This 2010 Installment in a Classic Sci-Fi Franchise Is an Underrated Thriller
The third chapter in the Predator franchise is sometimes overlooked, but that doesn't mean you should miss it.
The Predator franchise is one of the more interesting beasts in sci-fi cinema, because it simply refuses to conform to a single formula despite years of films that reference each other, build on each other, and twist familiar concepts in new ways. Each film in the series carries with it a certain level of conceptual risk, which is in itself exciting. Throw in some sci-fi action and you've got a blast in just about every form.
But even with that in mind, Predators now feels like an overlooked entry in the series. The 2010 film, directed by Nimrod Antal and based on a years-in-development concept from producer Robert Rodriguez, was meant to stand as the Aliens of the Predator series, a film that expands on the mythology of the title creatures and pits them against their most challenging foes yet. After the Alien vs. Predator films, it felt like the next logical step. But while you'll definitely find fans of its take on the franchise, it's a movie that often feels lost in the shuffle now, particularly after the success of the prequel film Prey.
That's a shame, because while Predators might not be the best film in the franchise, it is a worthy piece of the canon, and you can go watch it on Peacock right now.
Why Predators is a great entry in a great franchise
If Predator 2 was an attempt to take the concept of the first film and deposit it into a new, urban setting, then Predators is an attempt to invert the status quo of the original film, then expand it, while keeping familiar settings and character archetypes. Set on another planet that has been designated a kind of hunting preserve for the Predator species, the film follows a group of seasoned killers from various spots around Earth who have all been abducted and (literally) dropped into the action.
With no clue as to how they got there, or what they're up against, the team of killers -- featuring an ensemble cast including Adrien Brody, Alica Braga, Topher Grace, and Walton Goggins -- have to fight not just to survive, but to find a way home as things get more and more complicated, and their would-be killers close in on them.
Like the original Predator, the film is about tough people in a tough situation who must first solve the mystery of what's happening to them, and then find a way to combat their adversary. That, plus its jungle setting, is more than enough to root the film in the classic tropes of the franchise, but where Predators really takes off is in the way it plays with the language of the franchise to do something new. If a group of Predators had a hunting preserve, how would they go about hunting? What tactics would they use, especially if they're hunting as a group? Would they get testy with each other if their plans didn't work, if they took each other's kills? What does that say about the larger Predator society, if there even is one?
These are all things Predators is willing to tackle, and it does so through a relentless gauntlet of traps, double crosses, and action setpieces that make it fit right in with its forebears. If the film has a weak spot, it might be that the characters all feel a little archetypal and never quite come into their own as individuals, but in some ways that only adds to the movie's charms. "What if a group of killers were sent to an alien hunting preserve?" is a great 1950s sci-fi B-movie hook to begin with, and because Brody, Braga, Grace, and the rest of the cast are so committed to playing in the space, it's a joy to watch.
So, if you're craving action with lots of sci-fi flavor and spectacle, head over to Peacock and hit play on Predators. It's been 15 years, and it's still a blast.
