A Look Back at “Predator” (1987) and “Predator 2” (1990)

For awhile now the “Predator” franchise has been gaining more traction recently on Hulu with the 2022 movie “Prey” and this year’s “Predator: Killer of Killers” (both of which I have already checked out for the Examiner and are great entries to the franchise). So, with the eagerly-awaited new entry “Predator: Badlands” taking the series back to the big screen, I wanted to take a look at the other entries of the franchise (except for the “Alien vs. Predator” movies). This review will be focusing on the exciting 1987 movie “Predator” and the 1990 sequel that could have been a little better.

In “Predator” (1987), Dutch, a soldier of fortune, is hired by the US government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain and CIA agent George, land in Central America, something is wrong.

After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.

This iconic 1987 movie delivers an exciting blend of action, science fiction, and horror elements, a lot of tense moments and a truly iconic creature design for the Predator. The Predator’s look is rather unique and its advanced technology (like the thermal vision and the invisibility cloak) are incredibly awesome and still hold up well.

The gradual reveal of the Predator and the shift from the commandos being the hunters to the hunted, builds a great deal of tension and the use of the Predator’s point of view shorts helps add to the eerie atmosphere. There are also some really memorable one-liners that a lot of “Predator” fans will always remember, such as “Get to the chopper!” (in your best Schwarzenegger imitation possible).

“Predator” also delivers a lot of memorable action-packed moments, especially when we see each of the commandos interact with the creature. There’s also an elaborate sequence towards the end where Dutch builds a series of traps which leads to a one-on-one, primal battle between Dutch and the Predator (which is probably one of the best sequences in the movie).

The 1987 movie was a commercial success that initially received mixed critical reviews, but has since become regarded as an enduring sci-fi action classic. Over the years, critical attitudes toward “Predator” have warmed considerably, and it’s now considered a definitive movie of the 1980s action and sci-fi genres.

MPA: Rated R   (runtime 107 minutes)

In the 1990 sequel, L.A. is enduring a heat wave and a crime wave, so the pressure on

police officer Michael Harrigan to solve a string of murders is mounting.

Harrigan thinks the culprit can be found among the warring gangs and drug cartels., but FBI Special Agent Peter Keyes knows the horrible truth: Their killer is a fearsome alien with keen hunting abilities that include superior night vision and the power to make itself invisible.

Now, while “Predator 2” isn’t nearly as intense as the 1987 movie, it can still be rather entertaining. The 1990 movie does deliver some fairly brutal moments and has a unique shift from the jungle to a chaotic Los Angeles.

The sequel does also try to expand the “Predator” universe and lore by providing us a look at more advanced weapons and a look at their hunting code (not killing unarmed individuals). There’s also an awesome look at the inside of their spaceship with a trophy case that even included a skull of an alien from the “Alien” franchise.

This may not be nearly as memorable as the first movie, but the action-packed moments are exciting to watch. There’s a sequence that takes place in a meat locker where see see more of the Predator’s enhanced vision mode that’s pretty awesome and, of course, the spaceship sequence that I previously mentioned can be really memorable.

“Predator 2” received a divisive and mixed response from critics and audiences upon its 1990 initial release, but has since gained a significant cult following amazon fans. It was originally considered a disappointment compared to the original, but is now often viewed as an underrated and influential entry in the franchise.

MPA: Rated R for strong violence and language, and for sensuality and drug content   (runtime 108 minutes)

You can find the entire “Predator” franchise on Hulu.

• Several directors were approached to direct this film including Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Brian De Palma, Richard Donner, John Milius, John Carpenter and Renny Harlin. However, they would all pass stating they didn't want to shoot an Alien/Monster movie in the jungle. John McTiernan would eventually be chosen to direct this film instead.

• The invisibility cloaking effect was achieved with a bright red suit (because it was the farthest opposite of the green of the jungle and the blue of the sky) the size of the Predator. The red was removed with chroma key techniques, leaving an empty area. The take was then repeated without the actors using a 30% wider lens on the camera. When the two takes were combined optically, the jungle from the second take filled in the empty area. Because the second take was filmed with a wider lens, a vague outline of the alien could be seen with the background scenery bending around its shape.

• Dutch's line "Get to the chopper!" is Arnold Schwarzenegger's personal favorite catchphrase of all of his films that he appears in.

• The Predator costume weighed over two hundred pounds, and even though 7'2" Kevin Peter Hall was a large and powerful man, he had to be connected to a "bungie" rig, to enable him to move more believably.

• The original plot had Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) pitted against the Predator alone. Schwarzenegger thought this was a bad idea. The script was re-written to include a team of crack commandos.

• Jean-Claude Van Damme was originally cast to play the Predator, the idea being that the physical action star would use his martial arts to make the Predator an agile, ninja-like hunter. However, the original design for the Predator was too cumbersome and difficult to manage in the jungle, and Van Damme couldn't make the required movements in it. Additionally, it was reported that Van Damme constantly complained about the monster suit being too hot (causing him to pass out), while also voicing his reservations on numerous occasions about the fact that he would not be appearing on camera without the suit. Van Damme was finally removed from the film, officially for being too short at 5'9" (Arnold Schwarzenegger and his team were bodybuilders between 6'2" and 6'5"). He was replaced by Kevin Peter Hall (who was 7'2"), and the suit was redesigned because even with a more imposing actor, it was felt to not provoke enough fear.

• Peter Cullen was reluctant to take the job of voicing the Predator, as he injured his throat playing the title character of King Kong (1976), but eventually accepted, after seeing a picture of the unmasked creature.

• Jesse Ventura said that firing the Minigun is "like shooting a chainsaw."

• The original concept for this film originated as a joke. Someone said that the only person Rocky Balboa had yet to fight was E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).

• Stephen Hopkins was given the task of directing Predator 2 (1990) after greatly impressing the studio when directing A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989). He had been given just four weeks to shoot, and a further four weeks to edit the film, while also overseeing special effects work. This meant that he had to shoot on one stage while the crew dressed the other, allowing them to shoot almost continually. Hopkins said that he managed because he was 28 at the time, and required little sleep.

• The Jamaican voodoo posse gangs seen in the film were based on actual gangs that were terrorizing New York City and Kansas City in the mid to late 1980s. The Jamaicans were not played by actors or stunt people, but real-life bouncers, because as director Stephen Hopkins said, they had to be able to be physically intimidating and die "fantastically horribly".

• The spear weapon that was used in the film disappeared and was reported stolen after filming was completed.

• Kevin Peter Hall had studied African tribal dances, in order to get into the feel and flexibility of the Predator, and to give him a personality.

• The original storyline of the film was to have taken place in New York City, but Jim Thomas and John Thomas quickly changed it to Los Angeles, because of budget concerns. The scene where the Predator raises the skull during the lighting storm was to have taken place atop the Chrysler Building.

• Some of the Predator's sounds were recycled from Tremors (1990).

• The subway attack scene was directly adapted from the first Predator comic book series. The producers thought it was cool, and wanted to use it in the film.

• According to screenwriters Jim Thomas and John Thomas, a Predator sequel had not been planned, and they had to wait to see how successful the Predator comic book series would be. After the series was a hit, producer Joel Silver was finally able to convince Fox to make the sequel, which was immediately greenlit.

• The brief scene with the hunting party was the most expensive to make in the entire film. Stan Winstons effects team had to build nine additional, unique Predator suits for just a few minutes of screentime.

• It has been said that the film's critical and financial failure dissuaded 20th Century Fox from continuing the franchise immediately, and it was put on hold to instead focus on the potential crossover film Alien vs. Predator (2004) which lingered in development hell for years. However, according to director Stephen Hopkins, the film did decent business; the box office results may not have been enough for the studio to label the film a great success, but the residual checks that Hopkins has received afterwards "say something different".