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2. Predator (1987)

Of all of Arnold’s movies, this one is my personal favorite. It was made on the early side of his career, prior to his achieving super stardom, and it is the definitive 1980s action flick. Schwarzenegger plays Dutch, a member of an elite unit sent into a remote area of Central America to free hostages from an anti government faction.

The plot isn’t exactly rocket science. As soon as the Dutch and his men land, they become hunted by the alien - and audiences are exposed to an absolutely awesome action film. It appeals to all age groups. What young boy can’t remember being in the woods away from home, and letting their imaginations run wild? Daydreaming of aliens, creatures, or bad guys out in the forest? That is the key awesomeness in Predator. The military squad that is sent in has big guns, explosives, and specialized training, but the mysteriousness of the creature that hunts them is extremely well presented.

George Dillon, (Carl Weathers) the government-tag along for the mission, reveals motives beyond the original intent of getting to the hostages. As the carnage develops, and it becomes clear they are up against something other than a splinter group of the Guatemalan government, the team members realize they are fighting something that is able to cloak. Audiences are taken in as they are only provided glimpses, the physical characteristics of the predator are not given away through most of the film. This keeps folks on the edge of their seats, captivated, and wondering what is responsible for the path of death.

The end delivers in more ways than one. Viewers finally are exposed to the physical features of the Predator, and are given a truly unique and impressive alien design concept. Schwarzenegger was huge for this film, muscles bulging, biceps as big as tree trunks. He is dwarfed by the size of the Predator. There is a very good fight scene at the end, which leads to a sequel and a few cross-franchise movies with the Alien series.

Predator is a gem of a film and made some good coin at the box office. It cost only $12 million to make, but brought in nearly five times that much in the domestic box office alone. When overseas numbers were included, it made almost $100 million.

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