ThePredatorfranchise has had some excellent entries recently, but there is still one sequel that does not get talked about enough.The originalPredatordelivered the brilliant premise of an alien species that traveled across the cosmos looking for the deadliest prey to hunt. In that first movie, it was Arnold Schwarzenegger and his team of macho commandos.
After the first movie became a classic, there was a perception that the franchise didn’t know how to reach those heights again. Indeed, there have been some disappointing entries intothePredatorfranchiseover the years. EventheAlien vs. Predatorcrossoversfailed to live up to their potential.
Luckily, the franchise has bounced back with some inventive new prequels that have taken a new approach, and the upcomingPredator: Badlandslooks to be another bold approach. However,one excellent sequel in the franchise was overlooked and needs more love.
2010’s Predators Is An Underrated Action Classic
Predators Is So Far The Only Sequel Worthy Of The Original
FollowingPredator 2in 1990, it took 20 years for there to be another standalonePredatormovie. Fortunately,Predatorsdelivered on what fans loved about the original while also finding an inventive twist on the formula.Predatorsfollows a group of human killers, such as warlords, mercenaries, and criminals, who are brought to an alien planet to be hunted.
The real asset ofPredatorsis the cast and the new characters they bring.
Predatorsearned mixed reviews, with a 65% onRotten Tomatoes, and earned a respectable $127 million at the box office (viaBox Office Mojo). However,the reception wasn’t enough to turn the franchise around, and it would remain dormant for several more years. That said,Predatorsis the sequel that fans had been waiting for.
While it doesn’t quite deliver on the same bombastic action of the original movie, there are some great sequences that make use of the alien planet and some newtypes of Predators. Director Nimród Antal mixes the action movie style of the first film with a slick sci-fi feel that works very well.
However, the real asset ofPredatorsis the cast and the new characters they bring.Oscar-winner Adrien Brodywas an unexpected choice as the lead, but he fits the action hero role surprisingly well.He is joined by some other stellar costars, including Alice Braga, Walton Goggins, and Mahershala Ali. They make for a dysfunctional ensemble worth rooting for.
The Predator Prequels Are The Franchise At Its Best Though
The Franchise Has Found An Approach Filled With Potential
Predatorsproved that there was a way to make a sequel to the original movie, even if it was overlooked by fans. However, recent years have shown that the best approach for the future of the franchise may be in prequels, exploring thelong history of Predatorsand their interactions with humans.
The bestPredatormovie to come out since the original,Preyrejuvenated the series with a thrilling and completely different story.Preytakes a look at an earlier instance of a Predator visiting Earth, crossing paths with a brave Comanche female, Naru (Amber Midthunder).
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Preywas followed by thefirst animated movie in thePredatorfranchise, withPredator: Killer of Killers.The film tells three separate stories of warriors throughout history as they fought and defeated Predators, only to be chosen for a new challenge. WhilePredator: Badlandswill tell a storyset in the distant future, the past holds so much potential for this franchise.
I could watch endless standalonePredatormovies taking place in a different time period and focusing on a new human warrior battling the superior alien enemy. From knights of the Crusades to gunslingers of the Old West to the gladiators of Ancient Greece, there are so many fun possibilities to explore, as the prequels have already shown.
Predatorsmight have deserved more love when it was released, but thePredatorfranchise has found its footing and looks to have a bright future. Luckily, with the endless potential of these prequels, there could be a long future as well.
