Let Us Prey

Don't know why we decided it was time to watch Predator (1987) - It was something to do with Dolph Lundgren... who isn't in this, so never mind.

It stats with Carl Weathers (yay!) recruiting search and extractions expert Arnold Schwarzenegger and team to rescue a diplomat is the South American country of Val Killme. The team includes quiet scary Bill Duke, loud blustery Jesse Ventura, comic relief Shane Black, and Sonny Landham, the Indian of the group.

They get in-country find another rescue team skinned and hung upside down. They take a revolutionary woman (Elpidia Carrillo) captive and try to figure out what's happening as they start getting killed one by one.

We get a  killer's eye view for some of this - hazy thermal imaging that makes you wonder how the Predator ever manages to kill anything. Then we get to "see" the monster - in quotes because it uses some form of camoflage to blend in with the jungle. Neither of these effects is that impressive, but they are fun and iconic.

There's a nice ensemble feel to the movie, with the various team members getting generous screen time, until they are all dead or safe across the border and it's Arnold vs. Predator, mano a thingo. We get to see Arnold carefully setting up kill box full of booby traps and... I won't spoil it.

Now I remember why we wanted to see this - so we could watch Predator 2 (Pred in the Big City)! Dolph Lundgren isn't in that either, I guess. Also, we'll watch some Shane Black soon. Why not?