Predator (1987): Welcome to the jungle
1987 • John McTiernan • 1.85:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
Directed by John McTiernan, a year before Die Hard, Predator follows an elite military rescue team led by Arnold Schwarzenegger who are sent into a Central American jungle on a covert mission. What begins as a conventional military operation gradually shifts when the team realise they are being hunted by an unseen extraterrestrial presence that eliminates them one by one.
The film is structured as a gradual shift in genre. The opening scene adopts the conventions of 1980s action cinema, showcasing firepower, physical strength and squad dynamics. As the story progresses, though, these conventions are systematically dismantled as the team confronts an opponent that cannot be engaged through traditional tactics.
The jungle environment plays a central role in this, but the defining visual element is the creature’s point-of-view vision, often rendered through thermal imaging, which contrasts human and alien perception. This dual perspective reinforces the imbalance between hunter and prey. As the team is gradually eliminated, the film shifts towards a more primal survival dynamic, culminating in a confrontation where technology is abandoned in favour of camouflage, traps and physical endurance. Predator remains a prime example of genre blending, combining action spectacle with science fiction horror.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: A team of elite commandos on a rescue mission in the Central American jungle finds themselves stalked by a mysterious and deadly alien hunter with advanced weaponry and thermal vision. Read my review of Predator.
- Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Elpidia Carrillo, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Richard Chaves, Kevin Peter Hall.
- Director: John McTiernan
- Year: 1987
- Cinematographer: Donald McAlpine
- Origin: American Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Genre: Sci-Fi / Action
