite scifi/action movies. Just like you said, I came in to watch this movie with my brother and dad when it was already about 10 minutes in, so I had NO IDEA what was going on with the creature. It's such a good film.
I also missed the first few minutes on my first viewing of this film - and so watched thinking it was a jungle rescue war film. It is the best way to watch the film . The change of direction into sci-fi was so much fun. Unfortunately, i can never have that experience again :(
I remember that Siskel and Ebert gave this thumbs down and said; Predator is a silly summer movie that within 1 month, everyone will forget about its existence. Seems like they were wrong :D
Yet he gets a positive review to Batman which could easily also be called a silly summer movie. Also he gave a thumb up to a cop and a half which no doubt doesn't even qualify as so bad its good its simply a bad movie. He's a great movie critic but his reviews are not that of another gospel.
Yet i recall them giving positive reviews to Robocop which is also a science fiction movie. What's silly is saying something is a silly summer movie when it's a freakin science fiction movie. Never at all was it trying to claim its realistic fiction in the style of going to the moon movies before it would happen in the real world.
Jamus C action movies today are too overdone, slow motion gun fights, crazy flips and shaky cam. Absolutely no realism in it so it makes it hard to watch. Action movies in the 80's were much more simple, realistic. I miss those.
@@petercarpio389 Unrealistic action were commonplace in the 80s as well (ex: Commando), John Woo made a respected career out of slow motion gun fights, Jackie Chan showcased the crazy flips & stunt work, while Jet Li revived the wire-fu subgenre. Most traditional action movies today just suck.
Really nice retrospective again! Don't know why this movie isn't given more importance! It's obviously a classic, and so effective in delivering to the viewer - the characters too are interesting and the actors portraying them have done a good job too. Never get tired of watching it!
This definately is a guys movie. It is good and pretty entertaining throughout, but from the moment on Dutch is alone and there is no more dialogue for that last 20 minutes it becomes simply epic.
@@hendrixisgod777 not surprising because there have always been cool ass chicks into action flicks. But it definitely was a movie aimed at dudes and mostly dudes are the majority of its audience so it's definitely a guy's movie but at the same time still able to be enjoyed by women. Unlike today where most movies aimed at one demo only appeals to that demo.
You did not disappoint, Mr. Harper. Very nice retrospective, I enjoyed it thoroughly. For me, above all the reasons stated by yourself and the good folks in the comments, Predator works because of Kevin Peter Hall. He brings a sense of strenght, grace and nobility to the body-language of the titular character, that none of the later films even come close to matching. You are never in any doubt as to what Predator is thinking and feeling, it's all communicated so effortlessly through his body-language. R.I.P Mr. KPH.
Dutch: The strong & intelligent leader. Dillon: The CIA member that doesn't conform to the team. Billy: The wise & noble tracker. Mac: The sadistic one. Blain: The loud-mouth. Hawkins: The nice one & the joker. Poncho: The sarcastic demolition man.
I find it peculiar that on some DVDs and blurays the predator character is on the cover for this movie. It is supposed to be a mystery what the predator is from the beginning of the movie. Imagine the alien being revealed on the poster for Ridley Scotts '79 Alien...
Probably because by this stage the Predator is already a figure of pop culture and the people who designed the cover figured most of us would have seen what the Predator looks like in one way or another even if we hadn’t seen the movie itself
The first time I heard of the Alien film was in the 90s, in a video rental: the xenomorph on a white background with its features dripping and the word ALIEN in large font beneath it, on the video cover. This was around 1997. First thought: "kind of creepy, but would be scarier without the white background, less well illuminated and without the wrap around sunglasses."(not realising it didn't have eyes)
My wife actually rolls her eyes when she hears the 1st note of the intro theme. 😂.... Followed by... You watching this again don't you get bored of it. My reply No!
Also made the Journey to Puerto Vallarta Mexico, The set has been turned into a restaurant, swimming lagoon and zip line it's a Must See for any Preadator Fan!
Very very much disagree about the Billy death scene. I think having it off screen makes it more memorable. It allows the viewer to imagine what happened. He's a bad ass character and all you hear is a scream. It gives the viewer even more evidence that the Predator is not something to be taken lightly. Especially considering Billy was waiting for him. It also doesn't break the flow of the film. Even as an 8 year old watching a Showtime recording on VHS, I knew his death should never be seen. This is why filmmaking is an art. Any modern director would show him fighting in an outlandish way. That, in my opinion, is boring. I told my girlfriend "Jeez you got a big pussy." She told me to stop watching Predator :P
I don't know how to thank you enough other than to just say thank you. Your format, and the older movies you chose, is perfect. Your approach, the information you give, and your insights bring me back again and again.
I remember seeing this on the big screen when it came out and it instantly became one of my all time favourites. I've lost count of the times I've watched it over the past 28 years but I still love it. I always felt Billy's unseen death added to the terror of this creature, it seemed to kill him so effortlessly. A true classic. Love your show by the way. Its Excellent!
This movie set the bar for realistic badasses. I remember watching movies like Resident Evil years later and the special ops soldiers in that looked like fucking Abercrombie and Fitch rejects when compared to the team in Predator. You bought that these guys would get sent into the jungle to fight an entire army and it would be believable. Just incredible casting in a movie that couldn't really be made today.
realistic badasses That's an oxymoron. Nobody who has been in the army would call neither the actions nor the looks of the actors realistic. Fact is they look more like a group of body builders being clad in soldier uniforms (out of date even for the 80's too) than a team of crack commandos dealing with special ops. I guess you forgot about Hawkins and Poncho too since they look plain. Incredible casting? When the best actor is Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest can't convey any other emotion than looking mean or confused I wonder what your criteria is for casting. That they all look awesome? Well, why didn't just simply say that? "They look awesome!" Nice and simple. Trying to elaborate or explain something like that is silly. Realistic badasses?? Omg. They're not even remotely realistic to begin with.
@@tucoramirez4558 if you feel this way why are you even here? And yes they were pretty realistic as actual combat teams and it was a GREAT cast. You're so off the mark it's not even funny.
+ Digital Intent well as I say in my review it still works without seeing Billy being killed but its something that would've been interesting to see and yes with the art of filmmaking its better not to see what happened but instead its left to your own imagination.
I think the intention of that scene (or lack of the scene if you will) was to demonstrate the power of the Predator. We get the set up like there IS going to be a duel between the two, but all we get is a distant scream. As a viewer you kind of go "oh... that wasn't what I was expecting" and it sets you up to feel like the Predator is something way beyond a spec ops soldier.
One thing I wanted to correct, the reason why the Predator uses the bomb when it knows it's about to die is because that's the only way it can ensure that it's weapons and technology don't fall into the wrong hands. The predators being a warrior race with a code of honor, that definitely makes sense, I know this from playing the video games and reading the comics.
Yeah, that makes sense...but what DOESN'T make sense is why the hell is there a TIMER on the thing? Obviously, if it turns on the bomb, then that means it was near death, and wanted to destroy everything around it. So why give the thing that it was fighting time to escape? O_O
fwwaller That makes sense for earth-based bombs, but we're talking about an advanced alien hunter race that has mastered inter-planetary travel, and you're saying their bomb still has to "heat up" first before it works like a 1992 Ford Taurus? :P N. Pike That does makes sense, but Predators rarely fight alongside each other. They like to take prey out one or one for honor reasons.
Kool Keith Productions Most Earth based bombs bombs don't have a blast radius that's kilometers in length. Anything we have that's not a nuke would need to be dropped multiple times to leave a path of destruction that wide. It's not like the Preds technology is perfect. Yeah they've got cloaking devices, but they're disrupted by water, they got heat vision that's thrown off by mud, it's not any more ridiculous to imagine that they can make an arm sized nuclear bomb that needs time to countdown first. Not necessarily, there are quite a few comics where predators hunt in groups to kill multitudes of prey.
Kool Keith Productions Maybe the mandatory timer is a fail safe feature in case the self destruct is accidentally activated?...or so the Predator can abort the countdown if it turns out that his death isn't as assured as he might have thought a moment ago. Then again maybe the interstellar safari hunter's code of conduct requires them to give everyone in the blast radius a fighting chance regardless if it's friend or foe.
Greatest reviewer online, Oliver I’m hooked on your channel. Predator is like no other movie ever, fantastic action movie with a sci-fi vibe and dude Arnold was born for this role. Aint got time to bleed- awesome
Such a great movie! As always: amazing review and excellent editing. Keep up the outstanding work. You're one of the best movie reviewers on youtube. I mean that.
One of my favorite movies of all time, if not my second favorite, right behind Jurassic Park. I used to watch Predator all the time with my grandfather and my father. My Dad was the reason I love the movie and the franchise, while Grandpa used to watch it with me. As such, I love this movie and more importantly, the Predator itself. The Yautja species is amazing, with their culture and weapons. And Kevin Peter Hall, may God forever rest his soul, gave life and a soul to both the Jungle Hunter and City Hunter in the sequel. Thanks to him, the Yautja are now my favorite creatures in science fiction. I have my family to thank for it, and this retrospective made me feel nostalgic for the old times. Thank you, Oliver, you've made my day easier. This month is always hard for me as it's the anniversary of my grandfather's passing seven years ago. This and Jurassic Park always make me think of him.
Really good video. I've loved all these films, I even like the AvP ones. I have personally always thought it was a mistake to show the space ship in the opening scene for the reasons mentioned in this video. But one aspect that I really did like was how Dutch turned the tables on the creature by camouflaging himself so it couldn't see him, but learning what it looked like while it was stealthed so he could see it. Looking forward to the new Shane Black movie.
I think it's no coincidence that Arnie's best performances, other than those in which he doesn't have to speak, are in movies where he's surrounded by other buff dudes. He has that same self confidence that he has in Pumping Iron, when he's around all his competitors. In Predator, it really comes across that he's got some kind of leadership quality that makes all those guys respect him. Every one of those guys probably worked out in a gym with a huge Arnie poster staring down at them, and Arnie knew it. He was kinda just playing himself in predator.
Awesome video! I remember going to the local drive in movie theater with my parents and friends to see it. My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time even though it started raining half was through. Thanks for the run down memory lane!! James
Oliver I know I'm late to this one but wanted to say that your reviews are the best I've seen on RUclips. Your ability to mix your commentary, almost as if it were a part of the special edition is masterful. That being said you said during this review that mostly everybody watching it didn't see it in the theaters. I don't believe that to be the case. I'm an older viewer of yours and went to my first cinema in 1974. We're out there, and we're watching. 😁 We offer a unique perspective as we were part of the original movies hype so to speak. And because we are older doesn't mean we can't appreciate what you younger viewers do, we were you not too long ago. I can tell you that I miss 80s cinema, the grandeur of it. Keep up the great work. Oh, and Predator is a wonderful movie, one of my favorites and a regular in my home cinema.
6:04 I think its him. Jean-Claude. He was carving his way as an actor, so if I was him i wouldn't want to publicize that I did stunt work in those early days, otherwise that's all the work you would get. It looks so much like him too; to physique is definitely right and from that profile even the hairline and side of the face looks familiar. Unless someone can tell me the name of the stuntman in that shot, I would put money on it. Great Review.
Mick Jones I don’t. He actually says he quit the movie to do kickboxer (in contrast from what the Predator camp says). In an interview I watched, he just talked about being the alien, I think he would’ve said something about doubling for Arnold for the sake of prestige. In addition, no one from the Predator camp has ever said anything about van damme other than briefly playing as the alien.
Mick Jones Jean Claude Van Damme was not Predator he started filming scenes but quit the role early in production. Predator was played by the late Kevin Peter Hall who died in 1991.
There's something about the opening 15 minutes of this film, the score and suspense that makes the anticipation rather terrifying. That and the character 'Billy's role is fantastic in maintaining the fear throughout the film. Good review, just to comment on the lack of visually seeing Billys death, it would have detracted from the point of the 'battle' massively taking a turn for the worst and him buying the rest of team some time.
oliver i found your channel by pure acident and i am very glad i did because i was looking for a serious platform for movie analysis for a long time sure there is red letter media but they msotly review and analyze modern releases (and do asplendid job doing so) and of course there is the (ugh) nostalgia critic who in my opinion is more of a stand up comedian. your analysis of 90s and 80s movies are very insightful regarding production background and interesting trivia thank you very much for your well produced and interesting content. also i would very much like to see a stargate retrospective (on the 1994 movie as well as the excellent tv series spin offs) cheers
CrazyKraut20 Its great to hear you're enjoying my work and my approaching to reviewing! Yes Stargate is on my list to be reviewed. The series I probably won't be able to cover because of the length of it and it's not something I got into im afraid.
Dude! NICE ONE!! You touched on something that I always thought myself. When I saw this in theatres when it was released, I came in late and missed the beginning. When I walked in, it was when you saw the choppers land. Missed the hole 'dropping to earth' bit. It worked not knowing what was going on, just like how the characters were experiencing it. I think it works better without that intro bit. I love this film. :)
10:35. Absolutely right. My first copy of this movie was from a recording my uncle gave me, which he didnt start recording until after the first five minutes. I had no idea it was a alien movie the first time I saw it and I think the ambiguity makes it so much better.
I don’t normally comment on videos, but I’m new to the channel and definitely a fan. I’ve been binge watching all of your retrospective/reviews and this one on Predator is spot on. I found myself nodding in agreement throughout your entire review. Awesome review, fantastic channel. Keep up the good work!
Predator is awesome, one of my favourite films. Predator 2 is damn good too, not quite up to the standard of the first, but a great sequel in how it expands on everything from the first. Predators was OK, but what really annoyed me about the flick was how crappy the Predators looked. They looked very fake in comparison to the first flick, which very much looked like a real, living creature. In Predators, the mouths looked really bad, sitting really unnaturally and looking really goofy. They also opened WAY too wide, which again, just added to the fakeness. It's irritating just how much CGI seems to have killed the art of great practical effects work like that. They could do so well in the '80s with a lot less budget and more limited tech...such a shame that the art of it has fallen by the wayside in favour of the cheapest CGI bid they can get.
No they all looked fake since avp avpr and predators if u notice on predator one and two the predator always have his mandibles close only time it opens it is when it does a face expression or scream
finally I don't feel alone in this I have been saying this ever since avp the predator faces look like cheesy Halloween masks what the hell happened go find whoever did them in the first two
It isn’t just another dumb ‘80s action movie, though. It sets up those same action tropes in the opening battle, with the characters giving 1-liners and dominating with superior firepower. …but then the Predator shows up and their action movie cliches stop working. They fire hundreds of rounds into the jungle and just barely clip it; they set a trap and catch a boar; even Billy’s standing up to it is meant to be like a final battle because that never fails, but he unceremoniously dies offscreen. The movie flips those action tropes on their heads and forces Dutch to come up with a new way to fight. That’s why it’s so beloved! It shatters the action movie mold of the day!
Predator is a classic, and one of my all time favourites. The claustrophobia, and knife edged suspense created by the setting, the cinematography, and especially the fantastic score by Alan Silvestri are up there with the likes of Alien and Jaws. This for me is much more a brilliant horror movie than it is a testostorone drenched action classic, being that a lot more of the movie is devoted to the cat & mouse terror of the hunt coupled with the gruesome ferocity of the Predator's attacks, compared to only three or four scenes that actually have bullets...lots of bullets :)
Excellent review, bud. You hit every note that I've thought since I first saw it on late night television when I was little kid. Fitting tribute to one of the most engaging and well-made films of all time.
So glad I found your channel. You're great. Keep up the good work! This is the first video of yours I've seen but can see you've tons more interesting reviews to through. This will keep my occupied for ages. Thank you so much!
I remember Chaves! After Predator, he had a role in the War of the Worlds TV show and then he kind of disappeared like his career got light reflecting camouflage.
The only thing missing from this movie was that it didn't show Billy's death. But, add the other things like the insane fire down the entire jungle-scene, the sheer and brilliant suspense, action and characters, and it's pretty much all you'd ever want in an action movie. Although not mentioned nor pointed out often, but the only female in the movie also portrays her character greatly. She brings the alien/predator's seriousness and dangerousness into perspective once she tells the others some vital pieces about the predator, such as "the jungle became alive", "changes like a chameleon" and that they must've wounded the predator. Simply a wonderfully done action/sci-fi movie, without a doubt.
I've seen this movie start to finish well over fifty times since first watching it as a kid. It is endlessly re-watchable and is a perfect storm of the GOAT action movie cast, atmosphere, tension, music and effects. My all time favourite!
Terrific review Oliver, just brilliant. Great film as well. I know you mentioned the poor PQ on the blu-ray. It's a horrible transfer and I hope one day we get a nice transfer. But I was just wondering what copy you used in this review?
When I hear the opening theme music I smile to myself and murmur GET TO CHOPPER..Always thought this was Arnie’s best film regarding his acting, the rest of the cast is spot on. Brilliant costume design (In Arnie’s book he mentioned about Van Damme being the first Predator actor). It’s just one of those movies that needs to be watched now and again late at night with a beer and nostalgia for classic 80s action films.👽
An awesome retrospective Oliver, congrats. The funny thing about "Predator" is that is a mix of two different stories that could perfectly work separated. After watching your video I remember the comments that Robert Rodriguez did about this movie and how it was one of his influences for "From Dusk Till Dawn" in the sense that it started in one thing and finished on something totally different. I wish that Shane Black takes this same approach and set again the universe of "Predator" and stick it as an "R" film and not a "PG-13" that focused more on selling tickets than given us a fun ride.
I love a great film like this I can watch many times. There's that moment when they are on the chopper and the music gets turned off, and suddenly you realize its a serious film and the adventure begins.
When I was 18 in the early 90’s, we had a friend who’s parents stayed in a caravan every weekend through summer. One Saturday night about 6 of us took all the furniture out of his front room and put it in his garden. We sat and watched predator at 3 in the morning on his mums couch in his back garden with the tv and video on a tv stand in the middle. It was awesome watching it outside while the sun came up.
You do a superb job with these retrospective/reviews, alot of pertinent, very interesting information about the film is dished out in a very short amount of time as soon as the vid gets going. Well done.
I really like the development of Mac in the movie. First he is keeping very cool and collected, rather intimidating and somewhat unsettling at times towards Dylon. And to see someone like that get freaked out by a hidden danger really makes the predator all the more intimidating. A shame they gave Mac a terrible death though, he noticed the red light and as a trained soldier he'd know not to stick his head out.
One of the top 5 greatest and most iconic action\sci-fi\horror films ever made! It's Predator, The Thing, Aliens, Alien and The Exorcist that changed the genre and movies in general forever.
That scene where they slowly crawl their way to the guerilla's camp was so expertly shot, really amazing. One of my favorite movies of all time. Movies like Predator and The Good the Bad and the Ugly I could watch endlessly.
Very fascinating history behind the film. I knew nothing about previous predator designs. That's what I love about your videos, they're so informative.
I have a theory that the 80s was a period when character developement was perfectly balanced with action and effects: this produced a whole series of classic action movies that are very hard to beat. Predator is the perfect example of this genre.
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Get PREDATOR on Bluray here goo.gl/1Zrqil
Get the PREDATOR Soundtrack here goo.gl/5HqTrs
I hope you got to see the 30th anniversary showing at the cinema recently. This is my all time favourite film and was always gutted I was too young first time it was on.
The 4k blu ray looks so good of this movie
I'm at work listening to this in the background, So I might be wrong, but I don't think you mentioned how this movie was supposed to have an anti-gun message. With this team of bad arses being effectively useless against one creature. One of the most famous scenes showing the team level the jungle and not kill anything was supposed to show how pointless guns are.
Great review (as usual!). Just to let you know, the soundtrack is still in print and available for 20 dollars at Intrada's website.
The Predator doesn't blow himself up to avoid accepting defeat, he does so to avoid humans claiming his lethal technology which could be used against his race.
The scene in the chopper where the team is riding to the insertion point is such a classic. In two minutes we establish exactly who the main characters are, their personalities and motivation. It's such a brilliantly efficient scene.
You forgot Poncho. Everyone forgets Poncho! He can make it!
Which ones poncho
@@thetreblerebel Richard Chavez. He was the one who got hit in the head by the Predator because he was slowly Dutch down.
Stevie Jo Poncho is the last of the Commandos to be killed off, he tells Blaine to strap this one your sore ass or “You have time to duck” after Blaine says I Ain’t got time to bleed”
Poncho was just sleeping, when the Predator shot him down;)
@@Madbandit77 🤣🤣🤣🤣lmfao
1987's Predator was PERFECT.
So is Islam. 1,8 billion Muslims claim it is. They can't be wrong...
Neither can you...
Beware of people calling something perfect.
Steve Kimble S. They both are perfect.
Christine Fury look I am a Muslim, that’s a message out of hate
True
Yeah especially when you look at other of Arnold's movies where he's some bullet proof tough guy who can take out legions of people like in Commando. while i do enjoy Commando it is hard to believe that Arnold might lose in the end but when he's fighting the predator there is a genuine chance Arnold might die. Like in the climax when he's fighting the predator in hand to hand combat and he is hopelessly outmatched when i first saw that i actually thought he would lose in the end.
Anyone who regards this film as "not that special" deserves to have their skull collected.
LMAO LOL I like that one LOL
This movie will turn you into a GOD DAMN sexual tyrannosaurus, just like me.
Icon of Sin LOL
Strap this on your sore ass, Icon, LOL.
LMAO "deserves to have their skull collected" Finished me off laughing LOL
Watching online Predator reviews will turn you into a sexual tyrannosaurus ...just like me.
A clone
the best of the best
It's about time!
Jeez, your comment is funny! Jeez, your comment is funny!
George Morley Jokes are often ruined by people who the joke has to be explained to. Of course, that in itself can be funny too. XD
Major Ramsey Yeah, people like Billy's character in fact...Maybe we've both been just trolled by a guy who is role-playing Billy...?!?
The Predator isn't playing unfair, the entire concept is to reflect how we hunt animals on our own world. We use high technology and superior intelligence against animals that have very little chance against us. The Predator at least gives us a chance and hunts intelligent creatures. We do not.
Also, it doesn't kill itself out of petulance, it understands that it's existence and technology must remain hidden.
Couldn't have said it better myself.
The stakes are uneven, of course. The animal wins if it escapes. The hunter wins if it kills the animal. So if hunting is a "sport" it's actually a single player game.
Sepuka also
That concept doesn't make any sense. Our intelligence is what set us apart from the animals. Many animals run much faster than we can run. Some of them are much stronger than we are. They have their strengths and we have ours. Because our intelligence is much more effective than their strengths, should we not use it?
What is this thread.
21:42 Just the first 45 minutes? The 3rd act of this film is a masterclass in modern silent filmmaking.
"A bunch of stupidly buff men, firing off shitloads of rounds of ammunition, and a big alien to battle against; what more could you want from a film??" Well said, Oliver Harper.
We could want a character who is aerosexual, demi-male and polybi-curious. That's what will be in the remake anyway!
@@kelvincasing5265 You got something against Vasquez in Aliens?
@@jp3813 It doesn't matter as long as it's Arcturian!
What more could we want? A bare-breasted damsel in distress, of course!!
@@RonJohn63 I've always wished the guerrilla chick would bathe naked by d waterfall just to balance the film, that would make this film a masterpiece.
Compete with action films of today? It blows them out of the water!
*****
Never heard of John Wick or seen Bourne. Mad Max was excellent but Force Awakens was just a repeat of a film I saw 30 odd years ago (New Hope) so hard to get that excited whilst watching it as I knew what was going to happen beat for beat every scene.
*****
I really enjoy all 3 Captain America films. Never watched Star Trek. Suicide Squad was ok but nothing special.
I don't find CGI action as visceral or investing because I know it's fake so modern action movies just don't get my adrenaline pumping the way seeing real physical action does.
*****
When two actors fight or a practical effect attacks someone, it's an actual real, physical thing happening on screen. When there are real explosions and actual vehicles on screen it's a real thing being filmed. Not a CGI cartoon.
*****
I know.
I don't hate CGI, but when it's over used for most of the action now I tune out.
It still amazes me how real the jungle hunter predator looks, definitely my all time favorite movie monster design.
I always preferred the second predator design
Oliver's channel arguably the most underrated movie content on youtube. Simply outstanding work
This has always been one of my favorite scifi/action movies. Just like you said, I came in to watch this movie with my brother and dad when it was already about 10 minutes in, so I had NO IDEA what was going on with the creature. It's such a good film.
I also missed the first few minutes on my first viewing of this film - and so watched thinking it was a jungle rescue war film. It is the best way to watch the film . The change of direction into sci-fi was so much fun. Unfortunately, i can never have that experience again :(
I remember that Siskel and Ebert gave this thumbs down and said; Predator is a silly summer movie that within 1 month, everyone will forget about its existence.
Seems like they were wrong :D
+BuzterOne they were way off
+Marar Patrunjelovici Ebert had no jaw.
LOL!
Yet he gets a positive review to Batman which could easily also be called a silly summer movie. Also he gave a thumb up to a cop and a half which no doubt doesn't even qualify as so bad its good its simply a bad movie.
He's a great movie critic but his reviews are not that of another gospel.
Yet i recall them giving positive reviews to Robocop which is also a science fiction movie. What's silly is saying something is a silly summer movie when it's a freakin science fiction movie.
Never at all was it trying to claim its realistic fiction in the style of going to the moon movies before it would happen in the real world.
Oh why did I come across these reviews? I needed to go to sleep two hours ago...
kingv911 haha i hope you managed to get some sleep.
Oliver Harper Same problem here. Lol
I know, I KNOW!! 😢😢😢😂😂😂😂😂
+kingv911 I feel you on that I just found them today and I have been binge watching all day long. They are very addictive.
+kingv911 they are very good
This movie is flawless. I can't think of a single thing I don't like about it.
It has ending...
Agreed
If I plays.....we can watch it!!
I’ll also love this movie for the rest of my life
The Commando like attack on the rebel base. Had that been more realistic the movie would have been perfect.
Idk how I stumbled on your page, but I love these videos. I've seen several of my favorite movies here. Great work.
Thank you very much!
I actually think it is BETTER than the action films of today
Jamus C action movies today are too overdone, slow motion gun fights, crazy flips and shaky cam. Absolutely no realism in it so it makes it hard to watch. Action movies in the 80's were much more simple, realistic. I miss those.
You’re not alone
Jamus C oh hell yeah
@@petercarpio389 Unrealistic action were commonplace in the 80s as well (ex: Commando), John Woo made a respected career out of slow motion gun fights, Jackie Chan showcased the crazy flips & stunt work, while Jet Li revived the wire-fu subgenre. Most traditional action movies today just suck.
@@jp3813 John Wick is cool though
Really nice retrospective again! Don't know why this movie isn't given more importance! It's obviously a classic, and so effective in delivering to the viewer - the characters too are interesting and the actors portraying them have done a good job too. Never get tired of watching it!
the vocal effects for the Predator in the film was done by Peter Cullen, the original voice of Optimus Prime in the Transformers franchise.
Ryan Kadlec Hi Ryan.. You deserve a house, for free.
+Ryan Kadlec I didn't know that. I loved that guy growing up! Autobots! Roll out!
+Ryan Kadlec wow, interesting, could never have known it was him.
+Ryan Kadlec Peter Culen was also the voice of Eeyore from Winnie The Pooh for the longest time.
No shit really?
This definately is a guys movie. It is good and pretty entertaining throughout, but from the moment on Dutch is alone and there is no more dialogue for that last 20 minutes it becomes simply epic.
Not even. I f**king adore it.
The most manliest macho film ever!!! Man!!! Action movies these days are soooo devoid of testosterone.
Funnily enough I know a lot of girls that like this movie. This and Terminator 2.
@@hendrixisgod777 not surprising because there have always been cool ass chicks into action flicks. But it definitely was a movie aimed at dudes and mostly dudes are the majority of its audience so it's definitely a guy's movie but at the same time still able to be enjoyed by women. Unlike today where most movies aimed at one demo only appeals to that demo.
"Do it, do it now, cmon, kill me I'm here, do it, do it now cmonnnnn!!!!!!" - Arnie
billy gets his spine ripped-off,that even inspired the infamous sub-zero fatality in mortal kombat.
You did not disappoint, Mr. Harper. Very nice retrospective, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
For me, above all the reasons stated by yourself and the good folks in the comments, Predator works because of Kevin Peter Hall.
He brings a sense of strenght, grace and nobility to the body-language of the titular character, that none of the later films even come close to matching.
You are never in any doubt as to what Predator is thinking and feeling, it's all communicated so effortlessly through his body-language. R.I.P Mr. KPH.
Dutch: The strong & intelligent leader.
Dillon: The CIA member that doesn't conform to the team.
Billy: The wise & noble tracker.
Mac: The sadistic one.
Blain: The loud-mouth.
Hawkins: The nice one & the joker.
Poncho: The sarcastic demolition man.
I find it peculiar that on some DVDs and blurays the predator character is on the cover for this movie. It is supposed to be a mystery what the predator is from the beginning of the movie. Imagine the alien being revealed on the poster for Ridley Scotts '79 Alien...
Probably because by this stage the Predator is already a figure of pop culture and the people who designed the cover figured most of us would have seen what the Predator looks like in one way or another even if we hadn’t seen the movie itself
It's like how most boxes you can find for the original Planet of the Apes movie features the statue of liberty prominently on the cover, lol.
The first time I heard of the Alien film was in the 90s, in a video rental: the xenomorph on a white background with its features dripping and the word ALIEN in large font beneath it, on the video cover. This was around 1997. First thought: "kind of creepy, but would be scarier without the white background, less well illuminated and without the wrap around sunglasses."(not realising it didn't have eyes)
Yep. I had no clue except for that opening spaceship scene. They went to the jungle and I still had no clue until he started his murdering rampage.
Very good point, I agree
I ain't got time to bleed.
Right...
Have you got time to duck?
Truthseeker1515 yea, tell that to your bleeding arm
Get to the chopper!
I used that line as my high school senior quote
How many movies feature two future governors? :)
MisterTutor2010 Sonny Landham has been in politics too, although i don't think he was ever a governor:-)
basquat76 Gubernatorial candidate for Kentucky, plus state and U.S. senate bids.
My wife actually rolls her eyes when she hears the 1st note of the intro theme. 😂....
Followed by... You watching this again don't you get bored of it.
My reply
No!
Lol I like it too... Neat movie! Love Alien VS Predator too! Haha
Do Arnold's Battlecry everytime she rolls her eyes
@@kruder79 😂 Amazing... Be doing that tonight!!!
I haven't met a woman who liked this movie .. not yet .. But I'm sure some women like these kinds of films ..
@@jafarlute6394 I'm a woman and love this movie! That's why I'm watching this now haha.
Also made the Journey to Puerto Vallarta Mexico, The set has been turned into a restaurant, swimming lagoon and zip line it's a Must See for any Preadator Fan!
Your opening trailer montages are the best. Really evoke the nostalgia in them. Your channel is excellent!
Very very much disagree about the Billy death scene. I think having it off screen makes it more memorable. It allows the viewer to imagine what happened. He's a bad ass character and all you hear is a scream. It gives the viewer even more evidence that the Predator is not something to be taken lightly. Especially considering Billy was waiting for him. It also doesn't break the flow of the film.
Even as an 8 year old watching a Showtime recording on VHS, I knew his death should never be seen. This is why filmmaking is an art. Any modern director would show him fighting in an outlandish way. That, in my opinion, is boring.
I told my girlfriend "Jeez you got a big pussy." She told me to stop watching Predator :P
Why did you say that twice ?
Yep i agree totally 👍
@@wattsnottaken1 I didn’t. Because you know the echo
I don't know how to thank you enough other than to just say thank you. Your format, and the older movies you chose, is perfect. Your approach, the information you give, and your insights bring me back again and again.
I remember seeing this on the big screen when it came out and it instantly became one of my all time favourites.
I've lost count of the times I've watched it over the past 28 years but I still love it.
I always felt Billy's unseen death added to the terror of this creature, it seemed to kill him so effortlessly.
A true classic.
Love your show by the way. Its Excellent!
This movie set the bar for realistic badasses. I remember watching movies like Resident Evil years later and the special ops soldiers in that looked like fucking Abercrombie and Fitch rejects when compared to the team in Predator. You bought that these guys would get sent into the jungle to fight an entire army and it would be believable.
Just incredible casting in a movie that couldn't really be made today.
realistic badasses That's an oxymoron.
Nobody who has been in the army would call neither the actions nor the looks of the actors realistic. Fact is they look more like a group of body builders being clad in soldier uniforms (out of date even for the 80's too) than a team of crack commandos dealing with special ops. I guess you forgot about Hawkins and Poncho too since they look plain.
Incredible casting? When the best actor is Arnold Schwarzenegger and the rest can't convey any other emotion than looking mean or confused I wonder what your criteria is for casting. That they all look awesome? Well, why didn't just simply say that? "They look awesome!" Nice and simple. Trying to elaborate or explain something like that is silly. Realistic badasses?? Omg. They're not even remotely realistic to begin with.
@@tucoramirez4558 The people you are referring to are more like the behind the scenes folks in the army, not anyone who's actually in a combat job.
@@tucoramirez4558 if you feel this way why are you even here? And yes they were pretty realistic as actual combat teams and it was a GREAT cast. You're so off the mark it's not even funny.
+ Digital Intent well as I say in my review it still works without seeing Billy being killed but its something that would've been interesting to see and yes with the art of filmmaking its better not to see what happened but instead its left to your own imagination.
I would've liked to see an on screen duel between Billy and the predator even if short
There was no "duel", the Predator stick him like a pig, the end.
This is the most rewatchable Arnie movie
I think the intention of that scene (or lack of the scene if you will) was to demonstrate the power of the Predator. We get the set up like there IS going to be a duel between the two, but all we get is a distant scream. As a viewer you kind of go "oh... that wasn't what I was expecting" and it sets you up to feel like the Predator is something way beyond a spec ops soldier.
yeah loved this film as a kid and still do
One thing I wanted to correct, the reason why the Predator uses the bomb when it knows it's about to die is because that's the only way it can ensure that it's weapons and technology don't fall into the wrong hands. The predators being a warrior race with a code of honor, that definitely makes sense, I know this from playing the video games and reading the comics.
Yeah, that makes sense...but what DOESN'T make sense is why the hell is there a TIMER on the thing? Obviously, if it turns on the bomb, then that means it was near death, and wanted to destroy everything around it. So why give the thing that it was fighting time to escape? O_O
probably needs time to arm itself, like a lot of other bombs do.
fwwaller That makes sense for earth-based bombs, but we're talking about an advanced alien hunter race that has mastered inter-planetary travel, and you're saying their bomb still has to "heat up" first before it works like a 1992 Ford Taurus? :P
N. Pike That does makes sense, but Predators rarely fight alongside each other. They like to take prey out one or one for honor reasons.
Kool Keith Productions Most Earth based bombs bombs don't have a blast radius that's kilometers in length. Anything we have that's not a nuke would need to be dropped multiple times to leave a path of destruction that wide. It's not like the Preds technology is perfect. Yeah they've got cloaking devices, but they're disrupted by water, they got heat vision that's thrown off by mud, it's not any more ridiculous to imagine that they can make an arm sized nuclear bomb that needs time to countdown first.
Not necessarily, there are quite a few comics where predators hunt in groups to kill multitudes of prey.
Kool Keith Productions Maybe the mandatory timer is a fail safe feature in case the self destruct is accidentally activated?...or so the Predator can abort the countdown if it turns out that his death isn't as assured as he might have thought a moment ago. Then again maybe the interstellar safari hunter's code of conduct requires them to give everyone in the blast radius a fighting chance regardless if it's friend or foe.
Stan Winston is a god. Rip sir.
Greatest reviewer online, Oliver I’m hooked on your channel. Predator is like no other movie ever, fantastic action movie with a sci-fi vibe and dude Arnold was born for this role. Aint got time to bleed- awesome
Wow, thanks!
This movie scared the hell out of me growing up
"......I'm really excited to him [Shane Black] involved again with the predator series"
We all were Oliver.... We all were :(
Care to revise that comment some years later.
I’m glad they did not show Billy’s death. I always found it to be scarier when you hear him scream to his death.
It's definitely a classic and one of the best action movies and SCI FI movies of ALL TIME.
Such a great movie! As always: amazing review and excellent editing. Keep up the outstanding work. You're one of the best movie reviewers on youtube. I mean that.
TDW2364 Thank you very much for the supportive comments.
Oliver Harper TDW2364 Agreed, GREAT JOB as always Oliver!
***** maybe do new movies in the future... but for now theres just too many classics that still need this special treatment
One of my favorite movies of all time, if not my second favorite, right behind Jurassic Park. I used to watch Predator all the time with my grandfather and my father. My Dad was the reason I love the movie and the franchise, while Grandpa used to watch it with me. As such, I love this movie and more importantly, the Predator itself. The Yautja species is amazing, with their culture and weapons. And Kevin Peter Hall, may God forever rest his soul, gave life and a soul to both the Jungle Hunter and City Hunter in the sequel. Thanks to him, the Yautja are now my favorite creatures in science fiction. I have my family to thank for it, and this retrospective made me feel nostalgic for the old times. Thank you, Oliver, you've made my day easier. This month is always hard for me as it's the anniversary of my grandfather's passing seven years ago. This and Jurassic Park always make me think of him.
R.I.P Sonny Landham…."We're all gonna die."
Really good video. I've loved all these films, I even like the AvP ones. I have personally always thought it was a mistake to show the space ship in the opening scene for the reasons mentioned in this video. But one aspect that I really did like was how Dutch turned the tables on the creature by camouflaging himself so it couldn't see him, but learning what it looked like while it was stealthed so he could see it.
Looking forward to the new Shane Black movie.
I think it's no coincidence that Arnie's best performances, other than those in which he doesn't have to speak, are in movies where he's surrounded by other buff dudes. He has that same self confidence that he has in Pumping Iron, when he's around all his competitors. In Predator, it really comes across that he's got some kind of leadership quality that makes all those guys respect him. Every one of those guys probably worked out in a gym with a huge Arnie poster staring down at them, and Arnie knew it. He was kinda just playing himself in predator.
This is by far the greatest place for vintage film reviews! What a thorough work!
inner space won an academy award...damn did not know that.
Awesome video! I remember going to the local drive in movie theater with my parents and friends to see it. My eyes were glued to the screen the whole time even though it started raining half was through. Thanks for the run down memory lane!! James
Dude, I could set aside a whole day just watching your reviews. As a matter of fact... I have. Lol
Sean Meteye haha good man!
Sean Meteye Hi Sean.. You deserve a house, for free.
***** Hi Dalle.. You deserve a house, for free.
too true my friend
That is all I do everyday in IT.
It's a crime you don't have many more followers. Love your work, watched your reviews multiple times, never get bored of it. Thanks!
Timur Dzhambinov I think thats ok for now, he belongs to a few. I think his followers fit a certain type!
Yeah but I'm sure he could use some of that juicy RUclips money if he gets big :)
Wow, you have amazing production values on your videos. Really great stuff. Keep it up man :)
GetToTheKeyboard Thank you very much sir!.
Oliver Harper hes spot on love the reviews bring back memories
GetToTheKeyboard Hi GetToTheKeyboard.. You deserve a house, for free.
Oliver Harper Hi Olive.. You deserve a house, for free.
bigbinston Hi Bigbinston.. You deserve a house, for free.
Oliver I know I'm late to this one but wanted to say that your reviews are the best I've seen on RUclips. Your ability to mix your commentary, almost as if it were a part of the special edition is masterful.
That being said you said during this review that mostly everybody watching it didn't see it in the theaters. I don't believe that to be the case. I'm an older viewer of yours and went to my first cinema in 1974. We're out there, and we're watching. 😁
We offer a unique perspective as we were part of the original movies hype so to speak. And because we are older doesn't mean we can't appreciate what you younger viewers do, we were you not too long ago.
I can tell you that I miss 80s cinema, the grandeur of it. Keep up the great work.
Oh, and Predator is a wonderful movie, one of my favorites and a regular in my home cinema.
Thanks a lot for your feedback sir!
Your editing skills are amazing. The opening trailer-type part of these videos is always professional grade work, man.
Cheers Greg!
I've been following your page for about 4 years now and each retrospective gets better and better imo!! Love your insight Oliver!
Thanks Allen!
6:04 I think its him. Jean-Claude. He was carving his way as an actor, so if I was him i wouldn't want to publicize that I did stunt work in those early days, otherwise that's all the work you would get. It looks so much like him too; to physique is definitely right and from that profile even the hairline and side of the face looks familiar. Unless someone can tell me the name of the stuntman in that shot, I would put money on it. Great Review.
Mick Jones I don’t. He actually says he quit the movie to do kickboxer (in contrast from what the Predator camp says). In an interview I watched, he just talked about being the alien, I think he would’ve said something about doubling for Arnold for the sake of prestige. In addition, no one from the Predator camp has ever said anything about van damme other than briefly playing as the alien.
Mick Jones Jean Claude Van Damme was not Predator he started filming scenes but quit the role early in production. Predator was played by the late Kevin Peter Hall who died in 1991.
There's something about the opening 15 minutes of this film, the score and suspense that makes the anticipation rather terrifying. That and the character 'Billy's role is fantastic in maintaining the fear throughout the film. Good review, just to comment on the lack of visually seeing Billys death, it would have detracted from the point of the 'battle' massively taking a turn for the worst and him buying the rest of team some time.
oliver i found your channel by pure acident and i am very glad i did because i was looking for a serious platform for movie analysis for a long time sure there is red letter media but they msotly review and analyze modern releases (and do asplendid job doing so) and of course there is the (ugh) nostalgia critic who in my opinion is more of a stand up comedian. your analysis of 90s and 80s movies are very insightful regarding production background and interesting trivia thank you very much for your well produced and interesting content. also i would very much like to see a stargate retrospective (on the 1994 movie as well as the excellent tv series spin offs) cheers
CrazyKraut20 Its great to hear you're enjoying my work and my approaching to reviewing! Yes Stargate is on my list to be reviewed. The series I probably won't be able to cover because of the length of it and it's not something I got into im afraid.
@@OliverHarper May I have a review of Set It Off?
Dude! NICE ONE!!
You touched on something that I always thought myself. When I saw this in theatres when it was released, I came in late and missed the beginning. When I walked in, it was when you saw the choppers land. Missed the hole 'dropping to earth' bit. It worked not knowing what was going on, just like how the characters were experiencing it. I think it works better without that intro bit. I love this film. :)
I've seen this movie for 72 times. No jokes here. I love it.
I just finshed last night for 80 times
Through the years
I've probably seen it over a 100 times. One of my favorites that NEVER gets old. One of the best movies of all time.
I don't know how many times I've seen it, but i know its more than 72.
Literally the greatest Sci fi/action movie of all-time. I've probably watched it 100 times and it never gets old.
Predator is my number one all time favourite film
Great retrospective, Oliver. Love Predator and yet never knew they'd gone with a different creature design near the beginning of production.
10:35. Absolutely right. My first copy of this movie was from a recording my uncle gave me, which he didnt start recording until after the first five minutes. I had no idea it was a alien movie the first time I saw it and I think the ambiguity makes it so much better.
This Movie was very groundbreaking in the Action/Horror genre in 1987. Excellent review Oliver! Keep up the good work.
I don’t normally comment on videos, but I’m new to the channel and definitely a fan. I’ve been binge watching all of your retrospective/reviews and this one on Predator is spot on. I found myself nodding in agreement throughout your entire review. Awesome review, fantastic channel. Keep up the good work!
Predator is awesome, one of my favourite films. Predator 2 is damn good too, not quite up to the standard of the first, but a great sequel in how it expands on everything from the first.
Predators was OK, but what really annoyed me about the flick was how crappy the Predators looked. They looked very fake in comparison to the first flick, which very much looked like a real, living creature. In Predators, the mouths looked really bad, sitting really unnaturally and looking really goofy. They also opened WAY too wide, which again, just added to the fakeness. It's irritating just how much CGI seems to have killed the art of great practical effects work like that. They could do so well in the '80s with a lot less budget and more limited tech...such a shame that the art of it has fallen by the wayside in favour of the cheapest CGI bid they can get.
The mouths looked weird because they were "super predators"
No they all looked fake since avp avpr and predators if u notice on predator one and two the predator always have his mandibles close only time it opens it is when it does a face expression or scream
finally I don't feel alone in this I have been saying this ever since avp the predator faces look like cheesy Halloween masks what the hell happened go find whoever did them in the first two
these retrospectives are absolutely fantastic!!! I'm so glad I found your videos
It isn’t just another dumb ‘80s action movie, though. It sets up those same action tropes in the opening battle, with the characters giving 1-liners and dominating with superior firepower. …but then the Predator shows up and their action movie cliches stop working. They fire hundreds of rounds into the jungle and just barely clip it; they set a trap and catch a boar; even Billy’s standing up to it is meant to be like a final battle because that never fails, but he unceremoniously dies offscreen. The movie flips those action tropes on their heads and forces Dutch to come up with a new way to fight. That’s why it’s so beloved! It shatters the action movie mold of the day!
This monsters/alien is no doubt just perfect. There's no way you can make a better looking, more realistic, powerful, threatening, bad ass creature.
Watching this when I was 12 years old, was one of the greatest experiences of my life, Its still one of the best movies out there.
"I love Shane Black's work so I'm really excited to see him involved again with the Predator series". A quote from a simpler time!
Predator is a classic, and one of my all time favourites. The claustrophobia, and knife edged suspense created by the setting, the cinematography, and especially the fantastic score by Alan Silvestri are up there with the likes of Alien and Jaws. This for me is much more a brilliant horror movie than it is a testostorone drenched action classic, being that a lot more of the movie is devoted to the cat & mouse terror of the hunt coupled with the gruesome ferocity of the Predator's attacks, compared to only three or four scenes that actually have bullets...lots of bullets :)
Excellent review, bud. You hit every note that I've thought since I first saw it on late night television when I was little kid. Fitting tribute to one of the most engaging and well-made films of all time.
One of the best SciFi movies of all times.
So glad I found your channel. You're great. Keep up the good work! This is the first video of yours I've seen but can see you've tons more interesting reviews to through. This will keep my occupied for ages. Thank you so much!
everyone always forgets Poncho - Richard Chaves, the ONLY guy in the cast with actual combat experience.
I remember Chaves! After Predator, he had a role in the War of the Worlds TV show and then he kind of disappeared like his career got light reflecting camouflage.
@@DeanStrickson He did some episodes of MacGyver and Star Trek: Voyager.
What about Ventura?
The only thing missing from this movie was that it didn't show Billy's death. But, add the other things like the insane fire down the entire jungle-scene, the sheer and brilliant suspense, action and characters, and it's pretty much all you'd ever want in an action movie. Although not mentioned nor pointed out often, but the only female in the movie also portrays her character greatly. She brings the alien/predator's seriousness and dangerousness into perspective once she tells the others some vital pieces about the predator, such as "the jungle became alive", "changes like a chameleon" and that they must've wounded the predator. Simply a wonderfully done action/sci-fi movie, without a doubt.
nothing is more bad ass than Arnold in Predator
Its just a pure classic, the suspense they capture with knowing the alien is hunting them, is really special tbh
My favorite Schwarzenegger movie of all time, and you did it fantastic justice, Oliver! Thank you!
I've seen this movie start to finish well over fifty times since first watching it as a kid. It is endlessly re-watchable and is a perfect storm of the GOAT action movie cast, atmosphere, tension, music and effects. My all time favourite!
Terrific review Oliver, just brilliant. Great film as well. I know you mentioned the poor PQ on the blu-ray. It's a horrible transfer and I hope one day we get a nice transfer. But I was just wondering what copy you used in this review?
Bjorn Bouterse hey buddy, I used the first release. The Blu ray with no extras. All the behinds the scenes stuff was from my old 2 disc DVD.
When I hear the opening theme music I smile to myself and murmur GET TO CHOPPER..Always thought this was Arnie’s best film regarding his acting, the rest of the cast is spot on. Brilliant costume design (In Arnie’s book he mentioned about Van Damme being the first Predator actor). It’s just one of those movies that needs to be watched now and again late at night with a beer and nostalgia for classic 80s action films.👽
Your "MAN CARD" must be renewed annually and watching this flick is a mandatory step to achieve this.
An awesome retrospective Oliver, congrats. The funny thing about "Predator" is that is a mix of two different stories that could perfectly work separated. After watching your video I remember the comments that Robert Rodriguez did about this movie and how it was one of his influences for "From Dusk Till Dawn" in the sense that it started in one thing and finished on something totally different. I wish that Shane Black takes this same approach and set again the universe of "Predator" and stick it as an "R" film and not a "PG-13" that focused more on selling tickets than given us a fun ride.
I love a great film like this I can watch many times. There's that moment when they are on the chopper and the music gets turned off, and suddenly you realize its a serious film and the adventure begins.
When I was 18 in the early 90’s, we had a friend who’s parents stayed in a caravan every weekend through summer. One Saturday night about 6 of us took all the furniture out of his front room and put it in his garden. We sat and watched predator at 3 in the morning on his mums couch in his back garden with the tv and video on a tv stand in the middle. It was awesome watching it outside while the sun came up.
Bill duke had one of the most underrated performances ever in acting
You do a superb job with these retrospective/reviews, alot of pertinent, very interesting information about the film is dished out in a very short amount of time as soon as the vid gets going. Well done.
This is one of my all time faves and it's aged very well indeed and although i was 18 in 1987 i didn't see it at theaters, i saw it xmas 1988
Love all of these retrospectives made me go back and rediscover some great films I missed good work fella
I really like the development of Mac in the movie. First he is keeping very cool and collected, rather intimidating and somewhat unsettling at times towards Dylon. And to see someone like that get freaked out by a hidden danger really makes the predator all the more intimidating. A shame they gave Mac a terrible death though, he noticed the red light and as a trained soldier he'd know not to stick his head out.
One of the top 5 greatest and most iconic action\sci-fi\horror films ever made! It's Predator, The Thing, Aliens, Alien and The Exorcist that changed the genre and movies in general forever.
I always laugh when I hear about Jean Claude Van Damme wearing the red Predator suit. Lol
Thanks!
one of the greatest sci fi flicks ever made!
That scene where they slowly crawl their way to the guerilla's camp was so expertly shot, really amazing. One of my favorite movies of all time. Movies like Predator and The Good the Bad and the Ugly I could watch endlessly.
The ultimate “Guy” movie!
It is so masculine, you can smell the sweat!
Very fascinating history behind the film. I knew nothing about previous predator designs. That's what I love about your videos, they're so informative.
I have a theory that the 80s was a period when character developement was perfectly balanced with action and effects: this produced a whole series of classic action movies that are very hard to beat. Predator is the perfect example of this genre.