Let me begin by saying that “The Predator” is in a grey area for me. The film is so campy in nature that it is almost hard to stomach, but it was not necessarily terrible.

In fact, “The Predator” as a franchise has survived on this principle for quite some time now. Despite this, it didn’t really stick for me.

The plot is mainly as predictable as they come. A rouge Predator crash lands on Earth and is followed by a bigger, stronger Predator.

I did not enjoy watching this movie. Granted, the “loonies” are the best part about the film and do have some genuinely funny moments, but even those moments feel deeply cliché. What this movie does right is the humor of the squad, especially Keegan-Micheal Key.

The fact remains that the plot devolves into a much more depressing and gory version of a “Scooby-Doo” dynamic, complete with an alien dog. Plus, all the scientists are either super intelligent or make conclusions on mere scraps of evidence. Every other character besides the “loonies” are flat and stereotypical.

Not even the gore really worked in my option. There are only a couple of scene where the blood splattering and guts was truly unsettling, even then, I have seen much better and well exacted. The franchise is known for its’ raw and sometimes excessive carnage. This movie fell flat in that regard for me.

The actual Predator aliens didn’t really wow me, either. What are supposed to be one of the most sophisticated and lethal hunting species has been downgraded to a slightly more generic alien. While iconic, the film fails to fully embrace the dangerous and lethal side of the Predator aliens. What are supposed to be the kings of killing in cinema, ultimately become too fixated on offing each other and finding the other one’s stuff that it somewhat ruins the creepy factor.

As far as alien movies go, it really brings nothing to the table. Unlike “The Meg,” which recycled elements for a slightly larger antagonist, “The Predator” tries to attempt this while playing with a franchise that I feel has worn out its’ welcome.

You might enjoy this movie, but as for me I feel like it’s time for “The Predator” series to become prey.

MY GRADE: C