How the hell does this crap get made. Horrible casting, bad acting, and extremely corny characters. A reprehensible story that wasn't thought out. It was all over the place, with horrible editing and directing.
Shane Black should be embarrassed and ashamed to having made this movie, especially when you consider he was part of the greatness of the original one.
It was the A-team vs the Predator. With AVP2 in existence, I didn't mind this. That movie was hot garbage.
shareI can definitely understand why a lot of people didn't like this and I agree with all of the first paragraph you wrote, except those are some of the reasons why this film works (for me, anyways :) ).
When Stallone brought up the idea of The Expendables possibly going up against an ET a few years back for the 3rd film, the concept excited me. Here, we get EXACTLY that. Cheesy, over-the-top characters wielding crude language and inappropriate one-liners as they would a gun was both unexpected and hilarious. I fell in love with the characters immediately after their introduction scene. The motel scene just sealed the deal for me.
It was refreshing that this movie didn't try to emulate any of the previous entries in the franchise (looking at you, Predators) . Like the sequel, I think this will grow a cult following. The storyline could have used a few more drafts, but the characters and actors were the ones who made this film enjoyable. I never liked the idea of injecting humor into a Predator movie, but here it just works. Their were a few moments where I had to pause the movie because I was kneeled over laughing so hard. It was then that I realized I was actually having fun watching a modern movie. I can't remember feeling like that in recent memory.
Again, I understand why people didn't like this. I didn't think I'd like it. But I appreciate Shane Black taking this franchise in unexpected and uncharted territory and amazingly making it work. It's not a perfect movie by any means, but it was entertaining, hilarious, and most importantly, fun. I think we need more of that, especially for anyone looking for a two hour escape from the real world.
My. 02
The Latins used the phrase "Panem et circenses". It means bread and games. The ones in power used to gain the favour of the people by giving away bread, free money and organizing free big shows. People were thus kept happy and oblivious.
Today I see the same happening with movies and entertainment in general.
Movies are dumbed down, use a lot of lowbrow humour and people are happy because it's 'fun'. Even when it's not.
I don't get this obsession with humour. A movie can be bad, but as long as it makes people laugh it's instantly a great film. Marvel movies are the epitome of this concept.
In The Predator we have shallow characters, juvenile humour, plotholes, the total annihilation of the Predators background and yet, as long as it's 'fun' (which should be subjective, but it's becoming increasingly objective thanks to the lack of criticism by audiences) everything else is forgiven, forgotten or ignored.
I don't need every single movie to be a comedy. No. I do need variety. A lot of. I want serious movies, funny movies, smart movies, epic movies, tragic movies, realistic movies, fantastic movies. I want it all. And I really don't need stupid Shane Black's humour in Predator movies.
Luckily this film bombed and probably we won't get a sequel from this very limited writer/director. Shane Black's gimmick is buddy comedy, and even that is hit and miss, but whenever he tries something different he just messes up.
Personally I think that people should wake up and pretend a lot better from their entertainment, but then again I'm no NPC.
The only negative I saw in the film was the strange over use of comedy that took us out of the horror of the film.
shareBut Shane Black also made the stupid Iron Man 3 too. Very overrated director/writer.
share