The Predator (2018)

Seasoned American director, Shane Black is no novice when it comes to making action films. In the past he’s been known for the Lethal Weapon Series, The Last Action Hero, and The Long Kiss Goodnight; and he doesn’t hold back for the 2018 Predator. Not only did Black direct, but he also wrote the script for The Predator; which explains the superb dialogue in the film. Black is considered one of the pioneer screenwriters of the action genre. He made his mark with the Lethal Weapon Series but also wrote Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. His advanced experience in filmmaking only adds to the expertise that is behind the making of Predator. There’s a lot of great aspects of Predator that makes it stand out more so than other films in the classical Sci-Fi genre. However, to narrow down the elements that make this film great, the diversity of representation is truly thoughtful, the comedic relief is timely, and the amount of blood and guts is just right. I’d go even as far to say this Predator paid homage to the original, in a clever new age way.
First and foremost the comedy relief is perfectly timed, every character has their quick-witted moment. However something that is most prevalent is the politically correct lens that the humor is placed under. No one once makes a sexist joke and if a character makes a comment that is remotely sexist it is always thwarted with a feminist response. There are many types of comedy blended with perspective from the diverse characters. Of course there is the typical archetype in all action films, “the comedian” played by Keegan-Michael Key, but he is by no means the solely funny person in the film; the film doesn’t depend on his humor. Not only did the humor add a wonderful element to the film, the diverse humor from the characters also makes it a unique film. This type of humor isn’t often found in action films, but it can be found in the sci-fi genre, Shane Black hones in on the comedic diversity of his cast and plays to their strengths, making their humor inclusive yet different.
Another strong aspect of the film much like the diverse comedy is the diverse cast. The Sci-fi genre hasn’t always been incredibly inclusive with diversity, especially for people of color and women. This film broke the barriers of that by upholding people of color and women in positive lights within the script; even the “evil” characters were relatable on some level. With that being said, there are only two women in the film, which is typical of the Sci-Fi genre (usually there’s only one woman and she is almost always the love interest). However in this Predator, there are two women; the first female character I would like to talk about is played by Yvonne Strahovski, she was the wife of the main crazy soldier Quinn McKenna played by Boyd Holbrook. Within the film the other male characters expect Yvonne’s character, Emily McKenna to be like the other female archetypes of the Sci-Fi genre (just an ignorant love interest) but she is not only the wife of a soldier, she is trained like a soldier as well. There is moment where I was actually surprised, Emily started commanding the men around her to do things, and she proceeds to take a gun off the wall and clearly knows how to use it. This is something I haven’t seen in many Sci-Fi films so I truly appreciate that a new Sci-Fi archetype is being created. Emily’s character isn’t a huge role by any means, but she certainly made an impression by being a badass. The second badass female character who is featured prevalently in the film is Olivia Munn who plays Casey Bracket who is an important scientist. She is clearly one the most informed characters about the Predator and she is also trained in combat. The main thing that stands out to me about Olivia Munn’s character is the fact that the other male soldiers expect her to be strong willed and cunning; they even make jokes about how she surprises them. Throughout the film Olivia’s character is surrounded by men, and yet none of them really made a pass at her, beyond giving her a pathetic tinfoil unicorn as a gift. She does not become a love interest and she is a key character to understanding The Predator. There is even an eco-feminist lens that could arguably be placed on Olivia Munn’s character as well; she is the only character to interact with the alien dogs within the film, she plays fetch with them. Both of these female characters outsmart men within the storyline multiple times; they are independent, smart, refreshingly tactful and well equipped to handle weapons.
Not only does this film represent women in a positive way, it represents men in a way that I haven’t seen very often previously in the Sci-Fi genre. Male characters show more emotions than usual, they have heart to hearts with each other, and they understand that nobody is perfect. What makes these characters perfect, is their imperfections. Keegan-Michael Key plays the comedic soldier Coyle who I mentioned before, he has PTSD from being an incredibly accurate sniper. Key even has an anxiety attack in the film and one of the other male characters consoles him then says, “Its okay, this happens sometimes.” The fact that his PTSD is addressed along with Coyle’s anxiety attack is a big advancement in Hollywood action filmmaking, in the past soldiers would probably say something toxic like, “man up!” or “No time for tears soldier!” In action films men are oftentimes displayed as emotionless and violent, especially men of color. However this group of crazy soldiers is a diverse bunch. Key is one of three men of color within the group and there are more men of color throughout the film as well including the actor of Predator, government officials, and scientists. Nebraska Williams played by Trevante Rhodes is an especially interesting character. He is clearly an insane man, but he is also loyal to his fellow soldiers and has a good heart. There is a moment in the film where Nebraska opens up about being a suicidal soldier, which is something I have never seen in Hollywood cinema before unless it is the sole focus of the film. This moment where he confides about his past depression is a monumental step away from the toxic masculinity that has hindered so many films in the past. The fact that the character felt comfortable to talk about his mental troubles truly is an important highlight of how men should be able to talk to each other. Alongside the soldiers defeating toxic masculinity, Quinn McKenna’s son is an interesting character as well, Rory McKenna played by Jacob Tremblay. Rory McKenna is on the spectrum and it is believed that he has Aspergers (other kids tease him by calling him ASS-Burgers). This representation is certainly underrepresented in cinema and this film finds an interesting way to highlight how smart some people with Aspergers can truly be. Even though Rory McKenna is a child, he is one of the smartest characters in the film, and usually in other films, the soldier father imposes toxic masculinity onto their child, yet in this film that was not the case. Quinn Mckenna and his son seem to have a wonderful relationship of dialogue and communication, which says a lot when you have a son who has Aspergers. Alongside all of these characters, there is a Latino character that is incredibly religious and socially awkward, and a character with turrets syndrome. These representations might not seem like a lot, but they are incredibly important if we want to create meaningful cinema that is relatable to the population as a whole. Predator created a film that relates to more people than other Sci-Fi films in the past, which is important because white men are not the only demographic in this world.
Finally last but not least, the gore. Horror films are one of my favorite genres of cinema and oftentimes Sci-Fi films dabble in horror elements to improve the action of the film. Predator had the exact amount of gore that was needed to make the film great. There are still guts and blood but it isn’t to the degree where you feel queasy after you watch the film. Someone with a feint heart probably shouldn’t watch the film (I am quite desensitized to horror), but if you are a horror fanatic like myself, you will truly enjoy the effort behind the special effects horror makeup. Alongside the blood and guts, the costuming was great. I remember making note while watching the film that the female scientists aren’t sexualized much like I have seen in the past. They don’t have a ridiculous amount of makeup on, they aren’t showing cleavage and they are viewed as equals to the male scientists. There is even a part where Olivia Munn’s character is naked and she is still not sexualized. This is almost revolutionary for the sci-fi genre, a naked woman who ISN’T sexualized. Again, the costuming for the female scientists is great simply because they are equal to their male counterparts. And last but certainly not least, the special effects makeup and 3D animation of The Predator was chilling, they are terrifying to look at and yet you can’t look away, its almost as if you want to figure out how they operate biologically. This element truly made the film, in the past you can easily point out what is digitally added and what is makeup and they have finally found a perfect blend that makes The Predator more realistic than ever.
Overall I truly enjoyed the film, I think it is the first of many modernized and diverse Sci-Fi films that are to come. Of course the film isn’t perfect, there are still only two women in the film, and the majority of the main cast is still white, but these efforts of diversity are being noticed and appreciated. As an audience we need to support more films that are focusing on a diverse lens; we need to make it known that these types of films are welcomed. The world is not filled with only white men, so our films should not be filled with only white people, this change in diversity and inclusion will create a new generation of cinema that will possibly be even more enjoyable than the past; simply because the voiceless will now have a voice.

Black Box

Streaming: Prime Video (Free with Subscription)
Warnings:
Domestic Abuse
Graphic Imagery
Rating: Unrated

  Black Box is a modern horror film directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. and written by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour and Stephen Herman. Black Box stars Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola, and Troy James. The film was released in October 2020 as the second film that is a part of a collaborative anthology series produced by Amazon Studios and Blumhouse Television. Black Box is certainly a thought-provoking film, even though the story is similar to a few other popular films, it is still engaging and sparks interest. Of the entire anthology series, Black Box is currently rated the highest on Rotten Tomatoes. Black Box is about a father (Nolan) who is struggling to regain his memory after surviving a tragic car accident that killed his wife. Desperate to put his life back together to raise his daughter as a newly single father, he begins to receive experimental neurological treatment that helps him remember his forgotten memories. Something feels off about the memories which sparks him to investigate further. Through the storyline, cinematography and the acting, this film is certainly intriguing.

            Some critics argue that this film is more like a science fiction than a horror which is not a completely incorrect statement. Although there are parts of the film that are truly chilling, Black Box does weigh heavily on science fiction more so than horror. Black Box is similar to popular films like Get Out and even some episodes of Black Mirror, but it never quite shocks the audience in the same way. Black Box isn’t a film that can be predicated but it is a film that follows similar journeys that other science fiction films have in the past, in other words, Black Box isn’t as original as it seems. However, with that being said, it is still worth the watch.

            The imagery and cinematography used to portray traveling through Nolan’s memories is similar to The Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind but takes the audience on a different journey. The transitions in the film are clever and adds to the discomfort the audience feels when anticipating the next memory. The cinematography was executed by Hilda Mercado who has a long history of working in the Hollywood camera department, however most of her films are not horror films. Along with the depictions of the memories, the cinematography allows the audience to absorb clues in the story as they go along without being too obvious. This is a strong aspect of the film that adds to the intrigue.

            The acting carries the film most of all, Mamoudou Athie known for The Get Down, Underwater and The Circle, does a wonderful job playing the father who is just trying to put his life back together. Athie pulls the audience in when he is suffering through the predicaments his memory loss has put him in. He also is incredibly convincing when he is terrified while viewing his own disturbing memories. This role in particular gives me hope to see him in more roles in the near future.

            Black Box isn’t a typical horror, nor is it a film that will be going on my “favorite horror list,” but it is certainly enjoyable and thought-provoking. It takes the audience on an unexpected journey that stirs uneasiness and discomfort like most horror films but the shock that is needed isn’t as astonishing as one would hope. However, through the acting, the interesting imagery, and the engaging story, Black Box is a good film to watch on a rainy day.