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Over the last few years, we've seen many genre franchises get revisited...either by getting "re-imagined", "re-booted" or just continued with an all-out sequel after a long break.
Some of them work well and are big successes (Nolan's take on "Batman". the Abrams "Star Trek" re-boot), some are good efforts that don't really catch fire with audiences (McG's "Terminator Salvation") and some just fizzle out of the gate (Burton's "Planet of the Apes").
Now the latest in the franchise revival is "Predator"...the original was a stylish, campy action-fest featuring great action and tension with a cast of pro wrestlers, bodybuilders and the Hollywood heavyweight of the era, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Delivering groan-inducing one-liners while dispensing eye-popping carnage under the assured direction of John McTiernan, it found an almost cult-status among action movie enthusiasts and sci-fi fans alike. It spawned one direct sequel and years later, was combined with the fading Alien franchise for a couple more.
Seemed like the "Predator" concept had become stale when Robert Rodriguez signed on to produce a new "Predator" film.
Directed by Nimród Antal, this new movie would end up being less of a re-boot, but not quite a sequel to the '87 original, disregarding all of what came between. Adding an "s" to "Predator" was just the beginning...
The result is a very well-done movie featuring a stylish production, an effective cast and a crackling script the forgoes campy one-liners (although a few sneak in here and there), instead focusing on plot delopment and propelling the movie forward.
The effects are well-rendered and not overdone...a real plus is the great use of environment...Antal relies more on the practical in terms of the jungle and uses the now-standard CGI sparingly (or to the point where it's not overbearing and obvious in every shot)...he's created a world that is at once familiar and alien and it's most effective.
The ensemble is very well cast, with the biggest surprise being Adrien Brody...not the first actor who would come to mind for a big, bruising action piece, but he gives his mercenary an intense edge that never falls into convention...there's no soft heart here and it adds to the tension.
Alice Braga brings some depth to Isabelle, again avoiding the cliche' of being a lemme-fatale or "tough _____"...she just comes across strong and feminine and her character provides a great connection to the original film.
Other stand-outs include Oleg Taktarov's Nikoli - the Russian fighter and Louis Ozawa Changchien's Hanzo..who provides one of the most thrilling and visually stunning set pieces in the film.
John Debney's score competently keeps up the tension while paying homage to Silvestri's militant original.
It was clear that everyone working on this movie took it seriously and put their best effort into it...it just crackles with a good energy. It not only plays as a sequel to the original film, but a good stand-alone adventure for any view just coming into it.
Like it's earliest predessor in this kind of story, "The Most Dangerous Game" (1932 - featuring Joel McCrea and Fay Wray), "Predators" takes on the idea of predators-as-prey and gives us a great ride with the concept.
I hope this movie finds enough success to allow Rodriguez and Antal can visit this franchise again and offer more of the hunt...
Some of them work well and are big successes (Nolan's take on "Batman". the Abrams "Star Trek" re-boot), some are good efforts that don't really catch fire with audiences (McG's "Terminator Salvation") and some just fizzle out of the gate (Burton's "Planet of the Apes").
Now the latest in the franchise revival is "Predator"...the original was a stylish, campy action-fest featuring great action and tension with a cast of pro wrestlers, bodybuilders and the Hollywood heavyweight of the era, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Delivering groan-inducing one-liners while dispensing eye-popping carnage under the assured direction of John McTiernan, it found an almost cult-status among action movie enthusiasts and sci-fi fans alike. It spawned one direct sequel and years later, was combined with the fading Alien franchise for a couple more.
Seemed like the "Predator" concept had become stale when Robert Rodriguez signed on to produce a new "Predator" film.
Directed by Nimród Antal, this new movie would end up being less of a re-boot, but not quite a sequel to the '87 original, disregarding all of what came between. Adding an "s" to "Predator" was just the beginning...
The result is a very well-done movie featuring a stylish production, an effective cast and a crackling script the forgoes campy one-liners (although a few sneak in here and there), instead focusing on plot delopment and propelling the movie forward.
The effects are well-rendered and not overdone...a real plus is the great use of environment...Antal relies more on the practical in terms of the jungle and uses the now-standard CGI sparingly (or to the point where it's not overbearing and obvious in every shot)...he's created a world that is at once familiar and alien and it's most effective.
The ensemble is very well cast, with the biggest surprise being Adrien Brody...not the first actor who would come to mind for a big, bruising action piece, but he gives his mercenary an intense edge that never falls into convention...there's no soft heart here and it adds to the tension.
Alice Braga brings some depth to Isabelle, again avoiding the cliche' of being a lemme-fatale or "tough _____"...she just comes across strong and feminine and her character provides a great connection to the original film.
Other stand-outs include Oleg Taktarov's Nikoli - the Russian fighter and Louis Ozawa Changchien's Hanzo..who provides one of the most thrilling and visually stunning set pieces in the film.
John Debney's score competently keeps up the tension while paying homage to Silvestri's militant original.
It was clear that everyone working on this movie took it seriously and put their best effort into it...it just crackles with a good energy. It not only plays as a sequel to the original film, but a good stand-alone adventure for any view just coming into it.
Like it's earliest predessor in this kind of story, "The Most Dangerous Game" (1932 - featuring Joel McCrea and Fay Wray), "Predators" takes on the idea of predators-as-prey and gives us a great ride with the concept.
I hope this movie finds enough success to allow Rodriguez and Antal can visit this franchise again and offer more of the hunt...
