Predator
(1987/107 minutes)
Director-John McTeirnan
Reviewed: by Madpole
If I were to write a movie review about "Predator" I would simply state that this film could have and should have become a cult and the best film Arnie has ever been involved in. But it hasn't - for reasons unknown. One can only speculate that those reasons were money (lack of), film making politics and ignorance of people involved who had a gold mine in their possession but failed to recognize it as such. In this respect "Predator" is actually one of the worse Swarzenegger's movies for it lacks consistency, integrity and clearly defined story line.
However, lack of sound and coherent definitions opens the gates to interpretations. And this is perhaps the enchanting aspect of the film, which, similar to Bible or any other scripture, depends on the observer, the reader, the viewer to define its purpose, its construct and its goals. Allow me, consequently, to present my, hopefully concise, elucidation of this Holy Film.
An alien called Predator descends on planet Earth for a hunting holiday. This is not the first time "he" visited our planet for this purpose - long, hot summers being his preferable choice of weather, jungle favourite destination. Predator, although obviously very, very not human, lives in a specially designed, human like techno suit equipped with thermo-camouflage, range of powerful weapons, thermal, infra-red and other forms of vision, medical equipment and other space age gimmicks. The suit comes complete with picturesque Rastafarian dreadlocks attached to its helmet.
It is therefore hardly surprising that Predator's big game are humans and not just any humans - but only those who are armed. And although we know practically nothing about this creature from outer space, one cannot escape the nagging feeling that it visited us in order to get a better "understanding" of what it is and "feels" like to be a human, and more specifically a human hunter or a warrior. This is most likely one of the most important aspects around which the whole film revolves - namely human mysticism and symbolism. One can easily draw parallel between Predator and a high-flier executive who joins some immensely dangerous bear, tiger or elephant hunting expedition in order to experience the "real nature" - all the time protected by his guides, experienced personnel, powerful arms, modern technology and a jeep, tank or a helicopter. In both cases the prey, however determined and dangerous, does not stand a chance. But in both cases accidental factors can tip the balance in favour of the prey (broken jeep, jammed gun etc.). Hence resolve to fight the hopeless fight till the end actually makes perfect sense - every prolonged second of losing increases the probability of some abnormality occurring which would ensure the final win.
And so it happens in the film. All Predator's victims die for one reason and one reason only: they could not fight long enough. Arnie's prolonged survival triggers in Predator a reaction commonly known as "Warrior's Code of Practise" - the alien recognizes Schwarzenneger as a semi-worthy opponent and therefore decides to give him a fair chance and fight him bare-headed (i.e. without his high tech helmet) - the error of judgement which contributes directly to alien's downfall. It is very ironic, and very human-like that on a battlefield one gives a fairer chance to the strongest, not the weakest adversary: not many hunters dream of killing a rabbit or a frog with their bare hands - but beating the life out of bear or strangling a tiger is considered worthy risking one's own life for.
A picture therefore emerges of Predator being a collective reflection of masculine, of innocent, chld-like male macho, Warrior God created exclusively by human bloodthirsty dreams and desires, Natural God full of our characteristics rather than their idealistic opposites. For our visiting alien does not show any emotions, any inherent to him logic or identity - everything that he projects is human, including the self-destruction after losing the fight.
Consider other symbolic images so gently interwoven into the fabric of the film. The skinned human bodies hanging upside down and dripping blood. Why is this image so terrifyingly shocking to us when we can see the same images in China Town restaurant windows (mainly ducks) or in any slaughterhouse. Human body is nothing special - it is still a body, still part of the animal world - Predator reminds us.
Then there is human ignorance, arrogance and alleged superiority of our senses: two soldiers accidentally spot the Predator. They know that the creature can make itself invisible at any chosen moment. They know that the creature is equipped with faculties and weapons which deem humans defenceless and hopeless. They also know that their only chance is to shoot at the creature - for it has been proven that bullets can hurt it. But would they shoot? Nah... seeing is believing....as long as they can see the creature they are in control of the situation...or so they thought just before they died. The film is full of scenes like that - scenes of total human stupidity but very natural one. Arnie is the only person who comes to conclusion that in order to have a fair fight with the beast he has to think like the beast and therefore have respect, rather than fear for it. Fear kills, respect wins.
I could go on and on like that - for the film is full of those hidden little deep philosophical treasures. And so I won't. It really is a shame that nobody could link them all together to present a very coherent and powerful image. Or perhaps it is not a shame at all - after all our lives are pretty much like the scenes in Predator - we battle everyday with unknown, with invisible demons which keep hunting and haunting us, we are shocked by cruelty and ignorance of others but cannot see how cruel and ignorant we are. In this respect the film seems to emit one single and clear message: respect, embrace, love and have compassion for your enemies - that is the only way to remove them from your life
Love Thy Neighbour Babe!
Alien Side Story
Many years back a film executive approached me one sunny day. In the park. He knew that I was an alien - don't ask me how - my impression is that those media guys are so desperate sometimes that they are capable of practically anything - they would happily blast the whole planet to bits if they had a chance just to get a good shot of the flying debris. Anyway....
Mr Johnson : "Look mate - we are making this film about an alien and we were wondering if you have any members of your family we could employ for a starring role - the uglier the better" laid out his cards Mr Johnson from Visual Imaginery Ltd.
Alien: "Hmmm...hmmm....but how?..." replied I
Johnson: "You mean 'how much'? Big bucks mate - although probably useless on the planet your family lives on. But he, or whatever it is, could for example buy some souvenirs or something and take it back there. Not to mention visiting you as a perk. Look - I am sure we could cut some deal here, money don't matter - the real question here is: 'have you got anybody of the kind?'
Alien: "But why do you want real alien for the film? Most of the film companies seem to do with humans and special effects and all this visionary illusion and magic stuff..."
Johnson: "You have no idea how much all those techno gimmicks cost - we figured that it would be cheaper to employ a real alien - even if we cover all the travelling expenses"
Alien: "But you don't realize that it would take energy of at least one Supernova to get a single creature from my Universe here. We would have to turn it into black hole and..."
Johnson: "How much does one Supernova cost then?"
Find out! Madpole presents Alien Side Story where this moving alien discourse is continued (and in context, apparently).
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