Predators, with a chiseled Adrien Brody in action hero mode (there’s no avoiding those soulful eyes as he tries to proclaim how soulless he is), is a pretty good thrill ride for about two-thirds of the way.
Various human predators (soldiers, convicts) are dropped in a very remote area to do battle with some skillfully constructed (go special effects!), monstrous predators. In another words, it’s The Most Dangerous Game all over again, as the unwilling but skilled human prey try to evade, outwit, and overpower the beasts, while trying to figure out how to “get off the island.” Director Nimrod Antal successfully creates a feeling of dread, and the early action sequences are savage and well-staged, even if we know it’s only a matter of time before the characters cash in their chips. However, after Lawrence Fishburne’s character is introduced-as the world’s unlikeliest stealth fighter- the movie disintegrates into a series of unlikely, prolonged battles, unnecessary sacrifices, and a few jawdropping surprises. But for about 65 minutes, the movie delivers the goods—too bad it didn’t know how to finish the trip.