Its obvious that movie releases have become far too convoluted in these post plague, heavy streaming based years, when a new Predator film comes out, and it takes me fifteen months to see the thing.
Gillis and Woodruff Jr. of Amalgamated Dynamics are back doing the Predator. Normally, I'm against redesigning a Stan Winston creation, however, these guys are experienced with Predators now, originally came from the Winston studio, and are applying species diversity to the Yautja, instead of changing the classic design.
This is a larger, leaner, dry climate dwelling hunter. It keeps the general body plan we've come to know and love, but executes it in a new and interesting fashion. Former professional basketball player Dane DiLiegro suits up for this outing. He brings a different kind of physicality to the role as he and the effects team imbue life to a new version of an old favorite.
Like many of the films in this franchise, including the original, this movie starts as one type of film, and then transitions into another when the Space Hunter is fully introduced. However, contrary to those other franchise entries, before this becomes a killer space monster flick, it starts off in a "good movie" genre.
This is a coming of age tale of Naru, played excellently by Amber Midthunder, a member of the Commanche nation. It shows her place and struggles in the tribe, her hopes and dreams of the future and her awesome dog! It highlights the Commanche culture as well as that group's interactions with French fur trappers.
Yes, the historical accuracy isn't 100% on target, but considering there's a seven foot tall creature from another world wandering around the 1700's with laser guided weapons and invisibility armor, I feel that's a minor quibble.
The film provides anything a viewer could want from a Predator adventure. Cool Yautja hunting, trophy gathering and medical moments,
likeable and interesting humans to face off with the hunter,
and some completely unlikable humans we enjoy seeing this new variety of Predator do horrible things to. (With a variety of toys we haven't seen before)
On top of that, its an authentic look at a culture Hollywood often ignores, or insults. The settings of the great plains and American forests were gorgeous.
I would have enjoyed this film, with this cast if it was purely a historical adventure of this Commanche tribe.
The fact that there's a Yautja working his way up the hunting food chain was a fantastic added bonus.
Each outing in this franchise has shown a different type of brave, resourceful, intelligent honorable human capable of taking out a member of a species whos entire way of life is focused on the drama of the hunt...
And multiple cowardly, clueless and stupid humans that we can cheer as creatively horrible things happen to them when they become victims of that hunt.
While this one is mostly spoiler free because it is another film with really good reveals built into the narrative, I feel the need to publicly state-
"Dude! He threw a bear trap at that guy's head! That was so cool!"
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