Predators

I was excited but skeptical about this one. I love the character of the alien hunter as much as the next guy, but the twelve-plus years since the original have only offered one lackluster sequel and two poorly executed crossovers with the Alien movies. There was a lot riding on this new movie for science fiction fans.

Luckily, the film delivers...and then some! Predators is, in my mind, the only proper sequel to the original. The tension from the first film is back, which is impressive, seeing as how the audience is almost fully aware of what's happening by this time. What's especially nice, though, is how fresh this movie feels. It's obvious the filmmakers went to great lengths to avoid stepping in the footsteps of the original. They assume the audience knows about the predator's various tricks and trades, so the characters don't spend more than one or two lines on them. And though they tie this one in with the original, it has more than enough clout to stand on its own with.

Part of what makes this movie so enjoyable is the characters. We don't get much in the way of characterization, but each of them are intense enough to stand out on their own. Even the ones that die off early are memorable.

The action is great, too! It's evocative of the original movie, but more intense and suspenseful. All of the great, old Predator tricks are here, along with some new ones.

Predators is a great, new addition to the franchise! It's respectful to the source material without being a long, drawn-out homage. Definitely a must-see!