Is the original Predator from 1987 anybody else's favourite film of all time?

[JoelCraike12]

I absolutely love and adore that movie to death I watch it quite frequently it never bores me at all but the question is is Predator anybody else's number one all time favourite movie too??

[SiL]

Third favourite, behind ALIEN and APOCALYPSE NOW.

[PAS]

Hot take here but I much prefer Pred 2 and Prey over the og Predator, yes Predator has a strong cast and all but the non practical effects aged extremely poorly and the action scene in the first act is boring.

[SiL]

Predator 2 used a shitty Roman candle for the shoulder cannon effects.

Give me them drawing over the original unused weapon with 2D animation any day.

[Elmazalman]

No. ALIEN is. But PREDATOR (1987) is a favourite.

What I've never liked about the film, was the cast coming out for a curtain call during the end credits. It sort of ruins it for me, seeing people recently slaughtered by the Predator, smiling and acknowledging the viewer. I'm not a fan of "breaking the fourth wall" sort of thing.

Wish the credits just stayed black with the white text. I suppose, it could've been worse: showing bloopers alongside the credits as they rolled.

[OpenMaw]

Of all time? I don't know about that. It's certainly in the top 10. It's definitely on top of all the other Predator films in terms of the tight script, the great performances, that incredible energized score, and KPH + Stan Winston creating magic with the Jungle Hunter. I could watch those fleeting moments of the Predator brought to life over and over. There is so much nuance packed into those moments.

Predator 2 used a shitty Roman candle for the shoulder cannon effects.

Give me them drawing over the original unused weapon with 2D animation any day.

Yeah, the Predator 2 shoulder cannon in general isn't nearly as impressive as that concussive WHI-BANG in the first film.

I will say the City Hunter's gear is really cool, with all the hidden gadges that come out. Stan Winston's team did such a *chef's kiss* great job.

No. ALIEN is. But PREDATOR (1987) is a favourite.

What I've never liked about the film, was the cast coming out for a curtain call during the end credits. It sort of ruins it for me, seeing people recently slaughtered by the Predator, smiling and acknowledging the viewer. I'm not a fan of "breaking the fourth wall" sort of thing.

Wish the credits just stayed black with the white text. I suppose, it could've been worse: showing bloopers alongside the credits as they rolled.

That's an interesting take. For the original film it does strike me as appropriate, though. The film is, at the end of the day, a popcorn movie. They want you leaving feeling good.

[PAS]

Predator 2 used a shitty Roman candle for the shoulder cannon effects.

Give me them drawing over the original unused weapon with 2D animation any day.

Cloaking and Thermal vision in the first movie aged really really poorly. The blasting effects are passable on both

[Elmazalman]

I think the SFX on the original film still hold up - mostly.

There's that one shot, where the Predator reveals itself to Dillon whilst clinging to a tree, that looks a little dodgy.

The old VHS, open matte, I believe, showed Dillon's real arm strapped behind his back, as he turned in slow-mo, after having his arm blown off. Something similar happened with another open matte VHS release, Re-Animator (the bone saw cutting through the fake torso).

Still, we're lucky the original suit design (red lobster) wasn't used.

That's an interesting take. For the original film it does strike me as appropriate, though. The film is, at the end of the day, a popcorn movie. They want you leaving feeling good.

Mac, offering (us, the viewer) a sip from his hip flask after having his holed skull fondled by the Predator, leaves a creepy feeling. 

[OpenMaw]

Psh, I love the cloaking effects in the first movie. The only shot that is dodgey to me is the first time we see it move when it kills Hawkins. The only other effect I really have an issue with is the first use of the shoulder cannon where it tracks in a slow circle to kill Blaine.

[SiL]

Predator 2 used a shitty Roman candle for the shoulder cannon effects.

Give me them drawing over the original unused weapon with 2D animation any day.

Cloaking and Thermal vision in the first movie aged really really poorly. The blasting effects are passable on both

There are cloaking shots in that first movie that would be impressive today. Walking up the muddy bank to where Dutch is hiding for example.

[PAS]

Predator 2 used a shitty Roman candle for the shoulder cannon effects.

Give me them drawing over the original unused weapon with 2D animation any day.

Cloaking and Thermal vision in the first movie aged really really poorly. The blasting effects are passable on both

There are cloaking shots in that first movie that would be impressive today. Walking up the muddy bank to where Dutch is hiding for example.

Yeah, but some others look straight up silly, it's not the movie's fault that it didn't age well, but wanting or not, it didn't age all that well, the Predator design itself carries it alot, far more than the cast imo

[SiL]

Well you did say they were hot takes

[BlueMarsalis79]

Steaming hot even! I'm sorry. I couldn't resist.

[BigDaddyJohn]

One of my favorite of all time definitely. To rank it more precisely is too hard for me.

[CANNON]

For me its top 3 next to Conan the Barbarian and The Last of the Mohicans.

Predator 2 used a shitty Roman candle for the shoulder cannon effects.

Give me them drawing over the original unused weapon with 2D animation any day.

Cloaking and Thermal vision in the first movie aged really really poorly. The blasting effects are passable on both

There are cloaking shots in that first movie that would be impressive today. Walking up the muddy bank to where Dutch is hiding for example.

Yeah, but some others look straight up silly, it's not the movie's fault that it didn't age well, but wanting or not, it didn't age all that well, the Predator design itself carries it alot, far more than the cast imo

I respectfully disagree, people can say what they want about other Predator films but IMO the original absolutely stands the test of time. Its effects are so well done and so well shot and when ever I re-watch it there is never a moment throughout the film where I thought it didn't age well, in fact I usually say the opposite.
The way JH's cloaking effects and its transparency interacts with the jungle environment or his while he's cloaked moving through the trees or on foot, specifically the Dillon/ Mac death scene or Hawkins stand out in my mind. JH's Plasmacaster effects are sharp and visually look powerful, Blain's death comes to mind and also the Plasmacaster sound FX is so unique. I mean the sound fx in general throughout the film are just iconic. JH's Medicomp scene and the effects used there. Most importantly the Winston design being fully revealed at the final climax of the movie - talk about special effects, that Predator face is timeless.