Welcome to the Jungle

Predators Screenwriter Robert Rodriguez conceived Predators as a sequel to the first two Predator movies. So it’s more about man vs. Predator than Predator vs. Alien this time around. The plot centers on a group of soldiers trapped in a foreign jungle where the sun never sets. At first they fight among themselves, but they soon realize something is hunting them and they’re better off putting aside their differences. So they rally around Royce (a beefed-up Adrien Brody), who establishes himself as the pack’s leader. “It doesn’t matter what happened or why,” he tells them. “The only question is, How do we get out?” Turns out it ain’t easy, especially when there’s a bunch of bloodthirsty Predators hunting you down with heat-seeking weapons. The first half of the movie is fairly suspenseful, but once the Predators show up, the whole thing goes to hell. With their glowing eyes and infrared vision (not to mention their cloaking devices), they look like cheesy creatures from an old Star Trek episode. Brody is an OK action hero, but he’s a bit stiff in the role, and the supporting cast (including a brief cameo by Laurence Fishburne) practically shows him up. (Jeff Niesel)