Predators (2010)

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General		Extras
Category	Horror/Sci-Fi	Audio Commentary-Robert Rodriguez and Nimrod Antal Featurette-Making Of-Decloaking the Invisible: Alien Terrain (10.18) Featurette-Motion Comic - Crucified (2.08)
Rating
Year Of Production	2010
Running Time	107:00
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Nimród Antal
Studio Distributor	Twentieth Century Fox	Starring	Adrien Brody Topher Grace Alice Braga Walton Goggins Oleg Taktarov Laurence Fishburne
Case	Amaray-Transparent
RPI	$32.95	Music	John Debney

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 5.1 (448Kb/s) English Audio Commentary Dolby Digital 2.0 (224Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	2.35:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	2.35:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English for the Hearing Impaired English Audio Commentary Finnish Finnish Audio Commentary Swedish Swedish Audio Commentary	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     The Predator universe is not so much a franchise as a series of UFC style match-ups. We have had:

• Predator vs. Arnie (Predator)
• Predator vs. Urban cop (Predator 2)
• Predator vs. Aliens(umm.. Aliens vs. Predator)
• Predator vs. Predalien hybrid (Aliens vs. Predator Requiem) ; and now
• Predator v Assorted Bad People (Predators)

     The series can't really be judged by empirical standards. Unlike the Spiderman series where the same director has tried to add carefully to the mythos, the Predator movies are standalone, "stand-up bug hunts". There is another key point; with the exception of Predator 2 (perhaps hampered by its "adult only" rating) the films have all had average to poor critical reviews but made a bucket load at the Box Office. And why not? For fans of the series and the Alien franchise what could be better than humans, aliens and predators using their individual gifts and strengths to outwit and defeat each other, usually in gruesome fashion!

     When Robert Rodriguez became involved in the project fans started getting excited. Here was someone who knew hair raising horror. He had drafted a script for the film way back in 1994 with Arnie that never got produced. As it turned out Rodriguez didn't direct the film but produced it with directorial duties falling to relative newcomer Nimrod Antal. The result is an economical, tight, sometimes thrilling film that probably won't bring in legions of new fans but will satisfy genre fans and devotees of the series.

     The plot is as thin and sharp as the predator’s blade. A mercenary soldier (Adrien Brody) wakes up in freefall, parachuting into a jungle. He can't remember how or why he got there and he doesn't recognise the jungle. Dropping down beside him and scattered nearby are a merry band of bad-asses: Mexican drug cartel killer Cuchillo (Danny Trejo of course), Spetsnaz soldier Nikolai (UFC legend Oleg Taktarov), IDF sniper Isabelle (Alice Braga; a Brazilian actress as an Israeli soldier - go figure!), Revolutionary United Front officer Mombasa (Benjamin Button's Mahershalalhashbaz Ali), soon to be executed murderer Stans (Walton Goggins), Yakuza enforcer Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchien), and doctor Edwin (Topher Grace).

     When they stand on a ledge in the jungle looking up at a very alien sky the group realise that they are "not in Kansas anymore", and have to work out how to get out of there. Brody realises that they are not alone and that this is one big game preserve where they, the humans, are the hunted. The task becomes complicated when the group are hunted by nasty creatures and forced into a run with evil on their heels. Apart from an interlude with Laurence Fishburne as a fried out veteran and survivor this is one long chase with the predators having the upper hand. The premise of disappearing allies is not novel but Antal makes it an entertaining ride. The title, of course, is a reference to the fact that each of the group is in their own way a predator too. Except the doctor. What's his story?....

     The script is not Shakespeare, consisting mainly of grunts, profanities and tough talk. Even Oscar winner Brody is not immune, punching out beatdown lines ala Arnie in a gravelly voice borrowed from Nick Nolte. The lines are really there to give the barest of exposition in between set pieces. This is a jungle movie and the locations look great, giving it that Predator feel without us feeling like we have been there before. As well as the classical creature the filmmakers have chucked in a few interesting additions and variants to keep us guessing. All in all a worthy addition to the family!

Video

     Predators was shot using the Genesis HD camera and transferred to 35mm film and projected in the cinema at a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. That ratio has been preserved for the DVD release. It is 16x9 enhanced.

     It is no surprise that a $40m budget recent film should look good on DVD. Nevertheless it is a welcome relief to report that the film comes to DVD in near perfect shape. The image is clear and crisp. There is no aliasing or any artefacts. The colours are strong - including the cool greens of the jungle and the mellow yellows of Fishburne's hideaway. The flesh tones and alien flesh ones are accurate.

     There is a light film grain. The only defect noticed was some minor compression in the scenes of maximum intricate activity - principally when looking at the jungle canopy with leaves moving about in all directions. A very good transfer that will satisfy fans.

     There are several subtitle choices including English, Finnish and Swedish. The English subtitles give a good account of on-screen action. Also there are subtitles for the director’s commentary track in English, Finnish and Swedish.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     Predators carries a Dolby Digital 5.1 track running at 448Kb/s. There is also a Dolby Digital 2.0 commentary track running at 224Kb/s. The quality of the image is matched by the sound. This is an immersive track. The dialogue, such as it is, is clear and easy to understand. The surrounds are used to full effect with bullets, grunts and screams given full respect. The sub-woofer cuts in with the thud of gunfire and the occasional explosion.

     Composer Alan Debney produced the score for the film. Before anyone has heart palpitations he uses the theme by Alan Silvestri to good effect throughout as a homage to the original film. The new score is riveting throughout. The film also features Long Tall Sally as another homage to the original. A good soundtrack to match the visuals.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

     There are a couple of juicy extras on the DVD.

Commentary Track - Robert Rodriguez and Nimrod Antal

     This is an enjoyable and breezy commentary track. Given the subject it is no surprise that there is little theoretical or analytical material - it deals with the practical aspect of the film, production, casting and filming. The pair is happy to talk about the day to day troubles of making the film and the joys of working with the cast.

Decloaking the Invisible: Alien Terrain (10.18)

     Although this sounds like a technical featurette it comes pretty close to a combination of a Making of and On-Set Diary. The Terrain part comes in the form of discussions about location hunting and the problems of working in freezing cold jungle locations that are meant to be steaming hot! Most of the producers and tech crew get a word in and there is a nice look at a stunt sequence. Brief but enjoyable.

Motion Comic - Crucified (2.08)

     This is billed as the "film's biggest mystery revealed". Not really, but worth a watch as to how the big aliens dealt the hurt to the littler one.

     This DVD is the same as the Region 1 and 2 DVD.

     The Blu-ray released here has extra features and is the essential purchase for fans of the film with the right equipment.

     Predators does no disgrace to the Predator mythos, bringing in a few new tricks and bloody methods of dispatching prey without damaging the core values that made the first film such a hoot.

     The film looks good and sounds good on DVD but I wager the Blu-ray would be a significant improvement. The extras are short but a welcome addition.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall