In 1987, a team of ex-military mercenaries was sent into the jungles of “Val Verde” to track down a downed military helicopter carrying a high-ranking official. Only one member of the mercenary team survived, and it was Arnold Schwarzenegger. Of course, I’m talking about the classic action movie Predator. The film turns 30 today, and it’s every bit as good as ever.
1. THE FILM
Predator is an action film that is as straightforward as they come. There’s little complexity to the story. A team is sent in on a secret mission, an alien creature who enjoys hunting violent prey is prowling the jungle, and a fight for survival ensues. There is some backstabbing subplot that has little importance on the overall story, but it does give the story some sense of depth outside of “survive the alien super-hunter.”
Director John McTiernan only had one film under his belt, the underrated Nomads. Predator launched McTiernan’s career. The following year he’d director Die Hard, then The Hunt For Red October in 1990. A few years later he would reunite with Schwarzenegger in The Last Action Hero.
