The Most Dangerous Game

In 1987, the action-horror hybrid "Predator" stormed to box office success and managed to capture lightning in a bottle on a level that has remained elusively inimitable

80's action films were predicated by being larger-than-life and no one embodied this ideal more than Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Austrian strongman became a household name after "Conan the Barbarian" was a hit and was launched into mega stardom after his scene-stealing heel turn as the titular killing machine in "The Terminator". After that, Schwarzenegger movies quickly morphed into a recognizable brand; action extravaganzas where the bustling bodybuilder would spout chintzy one-liners and mow down enemies like blades of grass. To see this formula at its apex, look no further than "Commando" or the extremely loose adaptation of Stephen King's "The Running Man". While the overall quality of such pictures is debatable, their garishness is admittedly charming. Nestled between those movies within Arnie's filmography is this classic monster story. Tonally, it fits the usual bill to kick things off, but reveals itself as an entirely different beast about one-third of the way through.

Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch, an operative who's tapped by a former commanding officer to execute what's presented as a simple rescue mission in Guatemala. In addition to his usual crew of muscle-bound mercenaries, Dillon (Carl Weathers of "Rocky" fame), an old ally, tags along for the ride. As one might expect, the mission doesn't go according to plan (initially due to some ulterior motives) and then veers wildly off course when it becomes evident the team is being hunted by something inhuman. That's when the real fun starts.

Directed by John McTiernan, who became one of the biggest names in action after following this up with "Die Hard", "Predator" offers a unique blend of otherworldly terror and over-the-top action that's almost transcendent. On the surface, it's just a cheesy action creature feature. Honestly, that assessment isn't totally inaccurate, but the direction is so tight and the chemistry within the cast is so good, it's elevated above its B-movie premise. The late Kevin Peter Hall portrayed the antagonistic alien, taking over for a pre-"Bloodsport" Jean-Claude Van Damme. Several stories have circulated about Van Damme's departure, but it was ultimately for the best, as a costume redesign coupled with Hall's towering 7'3" frame helped transform the beast into an instantly iconic adversary. Sequels, spin-offs and reboots followed and while some of them have their moments, none have matched the original's overall quality. The movie isn't perfect, but it's thoroughly enjoyable. The suspense is patiently built and the kills are executed in memorable fashion. Save for a few moments, it's aged relatively well and delivers some of the most quotable dialogue in film history. It's the perfect popcorn movie, eschewing the machinations of typical Schwarzenegger outings in favor of tension-filled thrills and is a rare example where he's outshined by the villain. B+