The Predator

I'd heard nothing but bad things about The Predator, wall to wall hatred and mockery. It was even suggested that it was one of the worst movies of 2018 and comparable with the messy AVP movies. Going in I was forced to have low expectations, and I firmly disagree.

Let's make something clear, I am not saying The Predator is a good film because it simply isn't but worst of 2018? Absolutely not. It's just a badly flawed addition to the franchise yet manages to be oddly loyal at the same time.

So a Predator comes to Earth but this time the government is ready for it. Cue lots of action, blood shed but a pretty wafer thin plot that doesn't exactly go anywhere.

With a stellar cast including Thomas Jane, the stunning Olivia Munn and the excellent Keegan-Michael Key it had no problems on that front. Okay actually I retract that, the leading man Boyd Holbrook is less than impressive and just wasn't up to the task.

With an odd amount of comedy and levity The Predators tone isn't exactly in keeping with the original movies yet manages to solidly feel like a Predator film thanks to the original score and franchise tropes. I loved the first movie, I thought the second was passable and hated the third but this right here is underwhelming yet perfectly watchable despite the lashings of Hollywoodness it has.

Sure it's goofy and badly flawed but I'm not sure exactly what everyone expected. There are certainly a lot of problems with the film, I'd have liked it to be darker, I'd have liked it to be longer and I'd liked the original Predator to have gotten more screentime.

Regardless despite it's many many problems it comes under the category of harmless take your brain out fun.

The Good:

Loyal score

Some great nods to previous movies

Quite a few very funny moments

Decent cast

The Bad:

Lacks elements that should be essential for a Predator movie

Naff ending

Much of the cast feel wasted