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Predator

Play trailer 2:13 Poster for Predator R Released Jun 12, 1987 1h 47m Sci-Fi Action Adventure Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 61 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Dutch, a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain and CIA agent George, land in Central America, something is wrong. After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.
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Predator

Predator

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Critics Consensus

Predator: Part sci-fi, part horror, part action -- all muscle.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) John McTiernan’s tight direction of the film’s bloody action makes up for the somewhat stilted performances. Aug 4, 2023 Full Review Michael Wilmington Los Angeles Times It's arguably one of the emptiest, feeblest, most derivative scripts ever made as a major studio movie. There's no need to do a Mad magazine movie parody of this; it's already on the screen. Apr 22, 2022 Full Review Michael H. Price Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com The emotional and physical vulnerability that Predator imposes on Schwarzenegger make this easily his best film of an often impressive round of muss-'em-up thrillers. Rated: 6/10 Apr 22, 2022 Full Review Joseph Tomastik Loud and Clear Reviews Succeeds just as much as a thriller as it does an action film, if not more so ... Worthy of being discussed and analyzed all these years later. Rated: 4/5 Oct 6, 2024 Full Review Michael Sragow San Francisco Examiner A brainless brawn extravaganza, a cat-and-louse saga that has little of the Conan movies' outlandishness and none of the compulsive drive and storytelling logic that made The Terminator a B-movie classic. Rated: 1.5/4 Oct 3, 2023 Full Review Ian Bailey Ottawa Citizen Predator is probably the best movie ever made about a band of mercenaries being pursued through the jungles of Central America by a vicious extraterrestrial. Oct 3, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Michael I love all the action scenes, especially the fight with Dutch and the Predator. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/03/24 Full Review Jordy M Predator, directed by John McTiernan, is one of those films that prove 1980s action cinema had a distinct style—packed with intensity, testosterone, and practical effects that still impress today. While its initial spacecraft design is simpler compared to other sci-fi films of the era like Alien or Aliens, it manages to capture attention right away thanks to its fluid pacing and a powerful soundtrack that announces from the start that there will be no mercy. One of the most striking aspects of the film is its cast, led by a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in a surprisingly restrained role. His accent is much less noticeable than one might expect, and his performance, while physically commanding, avoids overacting. Alongside him, Carl Weathers delivers a solid, charismatic presence, and the team dynamic feels far more cohesive than in many similar films. Each character is distinct, making it easy to become emotionally invested in them from the beginning. The film excels at maintaining a constant atmosphere of tension. Although it begins as a typical military mission, it quickly evolves into something far more unsettling. The use of sound effects and music as narrative elements—sometimes even more prominent than dialogue—is noteworthy, sustaining a persistent sense of unease. The enemy remains hidden for a large portion of the film, and this choice to delay the reveal works brilliantly to preserve mystery and suspense. The action scenes are executed with admirable choreographic precision. Explosions, shootouts, and physical sequences feel real and well-coordinated, thanks in part to an excellent stunt team. There are moments that reach near-mythic intensity, and while a few scenes border on the absurd, the film’s tone allows the audience to embrace the experience without issue. Narratively, Predator goes well beyond being just a parade of bullets and muscles. There's a steady build-up of tension, clear character evolution, and a tactical focus that lends credibility to the conflict. The script, while simple and with limited dialogue, knows when to pause and how to structure the pacing to keep the audience engaged. That said, some lines can feel clumsy or childish—but they align with the action-movie spirit of that decade. When it comes to characters, the film benefits from a strong sense of camaraderie, especially between certain team members, which gives heart to a story that could’ve easily been a shallow display of violence. Still, there are missed opportunities, such as characters that showed potential for greater depth and a female character whose presence ultimately feels unnecessary to the plot. Visually, there are memorable moments, although perhaps fewer than one might expect from such an iconic film. Nevertheless, the design of the antagonist, its technology, and the way it’s introduced and revealed are all elements that have remained etched in the memory of science fiction cinema. In short, Predator is a film that, despite some limitations typical of its time, stands out for its pacing, atmosphere, and execution. It's a classic that not only entertains but also hints at deeper themes about hunting, warfare, and survival. And while some aspects haven’t aged perfectly, its impact as a cinematic piece remains undeniable. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/19/25 Full Review Dalton S. 5 out of 5 obviously Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/19/25 Full Review Charlie M A pretty brainless film, doesn’t hold up all the way, but gets some credit for introducing a fun concept for a franchise. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/16/25 Full Review Romas M Greetings from Lithuania. Gona be short here because you all have probably seen this film many times, so just wanted to throw my two cents - it's a genre classic. Everything works in this film - special effects, characters, atmosphere. Especially the mood is so good in this movie because you always feel tension, it always there. This movie has aged so well - it's easily one of the best films in its genre ever. The creature is unforgettable example of special effects team work - S. Winstons masterpiece. Hope nobody will ever try to remake it - it would be an assault to classic. Overall, "Predator" is a great movie. Very simple plot with unforgettable characters, scenes, creature, action, one-liners and setting. Jungle itself in this movie is like a character. On a newly released 4K UHD is a must watch and own classic. Watch it again, it rocks. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/15/25 Full Review Slick R How can you not rate the OG Predator 5 stars? I was in junior high and snuck into watch The Predator one weekend with my friend(bought tix for another movie) and was blown away by Arnold vs The Predator. He was a megastar at the time and he had just come out with Terminator. I find that as new Predator sequels keep coming out today in 2025, the first Predator is still the best one. Killer of Killers which was just released on Hulu is really good but it's a cartoon so it doesn't count. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/11/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Predator

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Movie Info

Synopsis Dutch, a soldier of fortune, is hired by the U.S. government to secretly rescue a group of politicians trapped in Guatemala. But when Dutch and his team, which includes weapons expert Blain and CIA agent George, land in Central America, something is wrong. After finding a string of dead bodies, the crew discovers they are being hunted by a brutal creature with superhuman strength and the ability to disappear into its surroundings.
Director
John McTiernan
Producer
Joel Silver, Lawrence Gordon, John Davis
Screenwriter
Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
20th Century Fox, American Entertainment
Rating
R
Genre
Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 12, 1987, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 11, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$54.4M
Runtime
1h 47m
Sound Mix
Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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