The Predator: 7 Biggest Overlooked Positives

In terms of narrative, The Predator is undeniably jumbled, as it is riddled with disjointed plot-points, out-of-nowhere developments and eyebrow-raising decisions. Yet on a purely conceptual level, there are some interesting ideas being tossed around, things that we’ve never seen in a Predator movie before. In that sense, the film is a distinct instalment in a franchise that has otherwise been creatively dormant since 1987.

You see, rather than wallowing in the past and regurgitating the same old routine, Shane Black has bravely opted to expand upon the mythos in unique ways. We consequently learn new things about the Yautja, like why they insist on repeatedly returning to earth and how they have been splicing their own DNA in order to accelerate the evolutionary process. Outside of the confines of extended universal materials, this is the first time that such fertile ground has ever been explored. Because of this ambition to build upon the lore and add to the legacy of the first film (as opposed to just recycling it), this feels like the first Predator sequel to actually move things.

Likewise, the team also try to innovate upon the series’ fairly rigid structure and so rather than deferring to the same old slasher formula, they've given us something more sprawling and intricate. To that end, there are evil government agencies, inter-species feuds, and even a child-in-peril. It might not all work, but at least it’s not another lazy rehash.