Creepy Commercials Countdown: Predator 2 Movie Promo!

The Creepy Commercials Countdown!
October 27th, 2012: “Predator 2 Movie Promo!” (1990)

The original Predator might be the “better” movie, but I’m much fonder of Predator 2.

Put it this way: If Hell was a place where you had to choose between watching Predator and Predator 2 for all of eternity, I’d pick the sequel. Then I’d wonder why Hell wasn’t worse.

Several critics noted the movie’s dark-and-cynical similarities to Robocop, and I’d agree. The difference is, what they intended as a knock, I mean as a compliment. Predator 2 was MEAN. Dismal and bleak. The kind of movie that would be perfect to watch in the most rundown theater you could find, late at night, surrounded by fifteen derelicts and a bunch of garbage. There is definitely a place for movies like that.

I’d detail the plot, but to be honest, I’m already two days behind on the Creepy Commercials Countdown, and in the spirit of catching up, this is going to be an admittedly half-assed entry. Besides, the promo does a good job of summing things up – at least, in as far as the film’s vibe.

The ad is direct in all the best ways. Surely, some of you have still never seen Predator 2. Trust me: Whatever you think the movie is like after watching this promo, you are correct. (PS, if you haven’t seen this movie, please do something about that. Big bad monster in the big bad city gimmick aside, Bill Paxton is fucking hilarious in it.)

The promo rattles off the many reasons why Mr. Predator is such a cool monster, and that was a smart direction. Even today, I don’t feel like the Predator species is too “understood” by those outside of the fandom. That was certainly even truer back in 1990, and this promo went a long way in creating intrigue. “He has THERMAL IMAGE VISION. OPTIC PRISM BODY ARMOR. LASER-GUIDED SMART WEAPONS.”

Go find someone who knows nothing about the Predator movies. Show them this promo. They’ll go from not knowing two shits to giving three and a half.

As a kid, I’d see these scary promos and imagine the films being ten times more terrifying than they actually were. In this rare case, the movie matched the hype. What you saw in this promo is exactly what you got – for better or for worse.