Shane Black’s The Predator: 10 Critical Reactions You Need To See

With its theatrical release just around the corner, the first reactions to Shane Black's The Predator have started to flood the web.

The film recently had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, where a bunch of critics were among the first people in the world to watch the latest instalment in the decades-old franchise.

The movie has suffered several delays so has been a long time coming, and the one question on everybody's lips is... is it any good?

Unfortunately, the initial wave of reactions has been rather mixed. The Predator series has had more than its fair share of downs (depending on who you ask, the first one is great and the rest are terrible), so many were hoping for a return to the glory days of the original, with Black's experienced hands guiding The Predator to success. But it doesn't seem like that's the case.

Luckily, it's not all bad. It won't be remembered as a classic, but The Predator contains more than enough alien action, bloody death scenes and entertaining characters to satisfy both fans and newcomers, and critics had a lot to say about it.

"The visual effects take a noticeable dip in quality during an aerial battle and the climactic showdown is too easily resolved given all the buildup." - IGN

"Overall the movie’s computer effects are disappointing. There are moments when the CG is grainy and looks like they could use one more layer of textures. And the big action moments feel too much like watching an animation." - The Playlist

"Suffers from weak effects moments despite the best efforts of the cast." - SciFiNow

While official information about the film's budget hasn't been revealed, you have to imagine it's in the $40 - $80 million range (a ballpark that previous entries in the series have hit), which isn't a lot by blockbuster standards.

And it appears the film's CGI has taken a hit because of this. The special effects in The Predator were never going to look as sharp as something like Infinity War, for obvious reasons, but it's disappointing to hear that - unlike other mid-range blockbusters like Arrival, A Quiet Place and Deadpool - the team couldn't get the most out of their limited resources.