Predators

It is very clear that Roberto as a producer really took care (from the cast, to the director, to the soundtrack, etc.). I have to agree that the first half is more mysterious, more suspenseful, and much more atmospheric; the second half lags a bit compared to the first, but still the result is great. Seeing it in the cinema is a must! :))) (07/09/2010)

After “Arnie’s” first one, this is hands down the best film in the Predator universe, though the original holds that first place mainly for the cult status it has gained over the years. By this I mean that both are basically the same, but whereas Predators is intentionally silly in a cute 1980s way, in Predator  that’s unintentional and therefore better (or worse, depending on how you see it), thanks to is earnestness. Nimrod Antal proves that the fears about his choice as director were unwarranted. I wasn’t expecting any interesting directorial tricks, but Predators is a film where the craftsmanship and the sense for execution and atmosphere are more than enough. I had a little problem with Adrien Brody, who’s maybe a bit too good a character actor for the role. In short, Predators is almost excellent, I got exactly what I wanted. PS: “Die, you space faggot” is almost as great as “You’re one ugly motherfucker”… (07/08/2010)

A tribute to the old films with all the trimmings. The slightly identical structure of the plot (a group of mercenaries, dying one by one, etc.) bothered me, but that’s probably the only flaw. The action starts right in the first seconds of the film, it has brilliant one-liners, solidly outlined characters, and the Adrien Brody is brutally cool, to the point where I didn't even want to believe it. The old good music, original sounds, and pleasantly “restored” effects, with their backbone still original, and even better. (07/23/2010)

Although Adrien Brody is just fine, Liam Neeson would have been better :-) Sniper Alice Braga is the best member of the team. The identification of Alan Silvestri’s soundtrack classic comes within the first few seconds and the musical themes characterizing the world of the original movie are preserved and used reasonably well. The screenwriters also remain faithful to the key storyline and principles on which the original movie was built. That’s not a matter of stealing, but rather quoting guided by the creators’ own reason with respect to the original movie and, above all, by their undisguised fannish love for it. Robert Rodriguez’s crew managed a small miracle even with a low budget. That is true at least of the first, for me five-star half of the film, which really took me back to the time when I was fond of such moving pictures. In its attempt to be “cool & in”, the second half, beginning with the arrival of Laurence Fishburne’s character, relies on (unnecessary) unexpected twists and plays more with the original elements. I might have a bigger problem with that than the new (Morpheus) generation would have, because this generation doesn’t know the original movie and was raised with more sophisticated scripts even within this genre. The purity of the original movie disappears, but what can we do? The upgrade was necessary and the damage is not that bad, because we are still far from the butchery and frivolity committed by parasitic crossovers such as Alien vs. Predator, the poor reputation of which will certainly affect the box office earnings of this opus. Which Predators doesn’t deserve, because although it doesn’t end as spectacularly as it begins and though it changes some things from the original, it shouldn’t and doesn’t change some other things it could, it will remain the only solid and successful sequel of the 1980s phenomenon. Thanks, Roberto! (07/02/2010)

If I wanted to use a strong word, I’d probably use "disappointment" first, but "wasted potential" seems more appropriate with hindsight. Antal is talented, there’s no denying it because for two hours I felt like I was watching unadulterated 1980s carnage. It’s aided by good cinematography, and Debney’s brilliant soundtrack (those native drums just work even twenty-three years later). The present bunch is worse. True, I can't expect psychological miniatures, but... damn, couldn't it have been stretched for a few more minutes so we could learn a little more about them? There are all sorts of excuses for this, such as the fact that action movies were made this way when the first film was made. But what do you do with one random survivor and a nutcase with a scalpel? It’s also hard to love a film where I have to hit my head a lot to shake the memory of any significant action out of it. In that regard, I'll be eagerly awaiting the Director's Cut on DVD. Until then, it gets a hesitant 3 ½ stars. PS: The first half earns five stars. (07/09/2010)