Predator is a larger-than-life thrill ride.
There is a lot of action and a lot of gunfire. In the end, "Predator" is a top-shelf action film. Watching the somewhat gory, but very violent demises of Duke´s crack squad rivals all but the greatest of genre films. The larger-than-life trio of Schwarzenegger, Ventura and Weathers delivers one of the absolute best collections of action heroes to populate one film. "Predator" is noisy and aside from a lull during the second act, the movie is a fast-moving ride. "Predator" doesn´t keep the insane pace that "Aliens" did, but it bests nearly any film starring Schwarzenegger. It isn´t the most intelligent film and you don´t want to dig too deep into the military aspects of the film. For instance, no General would ever board a helicopter to enter a war zone. However, the film succeeds because it is an absolute blast and one of Schwarzenegger´s finest films. The only downfall I can think of to "Predator" is its legacy; which has been marred by three horrendous sequels.
Video:
"Predator" is one of those films that will never look stunning on any video format. The 1.85:1 MPEG 2 mastered Blu-ray release tries its damndest, but the cinematography and photography used to bring the film to the big screen presents a very uneven film that can look quite good one moment, but absolutely horrible the next. I´m throwing any review of the ´Predator Vision´ moments right out of the window because that is almost like trying to review a wide screen television by the visuals of an Intellivision game console. The thermal vision of the Predator looks horribly primitive and I won´t dock the transfer for those effects. However, the rest of the film suffers from some of the worst grain-ridden scenes I have yet to see on Blu-ray. There are moments when the film is hazy and the detail is sub-par for even a DVD release. Then there are a few scenes in the film where "Predator" shines in high definition and looks better than it ever has. Colors are quite good, but can look washed out and tired during some of the hazier and grainer moments. While I wasn´t heart-broken over the transfer, I have to say that "Predator" is saddled with source materials that will never let it shine.
Sound:
The sound quality of the English DTS 5.1 Master Lossless Audio mix is a step above the video quality. There are moments when "Predator" is overly aggressive and surrounds the room with the sound of gunfire. The scene where Mac lights up the mini-gun and deforests an acre of land is quite impressive sounding. Another very good sequence is when the rebel camp is destroyed. Rear surrounds are quite noticeable and bass, while not being overly deep, helps accentuate the explosions and gunfire that is taking place. When action is limited, the soundtrack relegates itself mostly to the front channels and there is a surprisingly low number of environmental effects to keep the soundtrack impressive throughout the running time. There are some birds to be heard, but there are many quieter moments. Dialogue is good and anchored in the center channel. While "Predator" cannot compete with more modern mixes, it sounds very good for a film from 1987.
Extras:
"Predator" doesn´t receive any of the supplements from the numerous DVD releases of the film. Instead, the Blu-ray release gains a Theatrical Trailer in High Definition that looks pretty good and it is Enhanced for D-Box Motion Control Systems. Unless somebody from the D-Box company finds it in their hearts to send me a test recliner and hardware to check out this feature, I will never have one of these D-Box systems in my possession to see if this supplement is worth it or not. I like forced feedback in my video game controllers, but just cannot see the need to update my home theater setup with a shaky chair. Besides the trailer for "Predator," Fox has included a number of Fox on Blu-ray trailers. There are about five of them. Hopefully, "Predator" will hit Blu-ray as a full-fledged special edition one day.
Closing Comments:
I have to admit that I am a fan of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film "Predator." It is perhaps the pinnacle of the actor´s action career and this film precedes his decision to star in silly comedies and action films that become more parody than entertainment. "Predator" possesses perhaps the only foe that ever had an opportunity to actually kick Arnold´s arse. The film feels fun, but contains a definite sense of danger that makes it an absolute riot to watch. With a handful of other Eighties action icons, "Predator" is a larger-than-life thrill ride. The Blu-ray release disappointed me in its high definition debut. The picture was hindered from grainy and hazy source materials, but the soundtrack did shine during a number of scenes. For those with D-Box, this film does have some added value for you. For the vast majority of us, we are treated with only a trailer. I´m torn on recommending this release because I enjoy the film so much, but I feel the Blu-ray release could have been something better.
Video:
"Predator" is one of those films that will never look stunning on any video format. The 1.85:1 MPEG 2 mastered Blu-ray release tries its damndest, but the cinematography and photography used to bring the film to the big screen presents a very uneven film that can look quite good one moment, but absolutely horrible the next. I´m throwing any review of the ´Predator Vision´ moments right out of the window because that is almost like trying to review a wide screen television by the visuals of an Intellivision game console. The thermal vision of the Predator looks horribly primitive and I won´t dock the transfer for those effects. However, the rest of the film suffers from some of the worst grain-ridden scenes I have yet to see on Blu-ray. There are moments when the film is hazy and the detail is sub-par for even a DVD release. Then there are a few scenes in the film where "Predator" shines in high definition and looks better than it ever has. Colors are quite good, but can look washed out and tired during some of the hazier and grainer moments. While I wasn´t heart-broken over the transfer, I have to say that "Predator" is saddled with source materials that will never let it shine.
Sound:
The sound quality of the English DTS 5.1 Master Lossless Audio mix is a step above the video quality. There are moments when "Predator" is overly aggressive and surrounds the room with the sound of gunfire. The scene where Mac lights up the mini-gun and deforests an acre of land is quite impressive sounding. Another very good sequence is when the rebel camp is destroyed. Rear surrounds are quite noticeable and bass, while not being overly deep, helps accentuate the explosions and gunfire that is taking place. When action is limited, the soundtrack relegates itself mostly to the front channels and there is a surprisingly low number of environmental effects to keep the soundtrack impressive throughout the running time. There are some birds to be heard, but there are many quieter moments. Dialogue is good and anchored in the center channel. While "Predator" cannot compete with more modern mixes, it sounds very good for a film from 1987.
Extras:
"Predator" doesn´t receive any of the supplements from the numerous DVD releases of the film. Instead, the Blu-ray release gains a Theatrical Trailer in High Definition that looks pretty good and it is Enhanced for D-Box Motion Control Systems. Unless somebody from the D-Box company finds it in their hearts to send me a test recliner and hardware to check out this feature, I will never have one of these D-Box systems in my possession to see if this supplement is worth it or not. I like forced feedback in my video game controllers, but just cannot see the need to update my home theater setup with a shaky chair. Besides the trailer for "Predator," Fox has included a number of Fox on Blu-ray trailers. There are about five of them. Hopefully, "Predator" will hit Blu-ray as a full-fledged special edition one day.
Closing Comments:
I have to admit that I am a fan of the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film "Predator." It is perhaps the pinnacle of the actor´s action career and this film precedes his decision to star in silly comedies and action films that become more parody than entertainment. "Predator" possesses perhaps the only foe that ever had an opportunity to actually kick Arnold´s arse. The film feels fun, but contains a definite sense of danger that makes it an absolute riot to watch. With a handful of other Eighties action icons, "Predator" is a larger-than-life thrill ride. The Blu-ray release disappointed me in its high definition debut. The picture was hindered from grainy and hazy source materials, but the soundtrack did shine during a number of scenes. For those with D-Box, this film does have some added value for you. For the vast majority of us, we are treated with only a trailer. I´m torn on recommending this release because I enjoy the film so much, but I feel the Blu-ray release could have been something better.
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