PREDATOR
US, 1987, 107 minutes, Colour.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carillo, Bill Duke.
Directed by John Mc Tiernan.
Predator is one of the many action adventures of the mid-'80s capitalising on the popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the mid-'80s he made many films including Terminator, Commando, Raw Deal, Running Man.
This film has elements of several of his films: the anonymous Latin American setting similar to Commando as well as a futuristic monster come to Earth in the manner of the Terminator. It offers the opportunity for strong man
Schwarzenegger to overcome the predator.
The film was photographed by Australian Donald Mc Alpine with thermal photography by Australian David Eggby.
The film is typical enough Schwarzenegger material - but with its familiar story of something mysterious stalking a group in the Jungle, with the gradual disappearance of the group, there is a certain amount of tedious repetition along with the action. (A sequel followed and 2004 brought Predator vs Alien.)
1. Enjoyable thriller? The atmosphere of space films and futuristic films blended with contemporary Latin American adventure and mercenaries? A satisfying combination?
2. The South American locations, the jungle and its atmosphere? The space ship and its capsule? The special effects for creating the predator? The musical score and atmosphere?
3. The title, the space ship and its mission on Earth, the creature, its appearance in the jungle, its taking over and killing the humans, absorbing their human qualities? A monstrous humanoid?
4. The South American location and action: Dutch Schaeffer and his rescue squad? General Phillips and the mission? The cabinet minister and the kidnapping by the guerrillas? The arrival of Dillon? His going on the mission? the border, the jungle, the squad, the helicopter, the skinned bodies in the trees? The guerrilla camp? The dead prisoners? The background of the minister being a C.I.A. agent? The background of a possible Russian invasion? Dutch's reaction to the deception, covert operations and the C.I.A.? The surviving guerrilla, Anna and her being taken prisoner?
5. Anna and her presence with the group, the attempts to escape? The rendezvous with the helicopter? Hawkins and the chase, his mysterious death? The presence of the predator? Anna staying with the squad? The other members of the squad being killed? Dutch and his decisions to trap the predator? its taking on various forms?
6. Dutch and his skills? Stalking the predator? Dillon and his pursuit of the predator? The final appearance of the predator as a robot, with lasers and grenades? The Indian tracker and the confrontation? The irony of the predator being deceived by mud?
7. The build-up to the final confrontation, Dutch luring the predator towards the trap, the mud, its being washed off? The predator removing the armour? The tusked humanoid? Falling into the trap? Setting off its nuclear self-destruct system?
8. The happy ending: Dutch surviving, Anna and the rescue, General Phillips?
9. The combination of genres: the futuristic mutant, outer space horror, Vietnam war allegory? The film tradition of monsters from outer space, The Thing? The pessimism in terms of the C.I.A., the death of the Green Berets, covert operations? The irony, of course, of Arnold Schwarzenegger being, able to overcome the monster?
