DVD The Predator has returned, swapping the jungles of Central America for the violent streets of Los Angeles and finding no shortage of heavily armed prey to hunt.
Details
Los Angeles is suffering through a brutal heatwave and a vicious gang war between heavily armed Colombian and Jamaican drug gangs. When a group of Colombian gang members are mysteriously butchered inside their hideout, the police are confused by the carnage, the apparent random gunfire and the lack of any obvious suspect. With the LAPD already stretched to breaking point, however, any reduction in the number of bad guys roaming the streets isn't necessarily considered a bad thing.
When members of a rival Jamaican gang are slaughtered in similarly gruesome circumstances, Lieutenant Mike Harrigan begins to suspect that a particularly unpleasant vigilante is operating on his patch. His investigation becomes personal when his partner Danny is killed after returning to one of the crime scenes and Harrigan becomes determined to track down whoever - or whatever - is responsible.
Unfortunately for Harrigan, the killer isn't local to the neighbourhood - or even the planet. The Predator has returned and, having swapped the humid jungle for the equally hot and hostile streets of Los Angeles, he's discovered an environment filled with heavily armed gang members, police officers and assorted criminals who provide no shortage of potential trophies.
However, Harrigan isn't the only person hunting the hunter. A mysterious government team led by Special Agent Peter Keyes knows exactly what is stalking the streets and has been secretly tracking the creature in the hope of capturing it and obtaining its advanced technology. With Keyes determined to keep the LAPD out of his operation and Harrigan equally determined to avenge his partner, both sides begin closing in on the Predator.
Picture & Sound
For an ageing film the picture quality is surprisingly good. Whereas many transfers suffer from grain and loss of detail during night-time scenes, this disc manages to produce some excellent results, even when smoke and steam fill the picture. Given that the majority of the action takes place at night or in dark locations, there's still plenty of colour and picture detail on display and the bit-rate remains above average throughout the film.
Black levels are generally strong and the Predator's distinctive thermal vision provides some welcome bursts of colour amongst the otherwise grimy city streets. There are inevitably moments where the image shows its age, but overall this is a pleasing transfer that copes remarkably well with some fairly difficult material.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack matches the quality of the picture with a good all-round performance. There's plenty of activity in the rear channels and this is used to particularly good effect whenever the Predator is stalking his prey. Footsteps, movement and environmental effects frequently surround the viewer and really help heighten the tension, whilst Alan Silvestri's pounding musical score also makes effective use of the soundstage.
Dialogue remains crisp and clear in the centre channel throughout and the numerous gun battles, explosions and action sequences provide plenty of opportunity for the soundtrack to flex its muscles. It may not be the most spectacular 5.1 mix available on DVD, but it's certainly effective and suits the film extremely well.
Menu & Extras
The menu is scored but otherwise remains a fairly basic static affair. Extras-wise, things are extremely disappointing, with only the Theatrical Trailer provided. Given that many of Fox's newer titles are arriving laden with interesting supplementary material, I can only assume that their back catalogue isn't receiving quite the same level of attention.
It's particularly frustrating because there's surely plenty that could have been included about the Predator itself, the creature effects, the change from jungle to city and the numerous action sequences. Still, unlike some companies, at least Fox aren't asking full price for such a bare-bones catalogue release.
Overall
Predator 2 had the unenviable task of following one of the best action films of the eighties without Arnold Schwarzenegger along for the ride. Rather than simply attempting to recreate the original, the filmmakers wisely move the action from the jungle to the sweltering streets of Los Angeles. It's a completely different environment, but one that proves equally suitable as a hunting ground for our dreadlocked alien visitor.
Danny Glover is perfect for the hard-man role and, at the time, was fresh from his Lethal Weapon films. Lieutenant Harrigan isn't a million miles away from Roger Murtaugh - permanently angry, frequently shouting and constantly finding himself in situations that any sensible police officer would probably run away from. Glover brings enough presence to carry the film without ever attempting to imitate Schwarzenegger.
He's surrounded by an equally entertaining collection of characters. Gary Busey is ideally cast as the mysterious Peter Keyes, whilst Bill Paxton once again proves remarkably expendable when confronted by an alien life form. Together with Rubén Blades, Maria Conchita Alonso and Robert Davi, there's plenty of shouting, gunfire and one-liners to keep the action moving at a suitably frantic pace.
The Predator itself is also given considerably more room to develop. The original film deliberately kept the creature hidden for much of its running time, whereas this sequel expands upon its weapons, hunting methods and strange sense of honour. We also get a few tantalising glimpses into a much larger world surrounding the creature without the film feeling the need to explain everything. The final scenes in particular contain one wonderful little detail that should put a smile on the face of science-fiction fans.
There's certainly no shortage of action either. From the opening street battle and the wonderfully over-the-top subway sequence through to the government's attempt to capture the Predator, the film rarely slows down for long. It's more violent and arguably more excessive than its predecessor, but that suits the chaotic urban setting perfectly.
I'm still not sure why this disc isn't available separately from the Predator Box Set. The film didn't receive a particularly warm reception when originally released and, even now, the DVD magazines don't seem particularly excited about it. Personally, I think they're being rather unfair. It may lack Schwarzenegger and it doesn't quite match the tension of the original, but taken on its own terms this is still a cracking science-fiction action film with a great cast, plenty of memorable set-pieces and an interesting ending.
If you loved the first film then there's plenty to enjoy here too. It's bigger, noisier and rather more excessive, but moving the hunt to Los Angeles prevents it from becoming a simple retread. The bare-bones DVD package is disappointing enough to prevent an outright recommendation, but the film itself remains considerably better than its reputation would suggest.
Special features
- Theatrical Trailer
