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Predator
The action and horror genres blend to startling effect in 1987's Predator an eye-popping action thriller that may not answer all of the questions it poses, but it does keep the viewer on the edge of their seat with a story that provides tons of action for the action fans and huge doses of Hitchcock-like suspense for the horror fans.
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch, a special ops soldier who is asked to assist CIA operative Al Dillon (Carl Weathers) in a rescue mission involving a downed helicopter in the jungles of South America. Dutch and Dillon learn they have been sent there under false pretenses, but this is the least of their problems as they and their team find the real danger in their mission is coming from a seemingly invisible creature not of this world.
Screenwriters Jim and Jon Thomas really score here with a story that starts off as your typical action film and moves into a direction we don't see coming at all. They are also to be applauded for not playing all their cards at once. This creature that is wreaking havoc on a seemingly ordinary military mission is only seen through the eyes of the viewer for almost two thirds of the film. Unerring suspense is created as we wait and wonder when the troops are going to be privy to what we've been privy to. It's so smart that the first visualization of this creature is mere shadowy outlines that reminded me of the "liquid metal" in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
This larger than life adventure is given a real human touch as we see each soldier's individual encounter with this creature and their complete inability to describe what they're dealing with. They don't know exactly what they're dealing with but it's terrifying and a little heartbreaking when they realize the fight is futile, though they give it their best shot trying to fight what is basically an invisible enemy...a monstrous, terrifying invisible enemy.
Fortunately, this fusing of two movie genres was put in the hands of a capable director. John McTiernan, who directed the best action movie ever (Die Hard) not only provides eye popping action sequences with the aid of an Oscar nominated visual effects team, but creates quiet moments of nail-biting suspense waiting for this creature to strike that rivals some of Hitchcock and DePalma's best work. Alan Silvestri's appropriately jumpy music was the perfect frame for an out of this world adventure that had me holding my breath and jumping out of my seat. Remade in 2017.
The action and horror genres blend to startling effect in 1987's Predator an eye-popping action thriller that may not answer all of the questions it poses, but it does keep the viewer on the edge of their seat with a story that provides tons of action for the action fans and huge doses of Hitchcock-like suspense for the horror fans.
Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch, a special ops soldier who is asked to assist CIA operative Al Dillon (Carl Weathers) in a rescue mission involving a downed helicopter in the jungles of South America. Dutch and Dillon learn they have been sent there under false pretenses, but this is the least of their problems as they and their team find the real danger in their mission is coming from a seemingly invisible creature not of this world.
Screenwriters Jim and Jon Thomas really score here with a story that starts off as your typical action film and moves into a direction we don't see coming at all. They are also to be applauded for not playing all their cards at once. This creature that is wreaking havoc on a seemingly ordinary military mission is only seen through the eyes of the viewer for almost two thirds of the film. Unerring suspense is created as we wait and wonder when the troops are going to be privy to what we've been privy to. It's so smart that the first visualization of this creature is mere shadowy outlines that reminded me of the "liquid metal" in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
This larger than life adventure is given a real human touch as we see each soldier's individual encounter with this creature and their complete inability to describe what they're dealing with. They don't know exactly what they're dealing with but it's terrifying and a little heartbreaking when they realize the fight is futile, though they give it their best shot trying to fight what is basically an invisible enemy...a monstrous, terrifying invisible enemy.
Fortunately, this fusing of two movie genres was put in the hands of a capable director. John McTiernan, who directed the best action movie ever (Die Hard) not only provides eye popping action sequences with the aid of an Oscar nominated visual effects team, but creates quiet moments of nail-biting suspense waiting for this creature to strike that rivals some of Hitchcock and DePalma's best work. Alan Silvestri's appropriately jumpy music was the perfect frame for an out of this world adventure that had me holding my breath and jumping out of my seat. Remade in 2017.