Few science fiction monsters are as enduring or as entertaining as the Predator. And it’s easy to see why: what’s scarier than a hunting-obsessed intelligent alien species with advanced technology and a love of ripping out spines? Ever since the creature made its debut in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle, the Predator has become a pop culture icon, spawning multiple movies, crossovers, video games, comics, and more. From its mandible jaw to its formidable clicking, Predator is easily one of the best modern day movie monsters. In anticipation of the upcoming prequel Prey, we’re ranking all five Predator films from worst to best. We’re not including the Alien vs. Predator films because A) they’re not canon and B) they’re frankly terrible. So get to da choppa and let’s get ranking!
5. Predator 2
The 1990 sequel directed by Stephen Hopkins is by far the weakest entry in the franchise. Set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 1997, the film finds the Predator facing off against rival Jamaican and Colombian cartel gangs during a record heat wave. Danny Glover stars in the film as LAPD officer Mike Harrigan, who tries to keep the peace. The film is chockful of racist stereotypes, uninspired action sequences, and received a 30 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. New York Times critic Janet Maslin called Predator 2 “an unbeatable contender” for the “most mindless, mean-spirited action film of the holiday season,” which sums up the film’s vibe nicely.
4. The Predator
This 2018 reboot should have been a blast. After all, it was co-written and directed by Shane Black (who starred in the original) and featured a winning cast in Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Munn, Thomas Jane, Alfie Allen, and Sterling K. Brown. The film follows a group of PTSD-afflicted soldiers and a scientist (Munn, who dealt with her own Me Too controversy on the set) who must team up to fight off an invading pair of Predators. But Black’s quips show their age, and while there’s plenty of gore, the action scenes are confusingly edited and underwhelming. It’s an all around “meh” of a movie.
3. Predators
Director Nimród Antal (Stranger Things) brings a fresh perspective to the franchise, which sees some of Earth’s deadliest killers abducted and dumped onto a distant planet. They soon discover that the planet is a gaming reserve for two rival Predator clans, and that they are the game in question. It’s a clever riff on the mythos, with solid performances from Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, and Laurence Fishburne. The film was produced by director Robert Rodriguez, who helped develop the story. There’s plenty of blood, solid action, and genuine twists in the film. Predators is an underrated but solid entry into the franchise.
2. Prey
We can’t spill all the details on Prey just yet (wait for our review later this week) but we can say its the best, most inventive take on the franchise since the original. Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) directs the prequel, which is set 300 years ago in Comanche Nation. The film centers on Naru (Amber Midthunder) a fierce warrior raised by a tribe of legendary hunters. Naru crosses paths with a Predator, and must use her wits and strategy to fight back. Gorgeously shot, well acted, and thrilling to watch, Prey makes a case for itself as the best film in the franchise, except for…
1. Predator
How do you improve on perfection? It’s pretty hard to beat John McTiernan’s iconic 1987 blockbuster. You’ve got Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime, classic Stan Winston creature design, and winning performances from Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, and Elpidia Carrillo. Predator is a blast from start to finish, a high-testosterone ’80s actioner that remains just as entertaining as ever, and is still considered one of the best science fiction/horror/action films of all time.
If you’re looking to run the series, you can find all the Predator films currently streaming on Hulu (or you can purchase them anywhere movies are sold). Prey premieres on Hulu on August 5.
(featured image: 20th Century Fox)
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