Badlands (Predator 6) and the Predator franchise.

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  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    My ratings so far:
    #1 Predator
    #2 Predator 2
    #3 The Predator
    #4 AVP (unrated)
    the rest can kiss my freckled butt. ;)
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited September 2021 Posts: 23,271
    chrisisall wrote: »
    My ratings so far:
    #1 Predator
    #2 Predator 2
    #3 The Predator
    #4 AVP (unrated)
    the rest can kiss my freckled butt. ;)

    You think The Predator is better than Predators?

    I thought Predators was pretty good, certainly improved with time.

    The Predator is a crime to cinema. ;) (Olivia Munn the only reason to watch that.)
  • talos7talos7 New Orleans
    Posts: 7,964
    I only saw AvP about a year ago and enjoyed it far more than I thought that I would, particularly the female lead; she was very strong. It’s a shame that it didn’t have a stronger director.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,934
    chrisisall wrote: »
    My ratings so far:
    #1 Predator
    #2 Predator 2
    #3 The Predator
    #4 AVP (unrated)
    the rest can kiss my freckled butt. ;)

    You think The Predator is better than Predators?

    I thought Predators was pretty good, certainly improved with time.

    The Predator is a crime to cinema. ;) (Olivia Munn the only reason to watch that.)

    I don’t think any of them are disasters (although I haven’t seen AVP2) but really none of them rise above ‘fine’ for me apart from the original. Predators passes the time and does nothing wrong (aside from the lead casting) but it doesn’t do much of anything especially great. It’s just sort of there.
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,457
    chrisisall wrote: »
    My ratings so far:
    #1 Predator
    #2 Predator 2
    #3 The Predator
    #4 AVP (unrated)
    the rest can kiss my freckled butt. ;)

    You think The Predator is better than Predators?

    I thought Predators was pretty good, certainly improved with time.

    The Predator is a crime to cinema. ;) (Olivia Munn the only reason to watch that.)

    Olivia Munn was one of many, many reasons I avoided ever watching that garbage. How she continues to be cast in anything, I'll never get it.
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited September 2021 Posts: 23,271
    Creasy47 wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    My ratings so far:
    #1 Predator
    #2 Predator 2
    #3 The Predator
    #4 AVP (unrated)
    the rest can kiss my freckled butt. ;)

    You think The Predator is better than Predators?

    I thought Predators was pretty good, certainly improved with time.

    The Predator is a crime to cinema. ;) (Olivia Munn the only reason to watch that.)

    Olivia Munn was one of many, many reasons I avoided ever watching that garbage. How she continues to be cast in anything, I'll never get it.

    Her acting ability is limited, I am being kind lol
    mtm wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    My ratings so far:
    #1 Predator
    #2 Predator 2
    #3 The Predator
    #4 AVP (unrated)
    the rest can kiss my freckled butt. ;)

    You think The Predator is better than Predators?

    I thought Predators was pretty good, certainly improved with time.

    The Predator is a crime to cinema. ;) (Olivia Munn the only reason to watch that.)

    I don’t think any of them are disasters (although I haven’t seen AVP2) but really none of them rise above ‘fine’ for me apart from the original. Predators passes the time and does nothing wrong (aside from the lead casting) but it doesn’t do much of anything especially great. It’s just sort of there.

    The AVP films are not great though the first one has grown on me over the years.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited September 2021 Posts: 17,687

    You think The Predator is better than Predators?
    Yes, because Predators starts out really REALLY well, but then starts aping the original movie just a bit too much, then BAM- it's over on a cliffhanger that will never have a resolution. If they weren't going so hard for the "You're gonna love our continuation" thing & just told a complete story in one movie, my feeling would be different.
    The Predator is just a good big stupid enjoyable mess with an ending.

    And, @Creasy47 , my first viewing of The Predator was a very big letdown considering who was involved with it, but I was expecting perfection. Now I can just enjoy it for the fun but imperfect sequel it is (Damn the studio for getting involved & messing about with it).
  • talos7 wrote: »
    I only saw AvP about a year ago and enjoyed it far more than I thought that I would, particularly the female lead; she was very strong. It’s a shame that it didn’t have a stronger director.

    I have a big soft spot for AVP. They could have played more into the horror than the Hollywoodized early 2000s action and treated it all a bit more seriously, but as you say Sanaa Lathan was a good lead and the supporting cast of Lance Henriksen, Colin Salmon, and Ewen Bremner helped too. At the end of the day, it was just fun watching the aliens and the predators go to town on each other (and on the human cast) in the cool setting of a subterranean Antarctic pyramid.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    talos7 wrote: »
    I only saw AvP about a year ago and enjoyed it far more than I thought that I would, particularly the female lead; she was very strong. It’s a shame that it didn’t have a stronger director.

    I have a big soft spot for AVP. They could have played more into the horror than the Hollywoodized early 2000s action and treated it all a bit more seriously, but as you say Sanaa Lathan was a good lead and the supporting cast of Lance Henriksen, Colin Salmon, and Ewen Bremner helped too. At the end of the day, it was just fun watching the aliens and the predators go to town on each other (and on the human cast) in the cool setting of a subterranean Antarctic pyramid.

    Yep. And the unrated version adds a tiny bit of welcomed blood to the mix.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,529
    I still think AVP is the way to go. We can question how strong the Predator concept is by itself. Even that first film, while a classic, struggles with keeping itself fresh and exciting until the end. But because it is the first in the series, it can still thrive on us learning new things about the predator.

    Many folks hate the second film, but that one cleverly understood the necessity of transporting the predator into an entirely different setting lest "more of the same" destroy our interest right away. That said, there is a lot of ridiculousness in Predator 2, despite... or because of the fact that the predator in and by itself is not the strongest "character" to work with?

    I absolutely love Predators because of the full-on sci-fi setting of the film (alien planet, alien monsters, ...) and I'm "okay" with The Predator since my second viewing, mostly because of its semi-charming cast.

    Still, when reading the comics or playing the video games, I'm convinced that AVP is where the fun is at. Even the Alien series has been having a tough time to remain cool and exciting since... well, since Aliens I suppose. AVP done well (emphasis on "done well") is still the best option in my opinion. The ultimate predator versus the ultimate killing machine: it makes every bit of sense.

    That said, I'm always looking forward to the next film in this series, simply because I'm sure that there are good filmmakers out there who may yet surprise me. So who knows, Skull(s) may very well be the film that shows me up.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,934
    I always think it's funny how Prometheus has almost the same plot as AVP but just done in a much more po-faced way.

    I think P2 has a decent idea behind it, and the score almost convinces you that it's better and more exciting than it is, but it just never quite takes off- there's nothing that great in it. And how did they get up on top of that building?! :D
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,529
    mtm wrote: »
    I always think it's funny how Prometheus has almost the same plot as AVP but just done in a much more po-faced way.

    I think P2 has a decent idea behind it, and the score almost convinces you that it's better and more exciting than it is, but it just never quite takes off- there's nothing that great in it. And how did they get up on top of that building?! :D

    P2 is my prime example of how relishing a tremendously exciting score can turn a film full of flaws into an enjoyable viewing.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,934
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    I always think it's funny how Prometheus has almost the same plot as AVP but just done in a much more po-faced way.

    I think P2 has a decent idea behind it, and the score almost convinces you that it's better and more exciting than it is, but it just never quite takes off- there's nothing that great in it. And how did they get up on top of that building?! :D

    P2 is my prime example of how relishing a tremendously exciting score can turn a film full of flaws into an enjoyable viewing.

    I would agree, but then I watched King Solomon's Mines the other day (the 80s one) and Jerry Goldsmith really gets you more excited than the film deserves! :D
    (Although the film isn't actually all that terrible)
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 23,529
    mtm wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    mtm wrote: »
    I always think it's funny how Prometheus has almost the same plot as AVP but just done in a much more po-faced way.

    I think P2 has a decent idea behind it, and the score almost convinces you that it's better and more exciting than it is, but it just never quite takes off- there's nothing that great in it. And how did they get up on top of that building?! :D

    P2 is my prime example of how relishing a tremendously exciting score can turn a film full of flaws into an enjoyable viewing.

    I would agree, but then I watched King Solomon's Mines the other day (the 80s one) and Jerry Goldsmith really gets you more excited than the film deserves! :D
    (Although the film isn't actually all that terrible)

    I was about to say... Probably my favourite Cannon film. But if you like the score, stay away from its sequel! They cheaply recycled Goldsmith's score, and as a result, we have his action themes play in the back when people are just walking, sitting down, eating, ... The music feels mixed in ad random. ;-)
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    I still think AVP is the way to go.
    That first AVP gets a lot of crap from fans that wanted it more bloody & violent, but I always have a great time watching it, especially since I got the bluray.
  • chrisisall wrote: »
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    I still think AVP is the way to go.
    That first AVP gets a lot of crap from fans that wanted it more bloody & violent, but I always have a great time watching it, especially since I got the bluray.

    It is nice to have those few extra splashes of gore. There's a lot of cool alien vs. predator combat in this one (as the title would suggest). Things like that predator getting speared and lifted on that one alien's absurdly long tail (still a really cool shot) or that one alien's face getting sliced clean down the front by the predator's "smart disc." I just rewatched this one on Blu-ray the other night—the extended version. Going to rewatch Requiem next. Hoping for the best as always!
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Going to rewatch Requiem next. Hoping for the best as always!
    Honestly, it's not a bad movie if you consider the budget for it.

  • edited September 2021 Posts: 6,844
    chrisisall wrote: »
    Going to rewatch Requiem next. Hoping for the best as always!
    Honestly, it's not a bad movie if you consider the budget for it.

    Just $5mill more than Predator 2's budget and made 17 years later. Adjusted for inflation that's surely the smallest budget of any of these films. I'll keep that in mind.

    Edit: Just noticed Predators also was made for $40mill. That's another I need to rewatch.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Edit: Just noticed Predators also was made for $40mill. That's another I need to rewatch.
    Boy they really did put it all on the screen, didn't they? It looks pretty amazing. Too bad it didn't have a real ending....
  • It helps if you look at Requiem as a kind of glorified grindhouse flick. It's a messy film. There are some really poorly acted scenes toward the beginning especially, and little more is done with any of the characters beyond the stock roles they represent (though the soldier on leave and the pizza boy are decently portrayed). Characters without names pop up randomly and feature in major set pieces or elaborate death scenes and you have no idea who the character is or why you should care about them, but then you realize you could switch in any of the other characters you do know about and it wouldn't make much difference.

    I hoped seeing the film in Blu-ray would help with the whole dark lighting issue too, but no dice there. Even many of the scenes set during the day are bizarrely overly shadowed. It's like you're watching the whole movie with sunglasses on. But if you just roll with it, the film does deliver some pretty cool alien vs. pred action and Brian Tyler's score is packed full of wonderful homages to both franchises. You just have to look at it as a modern grindhouse flick with two very cool monsters. Still, there's little reason to reach for this one with Alien 1-4 and Predator 1-2 available and other options besides.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,687
    Just watched Shane Black & Fred Dekker's "The Predator" for the second time (on blu ray now), and golly my take on it has changed.
    Know what? I just wasn't fully prepared for the 'evolution' aspect last time. This movie rocked, and rocked HARD. It's now up there with one & two for me. The first one is classic perfection. Nothing can touch it. But Predator 2 & The Predator are totally worthy sequels IMO.
  • Good stuff, @chrisisall! The Predator is up next for me, followed by Predators after that.
  • Posts: 1,394
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,271
    Predator Prequel Movie Setting Allows For Big Creative Swings, Says Exec
    https://www.google.com/amp/s/screenrant.com/predator-5-movie-setting-story-details-studio-response/amp/

    I had no idea that the movie had had a title change?
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,457
    Going straight to Hulu - that's a sign that the studio is confident in their product.
  • mtmmtm United Kingdom
    Posts: 14,934
    Dakota Beavers..?
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    edited May 2022 Posts: 23,271
    PREY Teaser Trailer
  • Creasy47Creasy47 In Cuba with Natalya.Moderator
    Posts: 40,457
    Forgot we had a thread for these or I would've posted it here earlier.

    It could certainly look worse, that's for sure. I'll check it out gladly since it's on streaming but my optimism isn't high.
  • slide_99slide_99 USA
    Posts: 650
    "If it bleeds, we can scalp it."
  • Fire_and_Ice_ReturnsFire_and_Ice_Returns I am trying to get away from this mountan!
    Posts: 23,271
    Not much to go on with the teaser I am hoping for something like Apocalypto.
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