Quote from: Wysps on Oct 23, 2019, 07:33:27 PM
I seem to recall that James Franco was considered an option for Boyd's character. I may be completely misremembering this bit of information, or maybe it wasn't "official", but if I am remembering it correctly, do you think he would have been a better choice?
Maybe? Slightly? Neither would be my preference.
To me, with Predator, the ideal situation is to have the lead actor to have gravitas. One with that
je ne sais quoi quality that performs a bit over-the-top. While casting, decide that acting comes secondary to charisma. Charisma is tops. Like why Arnold Schwarzenegger was cast as Conan back in 1982, but to a lesser degree.
It's like the cast of 300 which made Gerald Butler an above-the-title star. Its easy to get muscle bound men, and some of them can even act better than Gerald.
But make acting secondary and find someone that the camera loves with a slight over-the-top performance that can chew scenery. That should be priority in my opinion.
QuoteI find the characters in Predator films to be so animated in how they speak, carry themselves, etc. Even when they're "reserved" (i.e. Brody), they're not. Boyd's character just seemed kind of...bland in particular. I don't know if it just boils down to how he was written or how he brought the character to life. And I think that goes for some of the other cast - was it the writing or the acting that made the characters fall flat?
I think writing can have an effect to a degree, but I put it squarely on the shoulder of Boyd i.e.
casting. Remember when Boyd says something to the effect of "touch me again and I'll break your neck". Now imagine Jesse Ventura saying that line. Or Sonny Landham. Or Ron Perlman. It changes right? It improves? Less flat, right? A million people can act better than Jesse, but top acting is not what's required here.
No, Shane Black didn't have that gravitas in Predator (which makes sense why he died first). No Ruben Blades didn't have that gravitas in Predator 2 (which makes sense why he died first). But when the whole entire cast less one doesn't have it in a Predator film, that one being Sterling K. Brown in The Predator, you have a severe casting problem in my opinion.