---
title: "The Predator: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-predator/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-predator"
critics_score: 51
critics_reviews: 29
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Predator (2018): what the critics said

Critics' score 51 from 29 reviews: 10 positive, 7 mixed, 12 negative.

Most critics agree on what The Predator is: a loud, gory, wisecracking throwback to the kind of action film Shane Black wrote in the late 1980s. They disagree, almost down the middle, about whether that is a good thing. Those who enjoy it praise the pace, the ragtag squad of misfit soldiers and the profane banter between them, and several say it is the best entry since the original. Even the harshest reviews grant that the creature effects and the dismemberment are done with some relish.

The reservations gather around the plot, which is widely called muddled or incoherent, and around the jokes, which many feel smother any menace. Several reviews object to the handling of Olivia Munn’s biologist and to the treatment of the soldiers’ mental illness as comic relief. The spread is wide: The Times finds it fantastically dull, IndieWire calls it the first bad film of Black’s career, and Vulture argues the franchise only works played straight.

## Little White Lies — David Jenkins

Rating 3/4/3. 12 September 2018. 

Shane Black delivers a wilfully offensive, machismo-driven reboot that pays homage to the original's nastiness and offers good clean fun. The critic notes its rough edges are intentional but praises the updated rogue's gallery of characters and the throwback VHS-style gore.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-predator)

## RogerEbert.com — Brian Tallerico

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2018. 

The critic finds Shane Black's film a fun, brutal action machine with razor-sharp pacing and a charismatic cast that understands what audiences want from a Predator movie. The tone management and set pieces are singled out for praise, though the climax loses some steam.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-predator-2018)

## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. 

Shane Black's puckish nihilism fits the franchise perfectly; the film features fleet-footed setup, mordantly funny gags and coherent action, though editing is dodgy and some character elements feel retrograde.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-predator/)

## The AV Club — A.A. Dowd

Rating B-. 8 September 2018. 

The film captures the spirit of a late-80s Shane Black action movie with cartoonish violence, profane banter and a ragtag cast of misfits that makes it fun and refreshing in its nostalgic déjà vu, though it lacks the original's intensity.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/1989-called-and-it-wants-its-predator-sequel-back-1828909639)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Jordan Mintzer

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

Shane Black's take on the franchise is bigger, meaner, gorier and funnier, with snappy dialogue, gross-out gags and strong ensemble camaraderie that mostly pays off despite going over the top.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/predator-review-1140779/)

## The Guardian

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

Shane Black's revamp of the Predator series is a mostly enjoyable, unrestrained return that balances snappy humor and relentless action for fun if somewhat forgettable results. It offers retro pleasures as a knowing hark back to a less restrictive era of blockbuster cinema.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/sep/07/the-predator-review-reboot-shane-black)

## Total Film

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. 

Fast, furious, fun and somewhat forgettable, this is a sequel-slash-homage with bright green blood running through its veins. Superior to the AVP films but the original Predator remains the definite article.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-predator-review/)

## Empire — Dan Jolin

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 12 September 2018. 

Uneven and occasionally muddled with sloppy action, but there is enough bloody '80s-style fun and sardonic character interplay for fans. Nostalgia-button mashing and gory violence provide appeal despite empathy issues.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/predator-3-review/)

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Rating ★★★. 11 September 2018. 

The reboot succeeds on a slam-bang visceral level with machismo, stunts and gory dismemberment but feels incoherent and enervating due to fuzzy plotting and cheesy dialogue. It earns points for urban setting and nods to prior films yet lacks sharper narrative focus.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-predator-review-big-noisy-busy-and-brash/)

## Time Out — Joshua Rothkopf

Rating 3 out of 5 stars. 7 September 2018. 

Black's reboot is a so-so, aggressively pacy meta update overloaded with smug one-liners and gore, exactly the kind of flick he would have made 30 years ago. It features hard-edged turns like Olivia Munn's biologist but remains unlikely to spawn many sequels.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-predator-1)

## The Independent

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2018. 

The film offers some chuckles and gore but fails to justify rebooting the franchise. Shane Black struggles to balance action-comedy, horror, and a Spielberg-like fable about a child connecting with aliens.

[Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-predator-review-franchise-cast-shane-black-olivia-munn-a8535001.html)

## The New York Times — Ben Kenigsberg

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2018. 

The film splits the difference between snark, self-parody, and fan-service backstory but squelches the menace with added genetics and climate-change elements. The comic scene involving Olivia Munn's character is singled out for leaving a bad aftertaste.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/13/movies/the-predator-review.html)

## The Telegraph

Rating 2/5. 13 September 2018. 

Shane Black's wisecracking sequel turns the franchise into a shrill, murky, retrograde bore whose punchy ideas get lost in a haywire plot. The barrage of imbecilic wisecracks and F-bombs drowns out any potential.

[Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/predator-review-shane-blacks-wisecracking-sequel-murky-retrograde/)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 12 September 2018. 

Shane Black's snarky, gory reboot offers plentiful punchlines but no scares and results in a whiplash-inducing muddle of bro camaraderie and violence. The handling of the female lead and real-world casting controversy are singled out as particularly resonant.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-the-predator-review-20180912-story.html)

## Variety — Dennis Harvey

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

Shane Black's reboot is an exhaustingly energetic mess that is loud, silly, borderline senseless, and without real rooting value or humor on its source material. The frantic comic-book action and lack of coherent plot or credible characters are singled out for complaint.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/the-predator-review-1202931727/)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2018. 

This reboot fails due to a convoluted plot and unlikeable lead, treating the audience with no respect. The original's simple premise is lost amid two Predators, non-PC banter, and a predictable twist.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-predator-review-shane-blacks-action-flick-treats-its-audience-with-no-respect-a3935941.html)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

Shane Black's compromised mess is the first bad film of his career; one can see what he was going for but the result is a lifeless bore.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/the-predator-review-2018-tiff-1202001424/)

## Vulture — Charlie Jane Anders

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2018. 

The film wrongly thinks it is an action-comedy and delivers a barrage of misplaced, unfunny jokes that derail the premise; the original succeeded by playing it straight as a taut thriller.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2018/09/the-predator-biggest-flaw-is-that-it-thinks-its-a-comedy.html)

## The Times — Kevin Maher

Rating ★☆☆☆☆. 14 September 2018. 

Despite exciting elements like spaceships, jungle battles and a stacked cast, the film is utterly and fantastically dull with no central unifying idea or narrative logic. Scenes follow scenes without apparent motivation, resulting in a malformed abomination.

[Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/film-review-the-predator-n3f700lzd)

## The Playlist — Victor Stiff

Rating B+. 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

The critic sees it as an enjoyable popcorn flick with Shane Black's signature flair, mixing action, violence, jokes, and sentimentality. Singles out the misfit soldiers and over-the-top villain for praise.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/shane-black-predator-review-20180907/)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2018. 

The critic calls the reboot old-fashioned monster-movie fun and praises Shane Black for delivering cheesy, effortless entertainment with humor from the ragtag group of soldiers and strong special effects. They single out the vivid action sequences and Black's instinctive handling of the material for praise.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/video/the-predator-review-olivia-munn-shane-black-sterling-k-brown/)

## Polygon — Andrew Todd

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

Shane Black’s R-rated sequel reworks the franchise with meta-comedy, creative bloody kills, and cool sci-fi nonsense that fans will adore. It’s a fun, affectionate romp overall, despite some narrative and character issues.

[Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/2018/9/7/17832404/the-predator-review-tiff-2018/)

## Consequence

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 September 2018. 

Black and Dekker deliver a boisterous, stupidly fun entry that’s the most Shane Black movie yet, packed with carnage and character actors. It’s messy but pure popcorn entertainment for fans of his style.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2018/09/film-review-the-predator/)

## Digital Spy — Hugh Armitage

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2018. 

The critic calls it a flawed actioner that benefits from a strong cast and Shane Black's witty dialogue, making it the best since the original; singles out the charismatic performances but notes issues with coherence and not being as smart as it aims to be.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a865504/the-predator-review-shane-black/)

## /Film — Chris Evangelista

Rating 6.5/10. 7 September 2018. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film a funny but flawed action-comedy that entertains while watching despite plot issues and flat jokes. Praises the infectious fun and Shane Black's humor.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/560826/the-predator-review/)

## Collider — Perri Nemiroff

Rating C+. 7 September 2018. 

The film is a messy mixed bag with sparks of Black’s humor but feels misguided and semi-incoherent due to editing and plot holes. The cast brings charm to the irreverent crew, though excessive gore and tone issues detract.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-predator-review/)

## The Ringer — Adam Nayman

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2018. 

The chaotic reboot lacks Schwarzenegger and subtext, borrowing the best elements while introducing new flaws like convoluted plotting and no compelling characters. It’s mean-spirited and often obnoxious despite some laughs.

[Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2018/09/13/movies/the-predator-boyd-holbrook-olivia-munn-review)

## Den of Geek — Don Kaye

Rating 2 out of 5. 11 September 2018. 

The critic finds the film tone-deaf, sloppily written, and indifferently directed, with too many unlikeable characters and unfunny jokes; praises the solid Predator effects and ample gore but overall recommends letting the franchise rest.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-predator-review/)

## The Wrap — William Bibbiani

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 2018. 

The critic deems the film insipid and superficial, the worst in the series without “Alien vs.” in the title, faulting its nonstop quips, superficial treatment of mental illness, and troubling attitudes toward women and characters. They single out the reduction of damaged soldiers to comic-relief quip machines for complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-predator-film-review-shane-black-olivia-munn-2018/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-predator.md