Shane Black’s The Predator strays away from the franchise’s gritty sci-fi action, and opts instead for a comedic rampage held up by the most convenient of plots. The film follows Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook), a sharp-tongued sniper, as he leads a team of misfit soldiers to save his son from two Predators.
The film relies heavily on its comedy and R-rated action to drive the plot, which on its own feels too convenient to be passable. One of the prime examples of this is that McKenna’s son, whom we learn is on the autism spectrum, is somehow able to understand the entirety of the Predator language. Black rushes past any sort of substantial explanation, and leaves the audience to try to make sense of it all.
The first act fails to create any sort of connection between the audience and the characters, making the danger they face feel like nothing more than a CGI frenzy of cheesy action. As the story progresses, the introduction of a new hybridized Predator means… nothing. Despite the seemingly intensified power and size of the new kind of Predator, its consequences are all but non-existent to the main characters, as their plot armour is turned up to eleven. Then in the third act, the film attempts to return to the 1987 original’s roots. Unfortunately however, this is not enough to save the film, as the team enter the jungle to experience what I can only describe as a sped-up version of the original without the same charm.
One of the few commendable decisions that Black has made is to stick with one tone for the majority of the movie. Rather than attempt to be a comedic B-grade flick and a gritty survival thriller, Black makes sure to keep it relatively consistent, employing one-dimensional characters played by Keegan-Michael Key, Sterling K. Brown and Thomas Jane to keep the film lighthearted and entertaining. Whilst some jokes miss, most land well and keep the audience laughing.
All in all, if you are wanting to experience the same awe you felt watching Arnold Schwarzenegger face off against the original Predator, then this movie is not for you. What The Predator can provide is a somewhat enjoyable action-comedy filled to the brim with jokes and over-the-top violence.
Written by Michael (17) edited by Jim Poe (as part of the Film in Revolt writing mentorship program).