Nimrod Antal
Predators

July 14, 2010, the release date in Italian theaters for "Predators," the reboot of this iconic '80s/'90s sci-fi classic.
The good Robert Rodriguez, here in the role of a luxury producer, thus fulfills the long-standing desire to give an alternative sequel to McTiernan's original "Predator" (1987), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, a film that everyone still remembers today, in its fitting simplicity/stereotypicality.

And indeed many elements of this film directly and clearly reference the original film: there's the Amazon-like setting; the musical theme revisited and revised, the gatling gun, the melee duel, the use of mud to hide heat, and dozens of other nods, for the aficionados of the series.

In this film, however, it takes place on an alien planet, a hunting reserve for the Predators, where a team composed of Royce (Adrien Brody), a mercenary, Isabelle (Alice Braga) an Israeli sniper, Cuchillo (Danny Trejo) a narco guerrilla fighter, Nikolai (Oleg Taktarov) a Russian spetsnaz, Mombasa (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) a member of the Sierra Leone death squads, Stans (Walton Goggins) an American criminal on death row, Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchien) from the Yakuza, and Edwin (Topher Grace), a doctor (actually a serial killer), try to survive against three hunters, thirsty for blood, spines, and a bit of healthy interspecies combat. And as always happens in these cases, the team members are picked off one by one, amidst various explosions and dismemberments (the Yakuza's fight with the katana is memorable).

The direction by Nimrod Antal (Vacancy, Kontroll) makes the film flow well, supported, as obvious, by large doses of action and special effects. What is logically missing is the surprise effect and a certain narrative tension, which dissolves into dialogues that are not always effective.
It's a bit like the lack of the overflowing steroid level of Schwarzenegger is compensated here by visual hormonal strength, by technical grandeur. The ending is a bit underwhelming, trying to surprise but failing, appearing instead somewhat forced and contrived, with its creation of questionable twists and obvious premises for obvious sequels.

Nonetheless, a highly enjoyable and entertaining super production, a perfect film for these hot summer evenings, among beers, chips, watermelons, and ice lollies.