Predators

[AndyLGR]

Coincidentally I watched this again this week as its been on sky movies again. In my original brief review I thought it was better than Predators 2, I think now that I may have been too hasty to say that. Predator 2 may not be a classic and it falls in to that late 80's / early 90's category of 'lets make a sequel, its not quite as good as the original, and we aren't 100% on this story, but hell lets make it anyway', like Die Hard 2, Another 48hrs etc..... But I think Predator 2 has the edge on Predators just.

 

[Montana Smith]

Watched it again, with a purpose this time.

Liked it a lot more than the first time, though it still lacks something. Such as seeing more of the other prey, and more of the Predators themselves, who were often either seen either briefly or shrouded in darkness.

The first hour is pretty tense, recreating the feeling of watching the original again for the first time.

Of the three films I think I'd pick P2 as my favourite. The city, the gang war, the ship, the xenomorph skull, the Predator code of honour and the flintlock pistol that indicated they've been hunting humans for centuries.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Of the three films I think I'd pick P2 as my favourite.

WHAT?!

Sure there were some good ideas...

The city, the gang war, the ship, the xenomorph skull, the Predator code of honour and the flintlock pistol that indicated they've been hunting humans for centuries.

But everything they were attached to was painfull to watch from the dialog, characters, sets and visual style.

U-G-L-Y...

...and not visually gripping ugly, amateurishly ugly...oof! Lumbering and clumsy.

Predator 2 has some issues but it was more interesting to look at, (especially set design).

 

[Montana Smith]

WHAT?!

For me P2 was a bigger movie. It felt more complete. Had more in it. Like Aliens to Alien or Terminator 2 to Terminator.

And somehow, as a second movie in a series, it felt darker and more brutal, like Temple of Doom to Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Empire Strikes Back to Star Wars.

That's not to say that P2 didn't have it's cringeworthy KOTCS or Phantom Menace moments. Such as the battle through the apartment block that the old woman doesn't realize it occurring.

But I like them all as chapters in a series, or visions of an alien race seen from different perpectives.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

For me P2 was a bigger movie. It felt more complete. Had more in it. Like Aliens to Alien or Terminator 2 to Terminator.

They stretched what budget they had...to me it all looked like sets cobbled together for In Living Color.

The "WOW" factor was the: "WOW, this looks like sh-t...WOW!"

And somehow, as a second movie in a series, it felt darker and more brutal, like Temple of Doom to Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Empire Strikes Back to Star Wars.

I guess "somehow" is as good an explanation as any, I can't find anything that wasn't laughable television tripe...but thats just me.

That's not to say that P2 didn't have it's cringeworthy KOTCS or Phantom Menace moments. Such as the battle through the apartment block that the old woman doesn't realize it occurring.

The cast performances were almost up to Phantom Menace standards...Jar Jar would have been inconspicuous.

But I like them all as chapters in a series, or visions of an alien race seen from different perpectives.

AVP was closest to "as clumsy," that said it was leagues above P2.

P2 is one of those "Batman and Robin" films where you watch it to see how long you can tolerate it...until you feel your life ebbing away.

Now, there are some fine ideas but they don't carry the film by a long shot.

Interesting how some here who have nothing to post but thoughts on films other than Indiana Jones <not you Monty - though sometimes...>are absent from film conversation on the one weekend its most expected.

Maybe Stoo is right after all, maybe we're just swimming with a bunch of muscle men in capes and speedos fans...

 

[Montana Smith]

I like Alien: Resurrection a lot as well.


I feel a Predator marathon coming on.

"Let me tell you something, there ain't no edge of the preserve."

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

I like Alien: Resurrection a lot as well.

I was trying to keep to Predator, but since I bridged the gap and you crossed it, yea Resurrection burries AVP in terms of suckitude.

 

[Montana Smith]

I was trying to keep to Predator, but since I bridged the gap and you crossed it, yea Resurrection burries AVP in terms of suckitude.

Hellboy's in it, though. That's never a bad thing.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Hellboy's in it, though. That's never a bad thing.

...unless its some Beauty and the Beast television programme...