SummarySchaefer (Schwarzenegger) and his elite military unit are recruited to rescue hostages held by guerrillas in the Latin American jungle. But once there, they encounter an enemy more deadly than any on earth! (20th Century Fox)
Directed By:John McTiernan
Written By:Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Predator
Metascore
Mixed or Average
47
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.5
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
47
53% Positive
9 Reviews
9 Reviews
24% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
24% Negative
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
100
Directed by John McTiernan, it’s an ’80s classic full of still-thrilling action, quotable one-liners (“Get to the chopper!” “Stick around!”) and sly digs at Uncle Sam’s penchant for unwinnable jungle wars.
80
Structurally, Predator is a classic behind-enemy-lines/buddy movies. Nothing much new, just well done.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.5
90% Positive
730 Ratings
730 Ratings
7% Mixed
60 Ratings
60 Ratings
2% Negative
17 Ratings
17 Ratings
Dec 12, 2025
10
Cons: The human characters could have used a bit more development to make us attached to them so that the audience can care more about whether they survive or not. Pros: This movie does a great job of showing rather than telling. For example, at the end of the movie, the Predator doesn't kill Arnold Schwarzenegger's character immediately with his alien laser gun. Instead, the predator takes off his mask and fights him to the death with hand-to-hand combat. There's no dialogue telling us why the Predator chooses to do this, but if you pay attention throughout the movie, you would understand that the Predator only kills people who are an easy target and have a weapon, indicating that the Predator is somewhat of an honorable hunter. And since Arnold Schwarzenegger's character put up a greater fight than this comrades, the Predator felt that he owed Arnold Schwarzenegger's character a fight to the death rather than an easy kill with his laser gun. I love how the movie doesn't directly tell us all this, but it's implied with great storytelling. The action sequences are also great and look like they were shot practically.
75
Moves at a breakneck pace, it has strong and simple characterizations, it has good location photography and terrific special effects, and it supplies what it claims to supply: an effective action movie.
63
There's really nothing wrong with the movie; it delivers exactly what Arnold's audience wants, but I'm not part of that crowd. I'm tired of jungle fights and creatures with weird fangs. [12 June 1987, p.A]
50
McTiernan, regrettably, seems more interested in spectacle than suspense, and the attack sequences are filmed for splashy visual impact. And an apocalyptic finale that raises the antiwar message to the nuclear level is more than McTiernan's metaphor can bear. [12 June 1987, Friday, p.J]
30
Frankly, scarier critters have checked into Roach Motels.
10
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.
Sep 13, 2025
10
Despite a troubled production including an awful early script, a disastrous initial creature design, and brutal filming conditions, Predator emerges as possibly the greatest action movie of all time. Its smart script, stellar cast, and top-tier performances, unmatched practical effects, endlessly quotable dialogue, iconic sound design, and Alan Silvestri’s masterful score amplify its impact. From “Get to the choppa!” to the Predator’s chilling roar, its pop culture legacy echoes in other franchises from Star Wars to Star Trek and beyond, cementing it as a cinematic titan. Minor flaws like Anna’s role as more a plot device than a character, the slightly spoilerish opening ship sequence, a few nitpicky execution choices in the final showdown, and Dutch’s improbable survival are negligible. Predator’s sharp pacing and compelling rewatchability ensures it remains a timeless masterpiece long after Hollywood takes its well-deserved eternal dirt nap.
Mar 28, 2025
6
Predator is a unique blend of war film, slasher, and sci-fi survival horror, all wrapped in ‘80s machismo. Arnie, at his prime, is exactly what you’d expect—gruff, muscly, and caked in mud. The creature design still impresses, even alongside today’s CGI, and the jungle setting adds real atmosphere. It has its daft moments, but there’s something compelling about watching the team get picked off by an invisible alien. Beneath all the action and bravado, it’s a solid, entertaining film that delivers exactly what it sets out to do.
Sep 13, 2021
6
The performance was good, the music was great, the Predator himself was amazingly terrifying, and once the movie was in action, it's great, so great, but once it's not, it's boring, so boring.
Jan 25, 2025
3
Günümüz izleyici uzak dursun. Ortalama altı seviyede bir yapım. Daha kaliteli ve güncel içeriklere yönelin.
Sep 28, 2022
3
I don't wanna make any mistakes of anacronically reading in this movie, but I'm moving apart from praising a fictional content just because of it is a 'classic' for some reason. I'm not sure how it when was it was released, or how was the reception. For this analysis it just doesn't matter right now. After all, fictional works age, and note everyone of them age the same way. Given that, I found Predator the original movie boring. It doesn't stand the quality set by today's standards and can only fit well with people who like nostalgic movies and people who want to deeper understand the franchise. It set the concept of the predator that was set in popular culture, but still, that's not a movie I enjoyed watching so much for itself. The idea is there, but the execution is not so good anymore. So if I could synthetise it in simple words that would be: It's not for me.
Production Company:
- 20th Century Fox
- Lawrence Gordon Productions
- Silver Pictures
- Davis Entertainment
- Amercent Films
- American Entertainment Partners L.P.
- Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.
Release Date:Jun 12, 1987
Duration:1 h 47 m
Rating:R
Tagline:If it bleeds, we can kill it...
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 1 Nomination
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Win & 4 Nominations
Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
