10 Sequels That Contradicted The Previous Movie's Message

In the original Predator, the first action sequence involves Dutch and his team in one of the most entertainingly excessive shoot-outs of all time. It then takes the film's mentality regarding machismo and uses it against the cast, such as when they blast through the jungle only to hit the Predator once.

The film ultimately makes a point that straightforward heroics will not save you, as Dutch is hopelessly outmatched against the Jungle Hunter on a fair duel and only beats it with his cunning use of traps. To reiterate, our hero wins not because he is tough but because he is smart.

Predator 2 throws that out of the window and says that you can beat the Predator in a one-on-one duel. Sure, a muscular Arnold Schwarzenegger can't give the creature a run for its money, but a middle-aged Danny Glover can go toe-to-toe with the hunter. To the sequel's credit, Mike Harrigan does beat the alien by feigning defeat, yet the original movie made it a point that fighting the Predator head-on was always a bad idea.

This problem would extend in the next two films, Predators and The Predator, where their respective protagonists manage to face off in a fair match against the titular creature.