However after some time, I believe 20th Century Fox had been seeing what other studios were doing. I mean it makes absolute sense as a lot of the 2010s felt like what I'd call the 'MCU' effect. Marvel had been widely successful with their movies. Every studios seemed to be trying their best to attempt to replicate it. I mean X-Men was back in full swing with the First Class films, Spider-Man would be reinvigorated with Amazing, Warner Bros. were attempting the DCEU, Dracula Untold and The Mummy would be swing and misses for the Dark Universe. Every one was trying to throw something to see what sticks. And not surprisingly, 20th Century Fox thought that maybe Predator would be a fit for a Cinematic Universe. Least, that's what I keep telling myself.
Enter the next attempt at reinvigorating the franchise with The Predator. The studio had decided to bring in Shane Black to direct and co-write alongside Fred Dekker. Black is well known and was even featured in that original film. Dekker also is remembered for Monster Squad, Night of the Creeps, and House. It sounds like it'd be a good fit, right? I thought so too.
So, production went underway. Things were leaking...set photos and such. Mentions of multiple Predators in the film. Then came news that the whole third act of the film was scrapped and would need reshoots. What exactly was wrong with that initial third act? I honestly don't know. But I do know is that we had seen Predators in Military Fatigues with rifles in set photos. But in the finished film, nope. They are no longer there. However, they would appear immortalized in NECAs line of The Predator figures. I have to find them. Oh yeah, they were also featured in the Predator Evolution special feature on the Blu Ray.
What did these reshoots result in? First and foremost, studio interference. It was to the point where I don't think Black or Dekker are proud of the finished product. It wasn't necessarily what they had originally planned for. No, instead the finished product feels like it's a superhero film. Like it was their attempt to Marvel-ize the Predator franchise with more humor. That is definitely something I noticed was the larger frequency of jokes in the film. The action results in bigger spectacle. However, it loses itself in the use of CG.
One thing I will admit is that I love the Looneys. These guys work really well together. They bounce off of one another and it's a bit fun. Looking at it under the superhero perspective, huh? It sounds like a crazier version of the Howling Commandos from The First Avenger. Oh, that also explains McKenna. He's basically this film's version of Steve Rogers but at the end turns into Iron Predator.
The idea of the Upgraded Predator is a bit bigger. But not out there as we had seen previously with the Super Predators of Predators. Honestly, it feels like it's the Predator version of Dutch. He's just bout as big and beefy as you might imagine a Schwarzen-Pred to be. Hell, it sucks we couldn't have gotten Schwarzenegger's Dutch to return to help.
But while have a bigger enemy, it kinda nerfs the Fugitive Predator. It basically treats Fugitive as nothing more than a sidenote. And that's very disappointing, even more so after the removal of the Commando Predators. Fugitive is kinda cool in his opening and after he awakes. But then the fight with the Upgrade happens. And it's something that is over in a few seconds. Why? Why couldn't we have Fugitive stand a bit taller? Why couldn't he have held his own a little better? Oh, to make the Upgrade seem more impressive? Hell no. That's not supposed to happen like that.
And then there's the Predator Dogs. Don't get me started on those. Predators did it better. Here, it falls extremely flat.
Who the hell is THE PREDATOR in The Predator? Well, it certainly isn't Upgrade or Fugitive. If you look at the evidence, it turns out it's McKenna. Seriously?
I watched The Predator with my son. He's only seen the original '87. He enjoyed this a lot cause of the action. Is this what the studio was planning for? Honestly don't think so. It feels like a failed attempt at Marvel-izing something that didn't need it for a last minute attempt to help the studio. After that, pretty sure they were bought out by Disney.
Rating:
2.5 out of 5. (When viewed as a Predator fan)
3 out of 5(When viewed through superhero perspective)
No comments:
Post a Comment