The Predator Review: 5 Ups & 6 Downs

2. It's Essentially A Parody (And Reductively So)

When the film works, it's great fun, but when it doesn't, it genuinely feels a little like Shane Black has stepped aside to allow Robert K. Weiss and David Zucker to make Predator Movie.

Because the film loses its identity in trying (and failing at times) to balance the humour with ultra-violence and nostalgia, it definitely feels like you're watching a spoof that isn't quite as well-observed as it thinks it is. When the writing really dips in quality, that feeling is even more pertinent.

In that context, Keegan-Michael Key's Coyle becomes a little too close to a Marlon Wayans creation and Boyd Holbrook's lack of charm begins to feel like a joke in itself. Considering the agenda here was to make us fall back in love with Predator (which is made clear by the very conscious sequel set-up), tearing it down so much is a little baffling.