By: Daylon Bonner, Staff Writer

db14596@georgiasouthern.edu

The iconic aliens known as Predators returned to the silver screen with their latest installment “The Predator.”

The film is directed by Shane Black and stars Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay, Olivia Munn along with many other well known actors. Seriously, they stacked the deck in terms of stars in this film.

Despite that and having a talented director, this film is an absolute train wreck.

Before I tear the film apart, I have to give props to the designers and actors behind the predators because they look awesome and wreck a whole bunch of people.

Now let’s give this film a good flogging.

There are no characters worth remembering in this film, well maybe discount John Connor (Tremblay), but that is it. For the rest of the movie the other characters only stood out because I knew who played them.

I remember that Trevante Rhodes played Nebraska Williams almost entirely because he received the most screen time besides the character Holbrook played.

I have not seen enough work by Holbrook to know if this film is right in his wheelhouse, but besides the fact that he is a soldier, I remember next to nothing about him.

Sterling K. Brown was in the film and he was basically Sterling K. Brown as a quipping government bad guy.

The point is these characters were hollow and forgettable at best. This is especially disappointing knowing that Shane Black was the director.

Black as director is an interesting choice since he was in the original “Predator,” and has proven that he can balance comedy and action in his other works such as “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “The Nice Guys,” and obviously “Lethal Weapon.” His comedic interplay between the characters is funny. However, it was not as funny as it usually is. That is mostly due to the characters being simple cannon fodder as opposed to being actual characters. The dialogue is funny because it is said, not because of who is saying it.

The story of the film also makes no sense. Apparently, the Predators are an offshoot of the reapers from “Mass Effect” as they seek to harvest the best traits of the different species they come in contact with to improve themselves.

Also, apparently biologists are military-worthy combatants, and little kids can inadvertently make houses explode with almost no consequences.

The ending of the film, while I will not spoil what happens, it’s safe to say it is absolutely stupid.

First off, if you decide to go see this movie do not see it in Imax. It is $15 a ticket. Do not put your wallet through that.

Secondly, this film is at points overwhelmingly loud. For the sake of being able to hear in the future, I almost left the theater.

I think the biggest flaw in this film is how generic it is. Nothing is gained by watching it. If anything, a viewer loses something to the film. Even if you want to support Shane Black or you like some the actors in the film, I would still wait until it is on television.

“The Predator” gets a three out of ten.

It is theaters nationwide now.