Rethinking on the Predator character?

[Estelle]

Ah, touche. You're right, but what I meant was rather in comparison to the notion of the Predators in AVPR and PS deviating from the original movie's concept of a hunter as opposed to AVP.

I didn't intend to shoot down your idea btw. I personally just think that what once was an original concept has become too much of an expanded universe and has taken a life of its own. In P1, Schwartzenegger even says the Predator doesn't kill you unless you're carrying a weapon because "it's no sports". Everything else, from badbloods to honor to rites of passage and alien visitors in the past has been an invention of the comics and sequels. I really do wonder what the Thomas brothers or John McTiernan would have to say if you asked them whether the Predator culture is ruled by their females.

Honey I didn’t take it that way at all. I didn’t think you were trying to shoot down my ideas…which really isn’t mine. So, were good right? lol

Yeah, the original predator concept has exploded ( no pun intended) in numerous directions. We have the AVP-Yautja, Hish and Predator alti-verses from dark horse and the various films - sometimes conflicting, sometimes adhering to a common thread.

Dutch does screamed something to Anna to the effect of “ Noooo. He didn’t kill you because you weren’t armed” and “ no sport” It’s very possible this line could give some in site into the motive on the Predators actions, I’ll admit that.

from reading the story based on the screenplay It would be hard to say...It's very hard to grasp an understanding of the Predator in the original story..he's over a 1000 years old and may possibly be immortal??? You should really check out the book..It was written before Stan came on board, so the Predator in the book looks different form the Predator we know and love.
~Estelle

 

[Lflank]

Starship Troopers, btw, is a hilarious movie,

As an aside, ST remains one of my favorite movies. In all my long years of interest in movie props, I only actually have two original props---one is a Roman shield used by one of the extras in the opening scene of "Gladiator" (another movie that is filled with all sorts of themes and allegories), and the other is a Morita rifle stunt prop from "Starship Troopers".

 

[shownoob]

Thank you

 

[Tiny Evil]

this is very interesting. I enjoy the idea of them not being violent all the time. however I am pretty sure they are carnivores since in the second movie it says that the predator eats meat

 

[Skin Is In]

I would tend to agree with you on this one. To me the predator seems to put pride above all, and has shown levels of respect and at times compassion towards its intelligent prey. And I would definitely say as a rule predators are more assassins than they are warriors.

When you look at a predators arsenal it consists mostly of skilled hunting meleeable weaponry. Infact none of their weapons seem designed for full scale warfare, no repeating projectiles or similar to assault rifle weapons. Infact despite their technology their weapons seem somewhat primitive. Let's face it, knives, spears,boomerangs, cast nets, all with a twist though, with the exception of the plasma caster which I actuallt consider closer to a bolt action rifle than the more technologically advanced assault rifle.

It seems their technology is more used for disguise and stalking.

Of course I could be entirely wrong here lol

 

[Skullsplitter]

So I should read "assassin" as "hunter"? That's where we come full circle.

 

[munson]

I would tend to agree with you on this one. To me the predator seems to put pride above all, and has shown levels of respect and at times compassion towards its intelligent prey. And I would definitely say as a rule predators are more assassins than they are warriors.

When you look at a predators arsenal it consists mostly of skilled hunting meleeable weaponry. Infact none of their weapons seem designed for full scale warfare, no repeating projectiles or similar to assault rifle weapons. Infact despite their technology their weapons seem somewhat primitive. Let's face it, knives, spears,boomerangs, cast nets, all with a twist though, with the exception of the plasma caster which I actuallt consider closer to a bolt action rifle than the more technologically advanced assault rifle.

It seems their technology is more used for disguise and stalking.

Of course I could be entirely wrong here lol

I can see where you're getting the assassin style hunting. I think the Predator's hunting style mimics that of a sniper. They sit, stalk their prey, and pick the the moment when they are going to attack. As for Wolf, I would put him as a "Predator Assassin" because he was sent to Earth for one mission...destroy the PredAlien and anything that get's in his way. But I agree that I wouldn't categorize them as "soldiers".

As for the arsenal, it reminds me of advanced primitive weapons. But, just because their "primitive" in nature doesn't mean they aren't as affective or more affective then other advanced weapons. Don't forget that Mr. Black's plasma caster was pretty much on "rapid fire" throughout the movie too.

Seeing how advanced they are, I would imagine that they could easily produce different weapons and armor more suited for combat if needed.

 

[Skin Is In]

There are a lot of things in Predators that I like to pretend don't exist in the Predator world, and Mr Blacks (cool character but...) shoulder mini gun comes right after predators using dogs and robotic hawks to hunt lol.

As for the Wolf predator that guy seems a league apart from your average hunter. If there is a special ops pred it is wolf. It's like when **** hits the fan, this guy comes in and sorts it lol. Most notable thing is he didn't seem at all fearfully about what he wad up against, and his actions didn't feel like he was hunting, he had a job to do and quickly realised time was against him and the whole situation was quickly spiraling out of control. It did not deter him though, he was fully aware of his duty,and taking on the predalien in hand to hand (much like P1 with Arnie) may represent that when faced with a worthy opponent, that is the only way to find out who the worthiest truly is. Wolf is an extremely well written character (possibly the most well script pred in all the movies) and I believe they hit the nail on the head in his character design, arguably best looking too.

Oh. I think it was in this thread also I read about the graveyard killing. Well there is a story behind that. That actor is the guy with glasses who tells jokes in P1 (can't remember his name) at least I am fairly sure its him, it is definitely one of the P1 soldiers, and the scene was put in as a bit of an homage and injoke, also I am fairly certain he is carrying a revolver, so he is armed.

 

[munson]

There are a lot of things in Predators that I like to pretend don't exist in the Predator world, and Mr Blacks (cool character but...) shoulder mini gun comes right after predators using dogs and robotic hawks to hunt lol.

As for the Wolf predator that guy seems a league apart from your average hunter. If there is a special ops pred it is wolf. It's like when **** hits the fan, this guy comes in and sorts it lol. Most notable thing is he didn't seem at all fearfully about what he wad up against, and his actions didn't feel like he was hunting, he had a job to do and quickly realised time was against him and the whole situation was quickly spiraling out of control. It did not deter him though, he was fully aware of his duty,and taking on the predalien in hand to hand (much like P1 with Arnie) may represent that when faced with a worthy opponent, that is the only way to find out who the worthiest truly is. Wolf is an extremely well written character (possibly the most well script pred in all the movies) and I believe they hit the nail on the head in his character design, arguably best looking too.

Oh. I think it was in this thread also I read about the graveyard killing. Well there is a story behind that. That actor is the guy with glasses who tells jokes in P1 (can't remember his name) at least I am fairly sure its him, it is definitely one of the P1 soldiers, and the scene was put in as a bit of an homage and injoke, also I am fairly certain he is carrying a revolver, so he is armed.

I could see their technology and skills adapt and introduce new methods to the hunt. Look at how some people take dogs when they go hunt ducks. The ducks flush out the game, then the hunter strikes. As for the hawk, I can't think of any hunting technique off the top of my head that would use a bird. But don't forget, the Berzerkers in Predators weren't the "traditional" Predator either so I imagine their hunting techniques could vary greatly. I do like one thing they had in Predators that isn't talked about much, and that's how the Falconer could see the footprints of the humans [after Tracker was blown up]. I thought that was pretty cool.

I do agree that Wolf was well written and the concept behind the look was spot on. He wasn't your typical Pred, and like you said, he had a mission.

 

[Lflank]

I could see their technology and skills adapt and introduce new methods to the hunt. Look at how some people take dogs when they go hunt ducks. The ducks flush out the game, then the hunter strikes. As for the hawk, I can't think of any hunting technique off the top of my head that would use a bird.

I liked the hunting dogs and the falcon in "Predators" because they ARE what hunters use--and I didn't like the things like the "stake the wounded guy out in the open" and the "cripple them with a leg trap" because they are NOT what hunters use (they are what guerrilla fighters use).

As for hunting using birds, the sport of falconry is very ancient.

 

[munson]

I liked the hunting dogs and the falcon in "Predators" because they ARE what hunters use--and I didn't like the things like the "stake the wounded guy out in the open" and the "cripple them with a leg trap" because they are NOT what hunters use (they are what guerrilla fighters use).

As for hunting using birds, the sport of falconry is very ancient.

Yea, I was up in the air about the leg trap too, but being that the are bad blood, sub species, etc... they could have taken them back to their hunting camp and tortured them and skinned them alive? The do have no honor code. I did like how they used a man as bait though.

I knew I forget what that was called.