Predator (1987)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers:

Jim Thomas (written by) &
John Thomas (written by)

Release Date:

12 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

If it bleeds, we can kill it...

Plot:

A team of commandos, on a mission in a Central American jungle, find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | CIA | Predator | Alien | Helicopter

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 18

1:40 PM

MAX

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Dutch
Carl Weathers	...	Dillon
Elpidia Carrillo	...	Anna
Bill Duke	...	Mac
Jesse Ventura	...	Blain
Sonny Landham	...	Billy
Richard Chaves	...	Poncho
R.G. Armstrong	...	General Phillips
Shane Black	...	Hawkins
Kevin Peter Hall	...	The Predator / Helicopter Pilot

Also Known As:

Alien Hunter (USA) (working title)
Hunter (USA) (working title)
Primevil (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Germany:18 (re-release) (2001) (JK/SPIO) | West Germany:18 (video premiere) (cut) | New Zealand:M | Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) | Malaysia:18SG | Denmark:15 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Brazil:16 | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #28190) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Jalisco, Mexico

Company:

Amercent Films

Trivia:

Two waterfalls are used in the climax of the movie, both near Palenque in Mexico. The first is Misol Ha, just outside the village (beginning and end of the sequence), and the other is Agua Azul about an hour's drive away (the middle part of the sequence).

Goofs:

Continuity: When General Philips is visible in the tent at the beginning, his name is spelled with one "L", whereas in the credits it is spelled with two "L"s.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Major General Phillips: You're looking good, Dutch.
Dutch: It's been a long time, General.
Major General Phillips: Come on inside.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Homestarrunner.com: Everything Else, Volume 3 (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

LONG TALL SALLY

It Hunts For Pleasure, It Kills For Sport...................

"Predator" is a genuine Classic. Action, Horror, Sci-Fi it's all there. Lets see for starters we have Arnold Schwarzenegger, on top form riding to the peak of his action status, leading a team of tough Commandos. Made up of a great cast including Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura and Bill Duke. They're on a mission to rescue Hostages from Gorilla forces but are double crossed by the C.I.A, stop there and you already have a great action movie.

But oh no, this film also has an Intergalactic Alien Big Game hunter equipped with plasma cannons, Stealth Invisibility and Thermal Vision. It would be so easy to imagine this film going nowhere if it where to have fallen into the wrong hands. You could really imagine a plot of an Alien hunting Commandos in the jungle coming off a bit lame but no, Fox thankfully had faith and McTierman had a vision. Fox's faith may have been down to there two previous unexpected big hits "Aliens" and "Commando" which you could possibly say this film is a hybrid of.

Film also benefits from being made in that 80s early 90s era where your action film could take its self seriously yet still not too seriously. One minute we see a fairly realistic use of of weapons and tactics the next Arnie throws a truck down a hill equipped with C4 and Jesse Ventura pulls out his M-134 Mini Gun and shreds some Gorillas.

The Predator it's self is a classic design, thanks to the genius Stan Winston, and in my opinion never looked better than in this movie. It looked slightly fake in Pred 2(Not a bad film too) and don't get me started on the travesty that is AvP. It could have been a different story if they had stuck to the big rubber turtle they had shot scenes with thank god Arnold himself suggested Winston.

I won't spoil the plot for anyone who's not yet seen it I just urge you to see this movie.