Predator

Predator is very much your typical 80s sci-fi action movie the plot centres around a team of commandos led by Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who are sent on a mission to rescue a cabinet minister from a guerrilla army in Central America where they end up being hunted down and killed by alien warrior. However, upon scratching the surface Predator is a deconstruction of the 80s action movie hero asking the question what it truly means to be a man as well with acting as a metaphor for the Vietnam War.

From a very opening of Predator with Dutch sitting in the chopper smoking his cigar we are given a clear idea of his archetypal role of the 80s action movie star, before he is briefed on his mission to rescue a cabinet minister from the guerrilla army giving a very clear metaphor to the Vietnam War with the sort of missions that were being operated at that time. When Dutch reunites with his old comrade Dylan the two bulging biceps arms meet as they engage in an arm wrestle clearly showcasing their archetypes as action movie heroes within the film. The scene then transitions to a helicopter playing Long Tall Sally by Little Richard. The team of commandos in the film acts very much like soldiers in a Vietnam war movie as if they are archetypes of these character tropes. This is further exemplified by them putting on makeup reminiscent to camouflage worn by soldiers in the Vietnam War. Although there is an excitement with the characters there is also a trepidation with them, in wanting to go back into the jungle, again Predator shows ideas of the Vietnam soldiers and their unwillingness to return to the war.

As the soldier’s trek through the jungle again showcasing the Vietnam war setting, they see a crashed plane reminiscent to how the Vietcong took their planes down. The Predator effectively enacts guerrilla warfare reminiscent to how the Vietnamese fought. Predator showcases the idea of a bunch of ex-soldiers still haunted by the war as images of the Predator skinning its victims alive like how the Vietnamese tortured American prisoners of war and shows the characters as tortured souls. Throughout Predator the archetypal difficult action movie stars within the film are stripped down as they go up against the invincible enemy of the Predator showcasing the film as a test and ultimately an exploration into the nature of what makes a man. This idea of hunting an invisible enemy again showcases the Vietnam war throughout the film such as in scenes with the tripwire showcasing the stealthy jungle warfare of the Vietnam War.

When Dutch starts up the truck and plant explosives before lifting the truck up further illustrates, the artificiality of Predator as the ambushing scene which demonstrates how 80s action movie stars would fight in a conflict such as Vietnam. The over-the-top action movie style complete with cheesy one-liners further showcases the artificiality of Predator. However, when Dylan betrays Dutch for him to do the army’s dirty work the scene is symbolic of how a lot of soldiers felt betrayed by the military, the government and their country in the Vietnam War, as Predator is ultimately about a bunch of old soldiers scarred by the effects of the war. The Predator spying on them with heat vision further links to the idea of an invisible enemy throughout the film as tactics such as The Predator imitating human speech showcases as it is well-versed in stealth combat just like Vietnamese soldiers. Again, as they trek through the jungle the Vietnam war allegory is very much present with Blain and Mac having a conversation about Cambodia and Billy supposedly seen something out there in the jungle relating to the invisible enemy of the Vietnamese during the war. Throughout Predator the film showcases the idea of stripping away the stereotypical macho action movie stars and turned it into a fight for survival to test the strength of man. The idea of any invisible enemy stalking them is further showcased by the Predator killing Hawkins further showcasing the idea of an invisible enemy like Vietnamese soldiers. Predator showcases the ideology of man reverting to nature and stripping away the typical action movie stars to their bare bones to see if they are truly men.

As Cooper gets shot in the back in the trees Predator again conforms to the idea of being visible enemy like the Vietnamese soldiers. In the iconic scene of all of them firing into the jungle aimlessly destroying it with a hail of bullets the film highlights its nature of parody and the artificiality of 80s action movies which Predator deconstructs highlighting the futility in its violence as well as relating to the sneaky hide and seek jungle war tactics used by the Vietnamese. Despite ultimately being an 80s action movie, the characters are given a surprising layer of depth. Within the film Mac is a tortured soul haunted by the Vietnam War as Cooper being killed by the Predator shows Mac mourning his death like soldiers mourning their comrades in the war. As well as this, throughout the film he states that the jungle is alive again relating to the stealth tactics used by the Vietnamese in the war. Predator acts as a deconstruction of the 80s action movie hero and the films they represent as shown in a key scene where Billy states “I’m scared” to which Poncho replies “bullshit to you ain’t afraid of no man” as Billy says “there’s something out there waiting for us and it ain’t no man”.

The Vietnam War allegories are further apparent with Mac reminiscing about Copper like their brothers in arms. This is also shown with flares going off in the jungle which is giving humour as Mac ends up killing a pig. Again, they capture a native girl just like how they captured the Vietnamese. Throughout the film the Predator outsmarts the action movie stars causing this conflict of nature versus man, as the Predator hunts its prey it is shown as the ultimate killing machine ripping apart the 80s action movie heroes in order for it to test the strength of man. When Dutch takes the central American woman’s handcuffs off it symbolises the idea of bargaining and working with the natives is symbolic of having to work with the Vietnamese to defeat a more powerful enemy. The soldiers use jungle warfare tactics to beat The Predator. This further relates to the idea of stripping yourself down and reverting back to nature in order to fight a natural enemy that ultimately tests the mettle of man, as The Predator ultimately puts humanity to the test to see if the 80’s action movie heroes are all they’re cracked up to be. As the idea of an invisible enemy hiding in the jungle is reinforced, Dutch uses himself as bait by putting his life in danger and going out into the trap, as the Predator is trapped by the net it seems as if these tactics work but it ultimately manages to escape. As Mac goes after the Predator Dutch gives him his machine gun symbolising the respect of the two-man have gained from one another further showcasing the idea that Predator is ultimately an analysis on what it means to be a man.

As they drag ponchos wounded body as he shouts, “I can make it”, as a human being hit by the Predator’s blast clearly reflects soldiers during the Vietnam War. Also, as Mac strips down he starts to go crazy this is both symbolic of the effects of the war as well as him stripping down to nature to fight the Predator. As well as this, as Mac grabs Dylan and they both hide it seems to indicate that Mac has gone crazy. This is an allegory of the effects of the Vietnam War as well as showcasing them reverting back to their primitive primordial state through their use of jungle warfare, as the Predator sneaks up and kills Mac like the sneak tactics used by the Vietnamese it shows how the film deconstructs the 80s action movie tough guy showcasing their humanity. This idea of the Predator hunting them to test their strength is reinforced when Dutch stops Anna from picking up the gun as he says, “he didn’t kill you because you weren’t armed no sport”. The artificiality of Predator is further shown as Dylan’s arm gets blown off by the Predator, but his gun still fires before the Predator kills him.

Billy then strips off reverting back to his primal nature to fight the Predator symbolised by him cutting himself with a machete to lose blood to attract The Predator. Predator is about stripping down a man to his basic instincts to see if he can survive an unstoppable force of nature and is Billy being killed off screen symbolises man as very easy to defeat. As the Predator kills Poncho, Dutch knocks the gun away from Anna so she does not become prey making Dutch the last man standing. The Predator fires injuring Dutch as he shouts his famous “gets to the chopper” line. The Predator now hunts Dutch like prey. The film has genius casting in placing Arnold Schwarzenegger in the main role, as a man known move being the ultimate 80s action movie star tough guy to have him reduced to running away and hiding is a brilliant subversion. After running from the Predator Dutch ends up covered in mud showcasing what the supposes old action movie badarse has been reduced to create again creating a brilliant subversion on the genre. The mud on his body also acts as camouflage hiding his body heat temperature as he must revert to nature to defeat the Predator as well as being symbolic of the makeup and camouflage using the Vietnam war with his look reminiscent of that of Capt. Willard at the end of Apocalypse Now.

In the following montage sequence Dutch reverts to nature by stripping away his action movie persona and reverting to a primitive man using prehistoric hunting techniques to beat the Predator. As well as this, this sequence also parallels stealth warfare the Vietnamese used during the Vietnam war which seems to have been adopted by the Predator. Meanwhile, the Predator also prepares for its final battle, showcasing two ultimate forces of nature up against one another. This is symbolised by Dutch lighting a torch and proceeding to yell like Tarzan symbolising the start of the battle as he sets the jungle on fire.

The Predator sneaks then sneak up on Dutch as he swings away ready for jungle warfare. With Dutch using an explosive bow and arrow to fight the Predator it symbolises a fusion between the old and the new as man must battle nature to survive. Dutch then hides from the Predator below a tree trunk adopting the stealth jungle war tactics from the Vietnamese as well as fighting with a spear showcasing primitive warfare. However, this test of showcasing the strength of man is symbolised by the Predator a perfect intelligent hunter and killing machine as it outsmarts Dutch by going around his trap as he launches an exploding spear at the Predator. Dutch then tracks the Predator’s blood adopting the similar hunting technique of his enemy as he uses fire and explosives to distract the creature showcasing that man must fuse his knowledge of new technology with his own primitive self to overcome great odds. Dutch ends up being pinned to the ground in a very un-Arnold-esque way again showcasing Predator as a brilliant subversion of the typical Arnold Schwarzenegger action film.

The Predator then effectively sizes Dutch up by revealing its mask symbolically showing that he believes him to be a worthy opponent by allowing him to see its face. The final fight then ensues between Dutch and the Predator, showcasing the might of man as Dutch gets beaten up a lot during this scene. Dutch then effectively beats the Predator to kill him both in a subversion of the typical Arnold Schwarzenegger role and the 80s action movie star. However, the Predator outsmarts him and climbs over as Dutch uses the primitive technique of a tree trunk to kill the Predator. Dutch grabs a rock to kill the Predator in a very primitive almost caveman-like way before the Predator starts a bomb to kill itself and hopefully Dutch as he barely escapes. This showcases the might of man within the film as the Predator wishes to die a warrior on its own terms not to be put out of his misery like a wounded animal by his enemy. The ending to Predator is a brilliant subversion of the action movie hero ending, as although the Dutch survives on a somewhat heroic note his battered and bruised body has he lays in the chopper showing the toll that this has taken and in the end he is ultimately just a man but a real man who has overcome all odds and survived nevertheless.

Predator is a brilliant deconstruction of the typical 80s action movie wrapped up in the subtext of the Vietnam War. It shows the toll, torment and torture that the average soldier went through in facing an alien unknown enemy, as well as showcasing that the eighties action movie star is nothing but common men. However, with Dutch surviving at the end it shows that man ultimately triumphs and that we can become stronger and win if we try as well as overcoming the scars of war given to us in the field of battle.