Predator premiered on June 12, 1987. The fame and machismo of its stars, the straightforward but effective screenplay by the Thomas brothers, Silvestri’s suspenseful tunes and McTiernan’s brilliant direction of action sequences secured the film’s place among action lovers’ favorites. Thirty years upon its release, Predator is still as exhilarating, nail-biting and terrifying as it was back when it premiered, and what kind of an influence it had on the world of entertainment is evident from the fact it brought us two sequels, several video games, novelizations and the upcoming The Predator directed and co-written by Shane Black. It also entered into popular culture: who hasn’t already heard the iconic “get to the choppa” line that permeated everyday speech? One of the best movies of Schwarzenegger’s rich career, a crucial step in the filmmaking career of McTiernan, who would make probably the best action film of all time only a year later (John McClane’s adventures at the Nakatomi Plaza), and a thrilling action classic people go back to with nostalgia and pure love. “If it bleeds, we can kill it.” Simple, epic and atmospheric as hell.
‘Predator’: John McTiernan’s First Studio Gig that Became an Epic Action Classic
Still my hubby’s favorite.
