This film is so much better than Predator 2, but that's not saying much. It's a decent flick. They would have done much better having Fishburn in the lead and Brody out of the movie. Just really bad casting IMO
shareI thought he did very well in this movie. I liked his performance here all the way. I likely have never seen his previous or other roles in films so maybe that helped me. Maybe everybody expects him to be in a certain role. I had no problem whatsoever with him in this movie.
shareI agree. Brody was cool in this. There’s no way Fishburn could have pulled off the physicality of the lead role.
Brody has a cool, steely manner about him, and was an amazing interesting choice. I think it worked.
This movie really was awesome. I think that Brody was the one who powered it along. Without someone good in the lead role then the whole thing collapses. Certainly a very decent supporting cast as well aided him and the story was fantastic. My favorite scene was the Asian guy fighting the Predator with a sword in that field. Maybe the coolest scene ever done in the entire franchise. It was just perfect.
shareI think that Brody was the one who powered it along.
Without someone good in the lead role then the whole thing collapses.
Certainly a very decent supporting cast as well aided him and the story was fantastic
That's interesting. I thought Brody was fine for me. Some of the supporting cast was quite good. The Russian. The Asian were very good characters. Some of the others perhaps could have been better as you say. Yeah, I didn't understand why Danny T was in this film for all he did. Killed off really quick.
It would be interesting to think about what other types of characters they could have added to the group.
I think the predators purposely wanted their subjects of the hunt to be together. Likely added more of a challenge to fight a group instead of picking them off one by one.
It would be interesting to think about what other types of characters they could have added to the group.
I think the predators purposely wanted their subjects of the hunt to be together. Likely added more of a challenge to fight a group instead of picking them off one by one.
he's a fantastic actor,
and he killed it in this
they were lucky to get him
Fishburn was 100 pounds overweight. He was the goofiest survivor character I've ever seen on film.
shareImo his presence certainly was an atypical and *risky* casting decision, but one that paid off.
shareOnly because the supporting cast was so poorly utilised, other than Hanzo. I really love Oleg Taktarov but he was made a bumbling fool in the film to ensure that Brody wasn't overshadowed.
That's the problem, though. Brody looked "good" relative to the subpar cast. A completely worthless African soldier, a charismatic but very small Walton Goggins, and an over-the-hill Danny Trejo.
The reason the first Predator worked so well was because everybody on Arnold's team looked and acted like pure bada$$es, and then it was topped off with the fact that Arnold came across as the ultimate bada$$.
Here, Brody put on his Batman voice and was surrounded mostly by throwaways no one cared about, other than maybe sniper lady and Hanzo. I wanted to like Oleg in this film but he just had nothing to do and, once again, was used as the bumbling, big-man.
Was just considering a rewatch earlier today. It’s been a while since I saw it. Rated it a 7/10 at the time. Not a Brody fanboy by any means, so no issues ceding this. Just hope it holds up.
shareDefinitely let me know if your thoughts on the film --- after you rewatch it -- have changed over the years, or if it holds up or not.
I really appreciated the scenery, atmosphere, and the overall premise, but just had issues with the casting and some of the execution of the plot.
It held up alright. 63/100 rounded to 6/10. Still liked it. Agreed: great locations. Had to overlook all the usual action movie tropes:
Infinite ammo mag dump scene. “We need to conserve ammo.” Next mag dump scene.
“It wants us to run.”
“Run!”
I actually was impressed by the cast (except Fishburne, who likely got the biggest payday for a couple days of work), but not so much the characters. I think they were going for more human/flawed characters, which often is more interesting, rather than the 80s-style badasses, but yeah, Brody definitely put on the Batman voice… I guess I appreciate casting decisions and actors going against type, or at least cut them more slack, like I tend to do with genre films and my ratings.
One thing for sure, it was my favorite predator movie second of course to the original, and I’m a Shane Black fan. Not that that was too high a bar. I don’t think I’ll revisit it any time soon.
I actually was impressed by the cast (except Fishburne, who likely got the biggest payday for a couple days of work), but not so much the characters.
I guess I appreciate casting decisions and actors going against type, or at least cut them more slack, like I tend to do with genre films and my ratings.
One thing for sure, it was my favorite predator movie second of course to the original, and I’m a Shane Black fan. Not that that was too high a bar. I don’t think I’ll revisit it any time soon.
Wow. I like Glover. He’s a good actor, but I’d take Swayze or Segal, in that order. P2 had more problems than the lead, alas. What made the original so great was the characters but also it was all fresh and new. Each sequel has been riding its coattails, and not striving for more than fan service. This one at least had the game reserve angle.
It may not be as action-packed or as high budget, but a sci-fi/horror I recommend a lot is Splinter (2008). Shea Whigham is always good, and the creature effects are actually well done within the confines of the budget.
It may not be as action-packed or as high budget, but a sci-fi/horror I recommend a lot is Splinter (2008). Shea Whigham is always good, and the creature effects are actually well done within the confines of the budget.
It’s so freaking good and came out of nowhere when I first saw it, so really blew me away. Usually the “big reveal” is a let down, but I was like “DAYUM!”
See Take Shelter (2011)? Got both Whigham and Shannon, in my favorite [role of] his. Don’t want to oversell it, but it rocks my world.
Actually, I have not seen Take Shelter. But it has Shannon and Wingham? Definitely going to add it to my watchlist right now.
Thanks for the suggestion!
My pleasure. Do LMK what you think. Have seen it three times already and each time I am riveted. Shannon is at peak intensity.
shareBit of a necro to the thread, but I finally got around to watching Take Shelter. It's definitely a slow burner, but also very good at what it attempts to convey to the viewer.
You're never really sure if Shannon's character is just losing his mind to paranoid delusions and hallucinations, or if he is really having premonitions.
The twist at the end with them going into the shelter only to find that it was a moderate thunder storm almost left me with the feeling that it was all a ruse so viewers would empathise with Shannon's character needing psychiatric help, but I'm glad that the ending stuck to the guns and made sure that there was a payoff to the effort.
Very interesting film indeed.
Kind of shocked I never heard of it before, I'm usually purposely seeking out indie sci-fi films like this. It reminded me of a slower-burning version of the 2018 Swedish film The Unthinkable, which had a very similar concept.
Take Shelter was well worth the watch, though. Thanks for the recommendation!
So glad you liked it, and this place is so slow compared to the old IMDb forums, especially the individual film boards, I'd rather a necro reply than none at all.
Indie sci-fi, you say? Please allow me to dump a few of my favorites (some not strictly indie, just underexposed, imo), and maybe there will be some you haven't seen and might enjoy:
UFO (2018)
The Man from Earth (2007)
De uskyldige AKA The Innocents (2021)
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
The Last Mimzy (2007)
The Hidden (1987)
Dead Set (2008) - more zombie/horror, but a must-see
The Lost Room (2006)
Grabbers (2012)
Turbo Kid (2015)
Robot & Frank (2012)
Sommarens tolv månader AKA The Twelve Month Summer (1988 TV Movie)
Seobok (2021)
The Stone Tape (1972 TV Movie) - the writer Nigel Kneale's catalog is well worth checking out
The Objective (2008)
Watch these two in order:
Resolution (2012)
The Endless (I) (2017)
Okay some of those I have seen, others I have never heard of. Loved, loved, loved, loved, loved The Hidden. That is easily one of my all-time favourites. Turbo Kid was great, too. And I've been fawning over Buckaroo Banzai again recently (it took several decades but I finally fell in love with it after rewatching it not too long ago).
I remember seeing commercials for the Last Mimzy but never looked into it.
Never even heard of UFO... yet it stars Gillian Anderson? Instant add to the watchlist!
Some of these, funnily enough, are already on my watchlist, like The Man From Earth, but The Innocents looks right up my alley.
And yeah, The Objective was awesome, reminded me of a much better version of Red Sands or R-Point -- wish we had more movies like that (The Objective, that is).
Thanks again for the recommendations!
Looks like we are on similar wavelengths. I enjoyed R-Point, and Red Sands and The Unthinkable have me teetering. They'll go on the "in the mood" list.
Necro me back with any bullseyes or any favorites you wanna throw my way.
PREDATOR 2 gets a bum rap for being the sequel to the more popular movie in PREDATOR with Arnold.. PREDATOR 2 is also the Most Violent of the PREDATOR movies.. Interesting of note: Arnold was initially supposed to have something like a 10 second cameo at the end of PREDATOR 2 picking up Glover in the Chopper, but it came down to Arnold wanting $250K to do it and the studio wouldn't budge on it and as a result, they Cast Danny Glover instead
shareMore violence doesnt equate thats basically every Zack Snyder compared to its other adaptations
shareBrody did great , Fishburne was supposed to be a Kurz-Expy
share