NINETOES VS. THE PREDATOR

Ninetoes reaches the second Predator franchise reboot with the eponymous THE PREDATOR, but can Shane Black save the faltering film series?

When a young boy accidentally triggers the universe’s most lethal hunters’ return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist can prevent the end of the human race.

Directed by Shane Black

Written by Fred Dekker and Shane Black, based on concepts by Jim and John Thomas

Starring Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, and Olivia Munn

Hey there, movie lovers. It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ. Today I am looking at Shane Black’s The Predator.  I have popcorn in my system and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

And we are back on Earth! Is it for the better?

Okay, so there is a Yautja that crashed on Earth, and an American sniper took a couple of pieces of gear to prove he actually saw an alien, and to keep everyone safe, he mailed it to his wife’s P.O. Box, but his kid got the box, and the Yautja wants his shit back.

So, I think this one should have been called “Predator: The Comedic Experience”. Yeah, it will nuke every damned thing in its path, but you’re gonna laugh your ass off too, and the comedy actually fits. This is the “Loony Squad,” and they are as dangerous as they are funny. Their mission is to help McKenna (Holbrook) protect his kid, and they will blow everything up in their path to do so.

The casting for this movie was perfect. Boyd Holbrook is every bit the American Hero you want him to be, but it is Thomas Jane (of Punisher fame) that steals the show as Baxley, the soldier who suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome, and the result is laugh your ass off funny. Another interesting casting choice is Jake Busey as Keyes; his father, Gary Busey, was in Predator 2 as Peter Keyes, the CIA spook who wanted to capture a Yautja to study it. Well, his son is a doctor in this movie STUDYING A YAUTJA!!!!!

The story is good, especially for an addition to a beloved franchise. You have a Yautja on Earth looking for his stuff, being hunted by a BIGGER Yautja (like this thing is H U G E), and the humans are caught in the middle. What are these aliens hunting? The son of Boyd Holbrook’s character, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, but is a genius when it comes to computer components and electronics. (Don’t worry, kid, dad and his crew are coming!) What we get is an intergalactic fight that is epic in scope!

One thing I would like to point out is the music. The first two Predator movies were scored by Alan Silvestri. The next two were scored by John Debney (Predators) and Henry Jackman (The Predator), and I am sincerely hoping Alan Silvestri for some royalties because the other two guys really borrowed from what he did. That does not mean it is not a great soundtrack; it just means that for the first four movies, the music sounds the same.

As I went into this one, I really did not want to like it. Sure, I am a Predator franchise fan, but I really did not think we needed another one. But…the more I watched it, the more I liked it. Did I love it? No, but I did like it.

This movie is perfect for Predator fans and action junkies.

I give this one 3.5 stars out of 5!

Happy Viewing! 

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.