This is a lot more satisfying than AvP
February 27, 2010 4:58 PM Subscribe
Danny Glover in Dances With Predators
Awesome. Just sent the link to my sons (they're in the other room right now, playing the Aliens vs Predator demo). Thanks!
posted by misha at 5:08 PM on February 27, 2010
posted by misha at 5:08 PM on February 27, 2010
Better than both AvP films, put together!
posted by P.o.B. at 5:24 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by P.o.B. at 5:24 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Never realized how much mesh the Predators wear.
posted by Peztopiary at 6:06 PM on February 27, 2010
posted by Peztopiary at 6:06 PM on February 27, 2010
This is the best part of all the predator movies ever made.
Yeah, the Alien connection was just so damn tantalizing. Too bad AVP turned out the way it did. Predator 2 as a whole was pretty lousy, though.
Anyway, great clip. Made me smile.
posted by zardoz at 6:13 PM on February 27, 2010
Yeah, the Alien connection was just so damn tantalizing. Too bad AVP turned out the way it did. Predator 2 as a whole was pretty lousy, though.
Anyway, great clip. Made me smile.
posted by zardoz at 6:13 PM on February 27, 2010
My heart grew three sizes this day.
This is a lot more satisfying than AvP
The first one is a perfectly serviceable spam-in-a-cabin / bug hunt movie, pretty well shot, not too stupid. A nicely done b-movie that looks better than b-movies deserve to.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:24 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
This is a lot more satisfying than AvP
The first one is a perfectly serviceable spam-in-a-cabin / bug hunt movie, pretty well shot, not too stupid. A nicely done b-movie that looks better than b-movies deserve to.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:24 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seriously? I thought AvP 2 was much better. Over the top and gory. Wasn't the first one a PG-13?
posted by brundlefly at 6:28 PM on February 27, 2010
posted by brundlefly at 6:28 PM on February 27, 2010
I was expecting something along the lines of a mashup. "Danny Glover, you are my prey! Don't you know that you will always be my prey!" Or something.
I'd argue that Predator 2 is key to our whole passion for AvP, even if it hasn't been fully realized yet (though I thought AvP2 was better than the first. I mean, PredAlien!). Without the panning camera slowly moving past the trophy case of skulls on the Predator ship, then lingering just a bit on, holy shit, is that an Alien skull?, we wouldn't even have the franchise to be disappointed in, aside from who would win fanboy discussions.
The original Predator, though, is a fantastic collection of one-liners and Macho Men posturing, from the bulging muscle mid-air armwrestle, to 'I ain't got time to bleed,' to 'Stick arrrouwnd'. It's a unique cultural treasure, and should be revered as such.*
*Second only to Running Man in Arnold-liners per minute.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:33 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'd argue that Predator 2 is key to our whole passion for AvP, even if it hasn't been fully realized yet (though I thought AvP2 was better than the first. I mean, PredAlien!). Without the panning camera slowly moving past the trophy case of skulls on the Predator ship, then lingering just a bit on, holy shit, is that an Alien skull?, we wouldn't even have the franchise to be disappointed in, aside from who would win fanboy discussions.
The original Predator, though, is a fantastic collection of one-liners and Macho Men posturing, from the bulging muscle mid-air armwrestle, to 'I ain't got time to bleed,' to 'Stick arrrouwnd'. It's a unique cultural treasure, and should be revered as such.*
*Second only to Running Man in Arnold-liners per minute.
posted by Ghidorah at 6:33 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seriously? I thought AvP 2 was much better. Over the top and gory. Wasn't the first one a PG-13?
Yeah, it was PG-13. Still played pretty well, and it didn't really need the gore. And it's just so (visually) dark and slick and fun to look at. And Sanaa Lathan is puuuuurrrrrrrty, and it doesn't have That Guy From Rescue Me. And it had the... well... the Flying Vulva of Doom shot.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:44 PM on February 27, 2010
Yeah, it was PG-13. Still played pretty well, and it didn't really need the gore. And it's just so (visually) dark and slick and fun to look at. And Sanaa Lathan is puuuuurrrrrrrty, and it doesn't have That Guy From Rescue Me. And it had the... well... the Flying Vulva of Doom shot.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:44 PM on February 27, 2010
My heart grew three sizes this day.
Excellent, looks like we have more predators than expected here for dinner & dancing tonight.
posted by mannequito at 7:01 PM on February 27, 2010
Excellent, looks like we have more predators than expected here for dinner & dancing tonight.
posted by mannequito at 7:01 PM on February 27, 2010
I was wondering if it was some sort of bizarre edit-to-be-funny mashup of "Lethal Weapon" and "To Catch a Predator."
I think I'm happier with this version.
posted by Scattercat at 8:21 PM on February 27, 2010
I think I'm happier with this version.
posted by Scattercat at 8:21 PM on February 27, 2010
ROU, 1 was okay, but I was disappointed by the idea of junior trainee predators. Granted, they have to cut their teeth somewhere, but the one alien warrior can kill a predator thing was offputting. I mean, how many did Vasquez kill, just by herself? And why would they keep the laser canons in the pyramid, rather than in the ship's armory? Predators should be utter badasses, and AvP 1 kind of undermined that.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:45 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Ghidorah at 8:45 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
...so no-one else felt slightly dirty watching crotch shots of gyrating predators?
posted by geek anachronism at 8:52 PM on February 27, 2010
posted by geek anachronism at 8:52 PM on February 27, 2010
Say what you want, but no dissing Lance Hendriksen, please.
posted by ovvl at 8:56 PM on February 27, 2010
posted by ovvl at 8:56 PM on February 27, 2010
Granted, they have to cut their teeth somewhere, but the one alien warrior can kill a predator thing was offputting. I mean, how many did Vasquez kill, just by herself?
Sure, but the Predators aren't going in with their best guns. It's not just bug stomping for them, it's a Feat of Strength. But in the middle of their bar mitzvah instead of in Festivus. Presumably if they just wanted to kill alienses they'd just mow them down by the gazillion, or release a virus that kills them all, or just iron-bomb the star the infested planet orbits.
And why would they keep the laser canons in the pyramid, rather than in the ship's armory?
I had the sense they were ceremonial weapons. Probably weakened in one way or another; like the equivalent of a single-shot pistol or some other intentionally constrained weapon.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:12 PM on February 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
Sure, but the Predators aren't going in with their best guns. It's not just bug stomping for them, it's a Feat of Strength. But in the middle of their bar mitzvah instead of in Festivus. Presumably if they just wanted to kill alienses they'd just mow them down by the gazillion, or release a virus that kills them all, or just iron-bomb the star the infested planet orbits.
And why would they keep the laser canons in the pyramid, rather than in the ship's armory?
I had the sense they were ceremonial weapons. Probably weakened in one way or another; like the equivalent of a single-shot pistol or some other intentionally constrained weapon.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:12 PM on February 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
*Second only to Running Man in Arnold-liners per minute.
Well I hope you left enough room for my pop culture reference, because I'm going to RAAAM it into your CONVERSATION
posted by cortex at 9:34 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Well I hope you left enough room for my pop culture reference, because I'm going to RAAAM it into your CONVERSATION
posted by cortex at 9:34 PM on February 27, 2010 [1 favorite]
Among my many pop culture heresies is this: In every way, Predator 2 is a better movie than Predator. It just is, it's just something you all have to accept, and that's what I have to say about that.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:11 PM on February 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:11 PM on February 27, 2010 [2 favorites]
Thems fightin words, kittens.
Predator 2 is pretty awesome though.
posted by brundlefly at 10:15 PM on February 27, 2010
Predator 2 is pretty awesome though.
posted by brundlefly at 10:15 PM on February 27, 2010
kittens for breakfast: "Among my many pop culture heresies is this: In every way, Predator 2 is a better movie than Predator. It just is, it's just something you all have to accept, and that's what I have to say about that."
I'm actually not entirely closed to that argument. I certainly think Predator 2 is vastly underrated, and it's definitely better than the first movie in many ways (one of the most important being acting). I'm not sure it's better in every way, but I think if I had to sit down right now and watch one of the two, I'd likely choose Predator 2.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 11:54 PM on February 27, 2010
I'm actually not entirely closed to that argument. I certainly think Predator 2 is vastly underrated, and it's definitely better than the first movie in many ways (one of the most important being acting). I'm not sure it's better in every way, but I think if I had to sit down right now and watch one of the two, I'd likely choose Predator 2.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 11:54 PM on February 27, 2010
Is it too early in the morning for Schwarzenegger-themed death metal? "Get to the Choppa," and "If It Bleeds, We Can Kill It," by Austrian Death Machine.
Nah, never too early.
posted by steef at 4:24 AM on February 28, 2010
Nah, never too early.
posted by steef at 4:24 AM on February 28, 2010
I appreciate Predator 2 mostly for how it fleshes out the Predator universe. One of the things I don't like about P2 is it dumps a bunch of info right at the end there: the trophy case shot, the giving of the old gun. I geek out on that stuff, and wish P2 had given more.
Predator 1, on the other hand, is big-man action movie perfection. I can watch it anytime. Anytime . . . anytime. . . .
posted by cyclopticgaze at 5:19 AM on February 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
Predator 1, on the other hand, is big-man action movie perfection. I can watch it anytime. Anytime . . . anytime. . . .
posted by cyclopticgaze at 5:19 AM on February 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
Hmm...there's a lot of love here for Predator 2. I thought it had a great cast, and a few moments here and there--like that ending--but the direction (by Stephen Hopkins) is bland hack-work. At least the first was directed by McTiernan when he was in his prime.
posted by zardoz at 5:47 AM on February 28, 2010
posted by zardoz at 5:47 AM on February 28, 2010
Seriously? I thought AvP 2 was much better. Over the top and gory. Wasn't the first one a PG-13?
posted by brundlefly at 2:28 AM on February 28 [+] [!]
I found myself squinting at the screen for pretty much the whole of AvP2 trying to work out what was going on. It's just too damn dark!
posted by jonnyploy at 5:59 AM on February 28, 2010
posted by brundlefly at 2:28 AM on February 28 [+] [!]
I found myself squinting at the screen for pretty much the whole of AvP2 trying to work out what was going on. It's just too damn dark!
posted by jonnyploy at 5:59 AM on February 28, 2010
Fair enough, but I dug that look. Then again, I'm the guy who has to rewatch Hyams' "The Relic" every so often, just for the cinematography.
posted by brundlefly at 9:13 AM on February 28, 2010
posted by brundlefly at 9:13 AM on February 28, 2010
Ha ha, that was awesome.
posted by biochemist at 10:06 AM on February 28, 2010
posted by biochemist at 10:06 AM on February 28, 2010
The Relic is also a good spam in a cabin (that isn't a cabin) movie.
I really enjoy that the dialogue between the filmmakers and the effects studio is visible on screen.
We got the monster moving! Here's a walk cycle!
*Cool. Now do the four shots.
Hey, we got it running! And climbing!
*Hey, not bad. We can work that into the film.
Hey, we can make it run while it's on fire!
*I.... what?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:28 AM on February 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
I really enjoy that the dialogue between the filmmakers and the effects studio is visible on screen.
We got the monster moving! Here's a walk cycle!
*Cool. Now do the four shots.
Hey, we got it running! And climbing!
*Hey, not bad. We can work that into the film.
Hey, we can make it run while it's on fire!
*I.... what?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:28 AM on February 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
This is not canon!
posted by monocultured at 11:22 AM on February 28, 2010
posted by monocultured at 11:22 AM on February 28, 2010
Kittens, I agree with you about 2. Granted, 1 is a solid, solid action movie. It's an Arnold movie. It's endlessly rewatchable, and I like it a lot. But 2 manages to not involve Arnold in any way, yet completely stand on its own power. I doubt that very many sequels that have come back without the main star get away with that (Speed 2:Cruise Control, anyone?). Would we watch Alien without Sigourney Weaver, or Die Hard without Bruce Willis (unless you want to count Sudden Death, Under Siege, and all of the "One man trapped in a ________, surrounded by ___________, and only he can stop __________" movies that popped up after Die Hard)?
But Predator 2 does exactly what Cyclopticgaze mentions: it makes the Predators into more than just killing machines. Or, well, they're still killing machines, but we learn more about them. They're hunters, and they've been here (and elsewhere) for a long, long time, and they have a sense of honor, perhaps aside from nuking their hunting ground when things don't go their way.
On the other hand, one thing the AvP franchise did with the nuking thing? They changed it from a spoiled child taking its toys and going home when beaten at the game to a quarantine effect. It turns into a protective measure. Still, trying to nuke Arnold and LA doesn't quite jibe with that, but I can work it in somehow.
And ROU, I'll grant you that, but I was still disappointed by just how weak the Predators were. Yes, they're trainees, it's a ceremony. But really? That human is just as bad ass as a Predator? I mean, standing side by side, hand to hand combat? Not even Arnold could do that, and the original Predator makes him out to be the ultimate badass.
AvP2 restored my faith in the badass aspect. One Predator, alone, manages to wipe out an entire infested town, complete with a PredAlien hybrid. Still, not a great movie. I am, however, looking forward to Predators!
posted by Ghidorah at 2:48 PM on February 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
But Predator 2 does exactly what Cyclopticgaze mentions: it makes the Predators into more than just killing machines. Or, well, they're still killing machines, but we learn more about them. They're hunters, and they've been here (and elsewhere) for a long, long time, and they have a sense of honor, perhaps aside from nuking their hunting ground when things don't go their way.
On the other hand, one thing the AvP franchise did with the nuking thing? They changed it from a spoiled child taking its toys and going home when beaten at the game to a quarantine effect. It turns into a protective measure. Still, trying to nuke Arnold and LA doesn't quite jibe with that, but I can work it in somehow.
And ROU, I'll grant you that, but I was still disappointed by just how weak the Predators were. Yes, they're trainees, it's a ceremony. But really? That human is just as bad ass as a Predator? I mean, standing side by side, hand to hand combat? Not even Arnold could do that, and the original Predator makes him out to be the ultimate badass.
AvP2 restored my faith in the badass aspect. One Predator, alone, manages to wipe out an entire infested town, complete with a PredAlien hybrid. Still, not a great movie. I am, however, looking forward to Predators!
posted by Ghidorah at 2:48 PM on February 28, 2010 [1 favorite]
But really? That human is just as bad ass as a Predator? I mean, standing side by side, hand to hand combat?
I don't remember a scene in AvP1 where a human killed a predator?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:47 PM on February 28, 2010
I don't remember a scene in AvP1 where a human killed a predator?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:47 PM on February 28, 2010
ROU, I meant the human woman, who fights the queen with the Predator. She doesn't kill a Predator, she's, as I said, standing side by side with the Pred. My problem is that she's made to look like a badass (which she is), but, in the words of the great Lance, she's still "only human." No human should look remotely like a badass next to a Predator. Arnold, playing an uber badass, looked 'remotely competant' next to the Predator that killed his entire team. That should be the gold standard, even with junior, merit-badge seeking Predators. Danny Glover? He got lucky, repeatedly, but the best part of Predator 2 was they didn't hide that. He was in way over his head, as he was told repeatedly, as he admitted as well.
To me, AvP suffered from the need of the audience to have human characters that we identify with, and in the end, feel vicarious thrill through the human's endurance against impossible odds. Piffle, I say. 90 minutes of Alien on Predator mayhem with only hissing, clicking, and explosions? Bring it on!
posted by Ghidorah at 6:09 PM on February 28, 2010
To me, AvP suffered from the need of the audience to have human characters that we identify with, and in the end, feel vicarious thrill through the human's endurance against impossible odds. Piffle, I say. 90 minutes of Alien on Predator mayhem with only hissing, clicking, and explosions? Bring it on!
posted by Ghidorah at 6:09 PM on February 28, 2010
Ghidorah: "Danny Glover? He got lucky, repeatedly, but the best part of Predator 2 was they didn't hide that. He was in way over his head, as he was told repeatedly, as he admitted as well."
You have to attribute some of this to being in over is head or being too old for this shit being Danny Glover's acting specialty.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 1:53 AM on March 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
You have to attribute some of this to being in over is head or being too old for this shit being Danny Glover's acting specialty.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 1:53 AM on March 3, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by clockworkjoe at 5:06 PM on February 27, 2010