GET TO THE CHOPPAH: PREDATORS (2010)

After Predator 2 was released, there was a bit of a rocky road ahead. It was the lowest grossing Predator film at the time. Critics weren't exactly welcoming it either. They applauded Danny Glover as the hero. However, other than that, it was seen as a mean-spirited mindless sequel or that not a lot of thought was put into it. Over the years, it has managed to find an audience. 

The studio was trying to see where they could go next with the franchise. Robert Rodriguez was tapped to write a script. It was something that since become a bit of a legend. It had the mention of space pirates. At the time, it probably was unfilmable. 

Years passed, Rodriguez had become a huge name with the success of films and properties. As well as the fact that ran his own studio. Rodriguez was then asked once again to revisit the idea of a third Predator film. Nimrod Antal was brought in to helm this third entry, Predators. 

Predators is a unique entry in the franchise. It was very much ahead of the curve. This was a film that would be a sequel, yet would reference earlier films. In my opinion, I would easily consider it to be a requel. And this was well before we had seen lots of successes with the requel trend we find ourselves in now. 

This film is very much a back to basics approach. It took what made the first film so successful: group in jungle being hunted and added its own twist. Each member that's being hunted is a Predator in their own way. That is something that is pretty fantastic, especially when it comes to Topher Grace. That character was something on first watch felt off. Like he was the odd man out when compared to the rest at first. Adrien Brody is the merc that is in the vein of Schwarzenegger's Dutch. This actually had a pretty big cast: Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, Alice Braga, Walter Goggins, and Laurence Fishburne are a few. Mahershala Ali, later cast in Luke Cage and Blade, would also be featured. I honestly feel like the big surprise in the film is with Fishburne's character. Or at the very least, how long he is in the film.

We have the third film in a series. What can we do that's different? That's what I feel like a bit of the motto was. Well, in this film, we are given the idea of another race of Predators - the Super Predators. We would see three different instances of them - the Falconer, Mr. Black or Berserker, and Tracker. Each of them are extremely distinct. The only downside is how long Tracker and Falconer last. Before we know it, we have a similar showdown of the first film - Brody alongside a Jungle Hunter Predator this time against Mr. Black. But each new bit adds more Lore to the franchise overall. The coolest being the falcon drone that Falconer uses to spy on the prey. And Mr. Black is definitely pretty intimidating until his mask comes off. 

The film has a nice rollercoaster pace. It doesn't overstay its welcome. It honestly doesn't even stay in one place too long. The set pieces are well thought out as well. Whenever, I look at the film I'm amazed at what they were able to do with it. 

The only downside I have to the film is that it ends on a cliffhanger. Why did it have to do that? Couldn't we have ended it in a more definite fashion? Instead we have Brody and Braga stuck on the Jungle Preserve Planet out in Space. 

After time away, this was a nice return to form. It was able to reinvigorate the series for a time. Besides the fact that some aspects would be criticized by fans sometimes harshly. The Hunting Dogs and Mr. BLACK'S appearance under the mask being prime examples. Go give it a watch.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5. 

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