nitially I thought it was very unimaginative for the filmmakers to title their new movie "Predators." It makes it sound even less intelligent and elaborate than the first sequel, "Predator 2" released in 1990. But now, looking back on the film, I see it as appropriate. Consider Ridley Scott's iconic 1979 horror film "Alien." It was followed by another masterpiece where they also only added an S to the end: "Aliens." That film was the true sequel to the classic and the others in the saga really were not on the same tier. The same applies with the Predator franchise. The first movie from 1987 and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger has gone on to become a cult classic because of its sheer stimulating excitement. But it has since been followed by sequels and spin-offs ranging from the mediocre "Predator 2" to the abysmal "AVPR: Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem," the movie where apparently nobody ever heard of a light bulb.

But here at last we not only get a movie that resembles (visually) the first movie, but feels like a true sequel. There is not very much of a plot and there's even less of a story, but strangely enough, that is not needed with this type of film. The makers of the movie realize that they cannot top the classic and that if they try to expand too much on the franchise, they will overload it. So wisely, they develop an intricate setup and right from there, play it as a straight-forward, high-tense, elaborate summer thriller, just like the original.

The movie stars Adrien Brody as a mercenary who, along with several other people including a drug lord, a death row inmate, and a sniper played by Alice Braga, finds himself one minute in his regular life and the next falling through space and landing on a planet that resembles Earth but is inhabited by a race of humanoids called the Predators, who just like the creature from the original movie, would rather kill than do anything else and have chosen to capture these individuals for the sheer sport of hunting and killing a tough opponent. From here, it's pretty straightforward.

And it's appropriate that it is. Now "Predators" is not exactly a significant movie other than the fact that it triumphs over all between it and the original. But it is a quintessentially exciting middle-of-the-road summer matinée with an extraordinary cast of gifted actors and handled by a competent action director. We have several scenes that, in the hands of lesser people, would have been dreadful, but end up truly stimulating. And save for a ridiculous and pointless step-off with Laurence Fishburne, it never falters in its running time as it simply keeps on the move toward its very effective, but not completely disclosure of an ending, a tactic I very much appreciate. And fans of the original will also have lots of fun with the homage and references to their old-time favorite. In the past movies, especially "AVPR", the homage was blatant, unimaginative, and overdone, but here, it is respectable and fun.

When I heard that Adrien Brody was going to star in the movie, I was a bit unsure. Brody is one of the finest actors of today, but I had only seen him play sentimental roles before in movies such as "The Pianist." I wasn't sure how he could handle a role like this. But by Jove, he plays the movie tough guy with conviction, charisma, and presence. His performance in "Predators" only furthers the evidence of his skill and professionalism as an actor. Another effective screen presence is Alice Braga, who you remember as the survivalist in "I am Legend," playing a sniper with a heart. Laurence Fishburne, though his character is completely unnecessary, is also very good as are the rest of the cast. Also effective are the Predators themselves, who are well-realized using some CGI effects, I think, and some traditional men in suits. I appreciate this tactic because after a while, constant use of CGI will ruin the illusion that there really is a creature there in front of the screen. By blending the elements together, with caution and precision, it works masterfully.

At last the 1987 classic has been followed up faithfully. "Predators" is not a great movie nor will it be immortalized like its predecessor, but for a summer thriller, it is very good. It only makes one irritating mistake, toward the end, when it transitions into a roaring song that fans of the original will recognize is a heartbeat.