10 Smartest Decisions In Fantasy Movie History
8. Mud-Masking Dutch's Heat Signature - Predator
1987's Predator has become one of the most well-loved sci-fi action movies of all time.
The concept of a group of mercenaries sent to into the jungle with the task of rescuing a foreign official and instead finding themselves hunted by the ultimate extra-terrestrial killing machine is simple yet brilliant.
While action-based movies aren't often known for their cerebral stories, Predator's ending hinges on a particularly intelligent decision made by Dutch Schaefer, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Having watched the Predator take out the rest of his team one by one, Dutch realises that the alien's vision is mostly infrared, and that if he can mask his heat signature he can effectively camouflage himself from the Predator.
His decision to coat himself with a thick layer of mud is what allows him to fight the Predator on (almost) equal terms, and without it, he would certainly have met the same fate as the rest of the mercenaries.
Instead, the Predator recognises Dutch as a worthy opponent, and is ultimately defeated by Arnie in one of the most triumphant moments in all of cinema.