Part of Invasion!
Two real-life former governors — Arnold Schwarzenegger (Dutch) and Jesse Ventura (Sgt. Blain) — use their muscled intellects to pursue a force more sinister than state budget crises: an otherworldly creature deep in the jungle. Adept at slaughtering well-trained fighters, the beast is practically invisible. Special effects, dizzying camera work, and a sci-fi bent elevate John McTiernan’s gory horror-actioner.
“Visually, PREDATOR is a full-assault experience. Director John McTiernan mixes his range of shots with fast precision and full-blast effect. Perhaps PREDATOR’s best asset is the expressive, kinetic photography of Donald McAlpine. His frame is always full, multihued and richly composed.” —Duane Byrge, Hollywood Reporter “The movie emerged 30 years ago from the deepest thicket of Reaganite America’s subconscious, just when the nation was anxious about Daniel Ortega’s Sandinistas in Nicaragua. The guys’ rude jokes, together with an apparently duplicitous female insurgent and the alien creature’s row of teeth may also point to a Freudian explanation.” —Peter Bradshaw, Guardian “An ’80s classic full of still-thrilling action, quotable one-liners (‘Get to the chopper!’ ‘Stick around!’) and sly digs at Uncle Sam’s penchant for unwinnable jungle wars.” —Neil Smith, Total Film
