Movie Review - Predators (2010)

Predators (2010)

Starring Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, and Laurence Fishburne

Directed by Nimrod Antel

Honestly, I don't remember a whole lot about the original Predator.  However, I do remember liking it.  With this newly released sequel of sorts, there isn't a whole lot to like.

A group of rough and tumble guerilla-ish "warriors" find themselves essentially marooned in an unknown jungle.  No one in the group knows each other, but we soon discover that each of them specialize in killing people (with the exception -- one would hope -- of a young doctor).  Unaware of their surroundings and finding it difficult to trust in one another, they begin to trek across the terrain, hoping to find some clues to fill them in on why they are there.  They soon discover that they aren't alone in this jungle and that they have been brought here as pawns in some type of game with the same alien-predators that were the main attraction in the earlier Ahnuld film.

This flick just didn't work for me in the slightest and it's really because of the plot.   It was just "that guy dies" then "that guy dies" ad infinitum.  And it's not as if there's even a hint of character development for me to even give the slightest damn that these people are biting the dust.  As for suspense -- who needs it, apparently.  I'm not saying I was looking for a "jump out of my seat" moment, but there wasn't even a bit of excitement here. True, the original Predator isn't exactly a masterpiece, but at least it had a little bit more of a plot about rescuing someone in the jungle.

Honestly, the only saving grace in this movie is Adrien Brody who at least hams it up (in a good way).  He realizes that he's in a piece of dreck and at least is playing his role with moderate gusto.  I was also moderately impressed with Alice Braga as the lone female in the bunch, but she's not given a thing to work with either.  The less said about Topher Grace's character's "surprise" plot twist the better -- good lord that had me rolling my eyes at the inanity of it.

Give me Alien any day...

The RyMickey Rating:  D