«Predator» is a great monster movie, a slick modernist western and a really great sequel to «Predator» for those who don’t mind a little fanservice here and there. Trachtenberg has made one of the best monster movies in recent years, proving that there is life in any horror franchise if you stick to what makes the central creature fascinating. And «Predator» is truly fascinating for the first time in years.
With its ferocious heroine, authentic period setting and bloody succession of inventive action battles (a frantic flight through tall grass; a pile-up in the ash rain of burnt forest; a heartbreaking confrontation with a vicious bear), Trachtenberg’s film breathes new life into a long-deflated series. Simultaneously pleasantly familiar yet delightfully fresh, it’s a classic Predator, expertly remade for 2022-a prime example of how you can take something old and make it fresh again.