Shane Black's latest wisecracking adventure, "The Predator" has some clear flaws, but the strong ensemble cast and tight script keep the film rolling and enjoyable.
"The Predator" is a sequel to the beloved 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger "Predator," which Shane Black (who wrote and directed this film) also appeared in. Black's trademark style and dialogue mesh quite nicely with his reverence for the original, as the film is an imperfect, but worthy sequel. The premise revolves around a seasoned sniper, Quinn McKenna (Boyd Holbrook) who encounters a predator in the forest and sets off a fight that endangers the entire human race. After being detained by the government, who is keen on investigating alien civilization, McKenna finds himself stuck with a ragtag band of prisoners, including Coyle (Keegan-Michael Key), Baxley (Thomas Jane) and Nebraska Williams (Trevante Rhodes), among others. After mayhem ensues with a predator nearby, the newly-formed group works with evolutionary biologist, Dr. Casey Bracket (Olivia Munn), to understand the predators and prevent their plot of seeding their race with human DNA.
The conflicts in "The Predator" work best when they are between the predator and mankind, but falter when they center on human quarreling. In the film, the predators return to earth as highly-evolved beings from the original story, appearing as much more tough, fearless and stern. The challenge our heroes face in combatting them is exciting and scary, as Black spares no detail in regards to gore and violence, from disembowelments to decapitations. The group chemistry amongst the soldiers is remarkably strong, complemented by the quirky humor of Coyle and Baxley, which mirrors the tight-knit bond seen in the original film. The government storyline drags on too long, however, as Traeger (Sterling K. Brown) is a boring and unnecessary antagonist to the soldiers and their quest to defeat the predators. The inclusion of Traeger's character at all weighs down the story, as cuts to his narrative consistently take the audience out of the otherwise fun, action-packed film that "The Predator" largely is. An additional negative is the overabundance of humor (which works most of the time) as it functions in place of a largely-empty emotional backbone for the film, leaving the audience scratching their head for any overarching themes or messages from this story. One key scene amongst Baxley and Coyle seemed to be intended for reverence and connection, but most of my audience laughed at it, confused at Black's intention. While Schwarzenegger's "Predator" focused strongly on the team dynamic and brotherhood amongst soldiers, Black's "The Predator" balances several storylines, from the soldiers' quest to the nefarious government's plot to McKenna's family, which leaves the film overstuffed by narrative, but too lean on theme.
Shane Black is at-home with this film, mixing his quippy characters with pulsing action set pieces well in a tightly-paced thrill ride. Much of his previous work, from "Iron Man 3" to "The Nice Guys" can be reflected here, as the interpersonal dynamics between soldiers works quite nicely and the CGI of the predators and action shots blend right into the urban-forest environment. Black grounds this sci-fi sequel in family, as McKenna works on repairing the strained relationship with his wife and dyslexic son in the midst of the terrors brought about by alien invasion. His writing is mostly strong, as the explanation for the series of events that lead to this sequel are logical and not just weak narratives simply there for a box office success. Most audience members will be able to skip over weighty plot elements and thin story due to the strong work Black does with action and comedy from start to finish. "The Predator" is literally and figuratively concerned with evolution of species and narrative, and mostly achieves its goals in that respect and sets up a new imagining of the universe, if FOX were to choose to do more future installments.
RATING: 7 / 10
Sean Kelso is a junior in Columbia College.