To be honest, now I've seen the film, I find the criticisms to be overblown. I do think some of the comedic elements were overdone, but for the most part I liked the comraderie they brought to the table. The Predator does do different things with the franchise. I think it's better than Predators, which while passable, was a lot more heavily influenced by the original. The Predator is getting smashed by some reviewers for having a different type of identity. I don't see that as a bad thing. The Predators in this movie are as brutal as any. The plot moves along nicely. It's not perfect, but it's not a disgrace.