In Review: The Predator (2018)

Synopsis: From the outer reaches of space to the small-town streets of suburbia, the hunt comes home. The universe’s most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and deadlier than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other species. When a boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and an evolutionary biologist can prevent the end of the human race.

Review: As a fan of the original 1987 film. I figured I’d give this Shane Black version of the franchise a go. My thinking is that it couldn’t be any worse than the last attempt.

The Story

When Elite Sniper Quinn McKenna survives a Predator attack on his unit. He manages to escape with some Technology from the Predator and decides to send it home for safe keeping. Unfortunately, he doesn’t count on his young son Rory who has Aspergers getting a hold of it and figuring out how to activate it all, which pretty much alerts the Predators on the homeworld about its whereabouts.

Somewhere along the line, McKenna is captured by a private company that has interest in getting access to Predator technologies, but when they are unable to get what they want from McKenna they consign him to the military equivalent of the loony bin.

It is while being transported that McKenna meets a group of emotionally damaged soldiers and forms a fighting unit with them, which fends off a predator attack on a military installation and then helps McKenna rescue his son Rory.

It’s pretty much all out action with the odd quip here and there from then on in.

The Acting

Boyd Holbrook does a pretty good job as the soldier protecting his family and is relatable. But it’s Jacob Tremblay that steals the show by giving a fairly convincing performance of a child with Aspergers.

Of course, all the actors did a pretty serviceable job with what they were given.

Overall

I liked this movie. It’s certainly on a par with what was done in Predator 2 way back in the early 1990s and I liked how it tied itself to the first movie.

I also enjoyed the fact that we got to see a somewhat more positive portrayal of Aspergers, which wasn’t giving us a character that was the butt of all jokes, but instead played on the strengths of the condition while also illustrating the PTSD that most people on the Autism spectrum suffer with from the amount of bullying that they endure as well as difficulties with their heightened or dampened senses.

I also loved the few scenes we got of Rory and his father bonding.

Overall. While not the best film you’re ever likely to see. It is entertaining and the action set pieces are great to watch.