John McTiernan directed Predator, a sci-fiction actioner, written by brothers Jim and John Thomas.
It is the first installment in the Predator franchise, in which Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch Schaefer, the leader of an elite paramilitary rescue team on a mission to save hostages in guerrilla-held territory in a Central American rainforest.
In the process, he encounters the deadly Predator (Kevin Peter Hall), a skilled, technologically advanced alien who stalks and hunts them down.
Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Bill Duke, Richard Chaves, Jesse Ventura, Sonny Landham, and Shane Black are in the supporting ensemble.
Grade: B
Theatrical release poster
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Rating R
The first of three actioners directed by John McTiernan, Predator stands as one of the most entertaining and quotable films of all time.
The story follows a group of soldiers as they’re stranded out in the woods in search of another lost team. Soon, they learn exactly what happened, and it’s the last thing they’d expect.
Both physically formidable and intelligent, the alien Yautja has one goal. But, it will never go for an easy target, instead preferring a challenge.
Though, for this Yautja, he has the misfortune of going up against Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch.
Predator was written in 1984 with the working title of Hunter. Filming ran from March to June 1986 with creature effects devised by Stan Winston and a budget of around $15 million.
Fox released the film on June 12, 1987 in the US and elsewhere, where it grossed $98 million worldwide.
Initial reviews were mixed, but the film has since been considered a classic of the action and sci-fi genres and one of the best films of the 1980s.
Oscar Context:
It was nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar
The success of Predator launched a media franchise of films, novels, comic books, video games, and toys.
It spawned three sequels and one prequel: Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010), The Predator (2018), and Prey (2022).
A crossover with the Alien franchise produced the Alien vs. Predator films Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).
The Dutch Schaefer character would return in the video games Alien vs. Predator (1994) and Predator: Hunting Grounds (2020), with Schwarzenegger reprising his role in the latter.
Credits:
Directed by John McTiernan
Written by Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Produced by Lawrence Gordon, Joel Silver, John Davis
Cinematography Donald McAlpine
Edited by: John F. Link, Mark Helfrich
Music by Alan Silvestri
Production companies: 20th Century Fox
Lawrence Gordon Productions
Silver Pictures
Davis Entertainment
Amercent Films
American Entertainment Partners L.P.
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date: June 12, 1987
Running time: 107 minutes
Budget $18 million
Box office $98.3 million
