THE PREDATOR - The First Wave Of Reviews Are Here And The Verdict On Shane Black's Latest Isn't Good
The Predator premiered at the Toronto Film Festival just a matter of hours ago and the first wave of reviews have now hit the web. Sadly, it doesn't sound like Shane Black has redeemed the franchise...
The Predator franchise has been in a bad way for a while now with movies like Alien vs. Predator and Predators only serving to further damage it. As a result, there's been a lot of excitement surrounding Shane Black's reboot/sequel, especially as he did such great work on movies like The Nice Guys and Iron Man 3 (forget the whole Mandarin thing for a second and it was a $1 billion hit, remember).
Unfortunately, it sounds like the filmmaker dropped the ball because the first wave of reviews from the Toronto Film Festivalare here and the general consensus appears to be that the movie, well, sucks.
Some critics find a few nice things to say (mostly regarding the action and gore) but it sounds like a disappointment for the most part and even the most glowing verdict only awards it 3*! Anyway, you can check out the roundup down below and, don't worry, there aren't any spoilers regarding the plot here. So, to check out the full list - and one video review - simply click on the "View List" button.
The Predator is, in many ways, a throwback to what made the 1987 original so beloved: it includes many of the same elements, such as the rowdy camaraderie amongst absurdly macho protagonists, a debauched wit, and a primal battle between man and beast. It’s a shame when everything splinters apart in the haphazard and shoddy-looking last half-hour, largely derailing what began as a promising entry in the wildly inconsistent franchise. [6.5/10]
SOURCE: IGN
The Predator is a flawed actioner, but a strong cast and some Shane Black magic give it a sparkle that has been lacking from recent attempts to revive the killer aliens. It's not Black at his best, but it's a fun diversion as long as you don't think about it too hard. [3/5]
SOURCE: Digital Spy
Still, the lion-like predator pooches add some variety, while the human cast proves mostly (ahem) game (though pity poor Alfie Allen, whose main contribution is a card trick). Inevitable nods to the ’87 movie (and ’91 sequel) are both kept to a discreet minimum and handled with crowd-pleasing care, and there’s a slyly dismissive attitude to the AVP movies. Yes, this is superior to those, and 2010’s direct threequel. But while Black’s film carries a ‘The’, the original Predator remains far and away the definite article. [3/5]
If things tend to get carried away during a loud and rowdy finale, there’s still one hilarious late bit involving Key’s and Jane’s characters, while a closing nugget sets up the possibility for a sequel. Whether the world actually needs one, and whether this reboot was necessary at all, is probably a question worth raising, but at least Black’s take on it is to never take it too seriously while keeping us duly entertained.
SOURCE: The Hollywood Reporter
I am still hopefully that TIFF’s Midnight Madness section will bring us worthy revivals. Despite negative rumors, I look forward to the Halloween sequel forty years in the making. And for all I know diehard fans of Predator and its progeny find plot ridiculousity heartwarming. As for me, while I did genuinely laugh at several jokes, the only thing that warmed me was when I was finally able to run for the exit. [C-]
SOURCE: Splash Report
The Predator is a genuinely fun movie, but it’s impossible to overlook the issues that plague nearly every moment. Poor story choices and strange, if not outright silly, character decisions result in an experience that will ultimately leave audiences feeling a great amount of “meh”. [2/5]
All of this is silly, borderline senseless, lively, and without any real rooting value at all. The supposedly lovable misfits here aren’t, no matter how the cast members feign hilarity at their potty-mouthing. Not that it matters — because nothing does in this expensive toy of a film, which ultimately works on the level of a disco ball. It’s shiny, it moves, and is accompanied by much noise. There’s not so much to say about the actors at hand, save that they showed up when they needed to, and the rest of the time (a lot, in fact), their stunt doubles did. Production values are highly polished across the board, which is not the same as saying the film has style — or that if it did, we’d have time to notice during 105 minutes that are strenuous, clamorous, yet still feel altogether like a tossed-off goof.
SOURCE: Variety
A bad misfire this, particularly disappointing given the pedigree of who’s behind the camera. I think I may have got that across. Save your money. Buy a Predator boxset, The Nice Guys, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, The Last Boy Scout, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Lethal Weapon. Every single one of those is worth your time to some degree. The Predator, though, is not. [1/5]
SOURCE: Den Of Geek
Limbs fly, guts splash, and heads roll. It sounds ghastly, but almost all of the violence is played for laughs. The Predator is no longer a scary unstoppable force. It’s a punchline. There’s also plenty of fan service – at least two classic lines from Predator are repurposed here, to (mostly) amusing effect. Is this bent towards comedy a problem? Purists (do Predator purists even exist?) might find fault. Some may long for the franchise to return to its serious roots. After you exit the theater into the real world, the flaws of The Predator become more and more apparent. The plot doesn’t make sense. A lot of the jokes fall flat. There’s a pointless sequel set-up. But while you’re watching the movie, it’s hard not to get caught up in all the fun. Black and company are having a blast here, and it’s infectious. [6.5/10]
If you’re a fan of the franchise – or even just the first film — you’ll go into The Predator excited and hopeful. But despite Shane Black at the helm — perhaps even because of — the film is over-ambitious, moving a long way away from what made the Arnie actioner so successful in the first place. While Shane Black is clearly keen to recapture the mood of the original, and transplant it into a bigger and bolder story, everything feels off – as if it’s been put through the teleportation machine in The Fly and come out the other side amalgamated and mashed up. It’s essentially Brundlefly, if you will. Only Olivia Munn really emerges intact – with a refreshingly strong and engaging woman character who’s probably Black’s biggest, and not insignificant, success here. [1/5]
SOURCE: Fandom
The best part of the film was the acting, specifically the chemistry between the whole cast. McKenna may have gotten the focus but this was an ensemble piece. The script was great but it would have worked as well if not for them. Holbrook was a serviceable lead and compelling to watch as McKenna. Munn as Bracket may not be believable as a scientist, however, this was easy to forget as that side of her disappeared quickly. Tremblay stole scenes as Rory. Overall, this was a fun action movie that sometimes tried too hard to be a comedy. There were still plenty of thrilling and violent moments throughout and the cast and their great chemistry more than make up for this. [8.5/10]
So, it doesn't sound great, right? More reviews will no doubt find their way online soon but there's a good spread here and it definitely appears as if this one is more of a miss than a hit.
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