Predator (1987)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers:

Jim Thomas (written by) &
John Thomas (written by)

Release Date:

12 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

If it bleeds, we can kill it...

Plot:

A team of commandos, on a mission in a Central American jungle, find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.

Plot Keywords:

Jungle | CIA | Predator | Alien | Helicopter

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 8

11:45 PM

MAX

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Dutch
Carl Weathers	...	Dillon
Elpidia Carrillo	...	Anna
Bill Duke	...	Mac
Jesse Ventura	...	Blain
Sonny Landham	...	Billy
Richard Chaves	...	Poncho
R.G. Armstrong	...	General Phillips
Shane Black	...	Hawkins
Kevin Peter Hall	...	The Predator / Helicopter Pilot

Also Known As:

Alien Hunter (USA) (working title)
Hunter (USA) (working title)
Primevil (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Germany:18 (re-release) (2001) (JK/SPIO) | West Germany:18 (video premiere) (cut) | New Zealand:M | Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) | Malaysia:18SG | Denmark:15 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Brazil:16 | India:A | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #28190) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Jalisco, Mexico

Company:

Amercent Films

Trivia:

Cameo: [Sven-Ole Thorsen]Arnold Schwarzenegger's friend and frequent collaborator appears as the Russian Officer.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Predator uses two large retractable blades, each probably close to 20 inches long and 4 inches wide, to kill Major George Dillon. The Predator stabs Dillon in the abdomen with enough force to actually lift him a foot or so off the ground. With the length of the blades and the location in which Dillon was stabbed, he certainly would have not been able to scream as long and as loud as he did. There simply would have been too much internal damage done by these large blades. Given their length and the fact that they did not exit his back, the blades would have had to go up, thus piercing his diaphragm and one or both of his lungs. Dillon could have, at best, only managed a gasp.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Major General Phillips: You're looking good, Dutch.
Dutch: It's been a long time, General.
Major General Phillips: Come on inside.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pulse (2006/I)

Soundtrack:

LONG TALL SALLY

It Hunts For Pleasure, It Kills For Sport...................

"Predator" is a genuine Classic. Action, Horror, Sci-Fi it's all there. Lets see for starters we have Arnold Schwarzenegger, on top form riding to the peak of his action status, leading a team of tough Commandos. Made up of a great cast including Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura and Bill Duke. They're on a mission to rescue Hostages from Gorilla forces but are double crossed by the C.I.A, stop there and you already have a great action movie.

But oh no, this film also has an Intergalactic Alien Big Game hunter equipped with plasma cannons, Stealth Invisibility and Thermal Vision. It would be so easy to imagine this film going nowhere if it where to have fallen into the wrong hands. You could really imagine a plot of an Alien hunting Commandos in the jungle coming off a bit lame but no, Fox thankfully had faith and McTierman had a vision. Fox's faith may have been down to there two previous unexpected big hits "Aliens" and "Commando" which you could possibly say this film is a hybrid of.

Film also benefits from being made in that 80s early 90s era where your action film could take its self seriously yet still not too seriously. One minute we see a fairly realistic use of of weapons and tactics the next Arnie throws a truck down a hill equipped with C4 and Jesse Ventura pulls out his M-134 Mini Gun and shreds some Gorillas.

The Predator it's self is a classic design, thanks to the genius Stan Winston, and in my opinion never looked better than in this movie. It looked slightly fake in Pred 2(Not a bad film too) and don't get me started on the travesty that is AvP. It could have been a different story if they had stuck to the big rubber turtle they had shot scenes with thank god Arnold himself suggested Winston.

I won't spoil the plot for anyone who's not yet seen it I just urge you to see this movie.