Predator | Still Wakes the Deep

11 minutes ago

3 min read

Two alien threats - one from above, one from below...

MOVIES

Predator

Movie summary: A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior. (IMDb)

It's still a surprise to me that I haven't written about Predator before, although I think that's simply due to it having been in my life for so long.

I can't remember when or where I first saw it, although it was almost certainly when I was still well below the 18 rating it received on release - my parents did buy me RoboCop (also 18) on VHS when I was 12 after all!

And I've loved Predator ever since I first watched it - the cast is great, with the beef/cheese/corn (take your pick!) dialled up to 11 and none of it proving a detriment to the movie in the slightest.

The action is eye-poppingly bombastic, the age certificate gave the film licence to show the very bloody effects of the violence and the creature design is one of the all-time greats - from Stan Winston of course.

I think a big reason why it works so well is because of how lean Predator is, clocking in under two hours, telling the story it wants to and packing things up before it outstays its welcome.

The most recent re-watch also highlighted something for me that I'd obviously seen but never registered before: Schwarzenegger's character, Dutch, is a clearly-traumatised wreck by the end of the film.

And considering that this is Arnie at his physical and charismatic peak, it's a really great sign of how little 'cinematic ego' he had compared to some big name action stars today.

By the time Predator ends, there's been a lot of violence, a lot of death and a lot of heart-pumping moments that you do feel like Dutch and just want to rest and take a deep breath when it's all over.

Predator is one of the greats of science-fiction action and that is still true today, although maybe not for the squeamish, as it doesn't shy away from the gore when needed. [9/10]

GAMES

Still Wakes the Deep

Game summary: No weapons. No powers. Just your wits and determination. Struggle for survival on an unstable oil rig, where one wrong step could be your last. (Steam)

I'll admit up-front that I'd seen a couple of play-throughs of Still Wakes the Deep before giving it a go myself, although I'm pretty sure I got it in a bundle rather than as an outright purchase.

Saying that, the only parts that were familiar were the opening 20 minutes or so, and the very end, so the majority of the game still felt very much like a new experience.

And what an experience, being essentially like The Thing (1982) taking place on an oil rig filled with very sweary Scots (and the occasional other Brit too), which is enough to let you know what you're in for.

The excellent visuals certainly serve up some truly spectacular body-horror and monster designs, so you've got that to enjoy.

But the real stars of the show are the cast, who are uniformly excellent, resulting in making the characters really coming alive and a real contender for best-in-medium ensemble VA performance - it really is that good.

As far as the gaming side of things go, Still Wakes the Deep isn't exactly a walking simulator, but there's not as much 'gaming' as you'd imagine, although considering how well the story unfolds, I can't really blame the developers.

There are chase scenes; cat-and-mouse encounters; dangerous swims, jumps and climbs; and even a spot of platforming at times, so it's not just a case of 'just keep moving forward to finish', but not much of a challenge to experienced gamers either.

Despite that, Still Wakes the Deep is still a hugely enjoyable experience and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for some sci-fi horror and spend some time enjoying the incredible sights and sounds aboard the Beira D oil rig. [8/10]

TV

I've finished the sixth and final season of The Americans, and will be writing about it next week.

I will be alternating between Alias (yes, more spies!) and What We Do in the Shadows (for something completely different!) from then on, just to space the seasons out a bit - while I did enjoy The Americans from start to finish, I think I would've liked it even more if I'd left enough time between each season to digest fully what had happened.