YNOT at the Movies

"Predators" is the third in the "Predator" franchise preceded by "Predator" and "Predator 2." However, like many other sequels in recent years, your knowledge about the previous films is not necessary for you to get terrified by this third one.

In "Predators," eight people from all over the world (our world) are mysteriously dropped into a jungle. Luckily they all speak English and there is no subtitle needed for them to communicate. Most of them are heavily armed with guns that can shoot out almost endless rounds of ammunitions. They are confused about where they are and how they get there.

Trying to figure out where they are, led by the Royce (Adrien Brody), they manage to walk to a "higher ground," only find out that they are looking at the earth as if they are sitting in a planetarium—ops, the aliens have kidnapped them to another unknown planet.

The cat and mouse chasing game begins between the invisible aliens and these lucky (or unlucky) chosen eight who run for survival in this absolute hell land, which awfully looks like the earth where trees grow in mud and cockroaches eat fleshes.

However, when the aliens do become visible, they are the usual saliva dripping, big teeth poking, iPad touching, and green blood floating disgusting creatures generated by using CGI. And, they hunt human.

The film is hair-raising terrifying. It graphically depicts what hell looks like. It is a gore genre at its best, minus the humor and comedy.

In between the fast moving action sequences, the film sneaks in a few interesting twists to the characters, but we all know the real message the film is trying to send—it is the same thing Stephen Hawking has told us: run away from the aliens, as well as the hell they live.

"Predators" opens on Friday, July 9, 2010 at Bay Area theaters.