‘The Predator’ is cursed by Shane Black’s horrible writing and attempt to be Quentin Tarantino
Shane Black continues to have delusion of grandeur, attempting to write like a Quentin Tarantino wannabe, but making Michael Bay caliber films. His latest, The Predator, is dumb at best and only entertaining when the profane, callous and cruse toxic males smack each other around verbally.
Boyd Holbrook (Narcos, Logan) stars as McKenna, a great soldier but terrible husband, surrounded by a motley crue of minority thugs who get caught in the return of a Predator to earth and the “evil” government scientist (Sterling K Brown) trying to manipulate and control the situation. The race to protect his autistic son Rory (Jason Tremblay) drives the sniper and his team of misfits as a bigger and more lethal Predator arrives.
The problem with The Predator is Black, who is convinced that the disgusting banter and jokes can carry an otherwise weak and inane story. This “dirty half dozen” of protectors is portrayed well, particularly by Trevante Rhodes, Keegan Michael Key and Thomas Jane. The problem is the disgusting, misogynistic, toxic humor just gets old and isn’t really entertaining.
Ask Tarantino critics and they will agree, the routine is tired and old.
Moreover, the entire premise of a government cover-up and the mission of the first Predator preclude the need for the film at all. Sorry, no spoilers, but the ending scene puts into question more of the movie’s motivation and just attempts to tease another film.
The Predator gets woke at times, attempting to prop up the autistic kid who can crack the Predator’s code, but it’s short lived with another brash sequence of profanity and grotesque violence.
In 1987, it was Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character who figured out how to use his wits to overcome the Predator’s tech and bring purpose to the sacrifice of his team. Here Shane Black makes the audience cry out for the franchise to just STOP.
There are Predator dogs, a spontaneous RV, leaps forward in action sidestepping logic and context. A dog saves Rory, but isn’t relevant in the hunt for the Predator. Brown’s character puts on and takes off sunglasses as though he’s a Top Gun film.
The Predator franchise needs a smart, survival story to make and keep us interested. Hollywood needs to learn quick that Shane Black is on overrated filmmaker, an even more overrated writer, before he screws up any other franchises (see Iron Man 3).
The Predator gets 1 1/2 stars out of 5 stars
Here’s the synopsis for The Predator:
From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home in Shane Black’s explosive reinvention of the Predator series. Now, the universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a young boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled science teacher can prevent the end of the human race.