View Poll Results: Which is the better action film?
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Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
07-05-10 | 12:13 AM
#76
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Modern HK action films use a lot more tight shots than people realize. The difference is that they know where exactly to place the camera so it enhances a shot rather than make the scene indecipherable.
07-05-10 | 01:16 AM
#77
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
I like Predator, but it's Diehard by a mile. I saw it in the theatre, and back when it first came out on VHS I think I watched it like five weekends in a row.
At one point I could name all the terrorists (now I just want to keep calling "James" Vigo instead), and if anyone thinks they are all non-descript then you aren't really paying attention.
"Fritz is checking the explosions."
"I'll check the explosions." (b/c Fritz is an idiot!) Hans really only fully trusted Karl and Tony, and Tony got wacked right away.
At one point I could name all the terrorists (now I just want to keep calling "James" Vigo instead), and if anyone thinks they are all non-descript then you aren't really paying attention.
"Fritz is checking the explosions."
"I'll check the explosions." (b/c Fritz is an idiot!) Hans really only fully trusted Karl and Tony, and Tony got wacked right away.
01-22-13 | 08:10 AM
#78
Member
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Predator, for this video alone.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qlicWUDf5MM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/qlicWUDf5MM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
01-22-13 | 09:21 AM
#79
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From: Formerly known as "Solid Snake PAC"/Denton, Tx
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Why the fuck would you bump this thread? What motivated you to find this one? Jesus, lol.
01-22-13 | 09:22 AM
#80
DVD Talk Limited Edition
01-22-13 | 09:59 AM
#81
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
I grew up w/ Predator. So nostalgia makes this a VERY strong film w/ me. Add in that it's also a very good film. I also grew up w/ DH 3 as well. In fact I like DH 3 more cuz of nostalgia but DH1 is the better film. So Predator wins on the factor based on nostalgia..but doesn't mean crap...so let's get to the meat of both films.
Predator in all it's 80s action glory..is actually kind of ageless to me. DH has aged visually speaking. The hair and clothing obviously. Predator also has better FX in it, though it also has more. One issue it may have on FX that hasn't aged well is..well any related to the explosion at the end and depending on how you feel about it..the reticule for the Predator's shoulder gun. The other FX shots are actually still pretty cool and original. While the explosion at Nakatomi never really looked that great to me, 1 of VERY FEW FX shots. If not the only one...I can't remember.. It's always bothered me as a kid.
Both have GREAT pacing and interesting plots.
Plot-Predator's plot though edges out DH to me cuz of it's Science Fiction insertion element. I like the characters more. Very varied. While essentially the main villain for Predator is..well The Predator you also had the barrel full of guerrillas Dutch's team and Apollo Creed had to take down but..what's cool is that...you don't know exactly wtf the title character is till that guerrilla element is done. And once you see what The Predator sees that's when the hunt, which we at this point still don't know is an actual hunt, is on. DH's plot is...well kind of standard, it's executed VERY WELL but it's plot doesn't get me all excited.
Going back on it's pacing...they're both REALLY good at that. McTiernan really knows how to pace the two films. I can't find any negative in either film's pacing. It'll ramp up but it'll slowly and understandably go down. They're both w/ heroes trying to survive an event beyond their normal standards. Grade A pacing they both have.
Directing-Coincidentally..they're both directed by the same director..and also both done at Fox. How cool is that? To have directed 2 of the greatest action films ever? In it's direction....I think Die Hard is a bit easier and less risk taking than Predator. I mean...we have some GREAT shots in Predator. And within those shots we also have a more exotic and interesting piece of action within the frame. Also it's locale adds in to that cuz it's the damn jungle. DH's action in the frame is great but it's location doesn't captivate me.
Villain-...hahahaha. Well Predator easily is a lot more interesting visually cuz he's a damn alien hunter. BUT beyond that...the mystery of the hunter makes him more interesting. Little by little you see that's it not just randomly killing...it's selectively killing. It's a hunter. It doesn't say anything to scare, well beyond it's last lines. It hunts. You see it's motive slowly and it's interesting. It's motive is primal. In a way...it can be seen that he really isn't a villain at all. He's a bad guy to those he's hunting but...he's not a villain in a way. Hans Gruber and his guys...are kind of boring. The goons are essentially a faceless bunch say for the few that are made as as impact for the storytelling. If it wasn't for Alan Rickman giving some life to what could've been very generic, Hans isn't as memorable of a villain to me. Though he's played very well and he's actually a very smart bad guy. LOVE the scene where he tries to find McClane and is actually surprised to be caught by him. IMMEDIATELY...he changes his accent and tries to be someone else..he's RIGHT THERE w/ McClane and cuz of that he's got no choice but to try to learn more and get McClane as well. I'll give him that but....the Predator is just a better foe overall.
Characters and Casting-...alright...again...Predator. And in a way it could be viewed as cheating but it isn't. It's that damn cool team element it has:
(wikipedia)
You're stuck w/ these guys for a a good chunk and you just really like them. You enjoy their interaction and dislike at times. The faltering in each character as The Predator is getting near and they know it. The (very masculine) sense of terror w/ the unknown. All facing it differently and interestingly. Later realizing what they're up against is something totally unkown and beyond their capabilities but they must survive. Arnold...is awesome as Dutch. You believe who he is the whole time. And the same goes to all of them. Their deaths are all very well handled. Billy for example out of the whole group is the most unknown and rather mysterious member of the group. Even his end is mysterious. And before that he was the probably the most at ease in the jungle but when the Predator is there...he's totally uncomfortable and so are you cuz this guy is just so steady and calm but..now he's uneasy with his surroundings. Little things like that give a much heavier level of depth to these action characters. Interestingly enough...the Predator isn't all that simple. He hunts. That's most of his action in the film not until the 3rd act do we get much more personal w/ him. We've seen his actions before he's out of camo but not him really doing them out of it. He collects and cleans his new trophies, pretty cool, but he too prepares for the final prey on his hunt. Hell we see play medic..on himself! How manly of an alien is he? That's cool. Once the final showdown starts it's very subdued of a mouse hunt. Comes in camouflaged, Dutch (fortunately) gets it disabled and the fight is on. Dutch has now pissed it off. It's angered and confused shooting wildly. It becomes very personal soon after. This human is a pain in it's ass. In it's (I view it as at least as) hunter's pride it shows it's face to the prey. They go at it hand to hand (w/ wristblandes). And we all know how it goes from there.
Die Hard has..playing his best character, Bruce Willis as Motherfucking John McClane. He's fucking realistic in a way. He's as scared as anyone else when shit goes down but being a cop (well he's really a detective) he can pull it together and try to survive. As character...John McClane may be the best character in all the 2 films. Cuz...you're literally w/ the guy the whole time and seeing what kind of shit he has to put up with when he's got NOTHING to initially fight back with. And Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber playing the (not beyond belief) smart bad guy. His motives are realistic and he's a smart cookie. Those 2 are the only really memorable cast members. You have the cop that helps John, Argyle, Holly Genaro (McClane), the FBI guys,and the news reporter with some other much minor characters..all interesting yes but...the 2 that matter are John and Hans, very memorable they are.
Music-...Predator by far. It's themes are just soooo memorable. It brings in that military element for sure but also that suspense of terror and mystery. For the life of me I can't remember much from Die Hard besides the huge classic orchestral piece used and now otherwise known as the DH theme.
Last but certainly not least (though I hope this is my last edit on this thing...so it was my last thing to type)..
The Action- I'm having a hard time grading them. Both are going for something really different in style. Again both are VERY FUCKING GREAT at it's action. So I'll leave it at that they both have equally awesome action and I can't find a spot to say where one is better than the other. I know that sounds shitty but...it's true. Very different tone and types of action..and they're both really good. I can't decide right now. I'm watching DH right now actually..so I might edit this a bit more (fuck)
AND HOLY FUCK...I didn't know I wrote so much. I just really like these films but...
PREDATOR to me is the much better film. Again DH is damn fine film but...Predator is just a much better film.
Predator in all it's 80s action glory..is actually kind of ageless to me. DH has aged visually speaking. The hair and clothing obviously. Predator also has better FX in it, though it also has more. One issue it may have on FX that hasn't aged well is..well any related to the explosion at the end and depending on how you feel about it..the reticule for the Predator's shoulder gun. The other FX shots are actually still pretty cool and original. While the explosion at Nakatomi never really looked that great to me, 1 of VERY FEW FX shots. If not the only one...I can't remember.. It's always bothered me as a kid.
Both have GREAT pacing and interesting plots.
Plot-Predator's plot though edges out DH to me cuz of it's Science Fiction insertion element. I like the characters more. Very varied. While essentially the main villain for Predator is..well The Predator you also had the barrel full of guerrillas Dutch's team and Apollo Creed had to take down but..what's cool is that...you don't know exactly wtf the title character is till that guerrilla element is done. And once you see what The Predator sees that's when the hunt, which we at this point still don't know is an actual hunt, is on. DH's plot is...well kind of standard, it's executed VERY WELL but it's plot doesn't get me all excited.
Going back on it's pacing...they're both REALLY good at that. McTiernan really knows how to pace the two films. I can't find any negative in either film's pacing. It'll ramp up but it'll slowly and understandably go down. They're both w/ heroes trying to survive an event beyond their normal standards. Grade A pacing they both have.
Directing-Coincidentally..they're both directed by the same director..and also both done at Fox. How cool is that? To have directed 2 of the greatest action films ever? In it's direction....I think Die Hard is a bit easier and less risk taking than Predator. I mean...we have some GREAT shots in Predator. And within those shots we also have a more exotic and interesting piece of action within the frame. Also it's locale adds in to that cuz it's the damn jungle. DH's action in the frame is great but it's location doesn't captivate me.
Villain-...hahahaha. Well Predator easily is a lot more interesting visually cuz he's a damn alien hunter. BUT beyond that...the mystery of the hunter makes him more interesting. Little by little you see that's it not just randomly killing...it's selectively killing. It's a hunter. It doesn't say anything to scare, well beyond it's last lines. It hunts. You see it's motive slowly and it's interesting. It's motive is primal. In a way...it can be seen that he really isn't a villain at all. He's a bad guy to those he's hunting but...he's not a villain in a way. Hans Gruber and his guys...are kind of boring. The goons are essentially a faceless bunch say for the few that are made as as impact for the storytelling. If it wasn't for Alan Rickman giving some life to what could've been very generic, Hans isn't as memorable of a villain to me. Though he's played very well and he's actually a very smart bad guy. LOVE the scene where he tries to find McClane and is actually surprised to be caught by him. IMMEDIATELY...he changes his accent and tries to be someone else..he's RIGHT THERE w/ McClane and cuz of that he's got no choice but to try to learn more and get McClane as well. I'll give him that but....the Predator is just a better foe overall.
Characters and Casting-...alright...again...Predator. And in a way it could be viewed as cheating but it isn't. It's that damn cool team element it has:
(wikipedia)
You're stuck w/ these guys for a a good chunk and you just really like them. You enjoy their interaction and dislike at times. The faltering in each character as The Predator is getting near and they know it. The (very masculine) sense of terror w/ the unknown. All facing it differently and interestingly. Later realizing what they're up against is something totally unkown and beyond their capabilities but they must survive. Arnold...is awesome as Dutch. You believe who he is the whole time. And the same goes to all of them. Their deaths are all very well handled. Billy for example out of the whole group is the most unknown and rather mysterious member of the group. Even his end is mysterious. And before that he was the probably the most at ease in the jungle but when the Predator is there...he's totally uncomfortable and so are you cuz this guy is just so steady and calm but..now he's uneasy with his surroundings. Little things like that give a much heavier level of depth to these action characters. Interestingly enough...the Predator isn't all that simple. He hunts. That's most of his action in the film not until the 3rd act do we get much more personal w/ him. We've seen his actions before he's out of camo but not him really doing them out of it. He collects and cleans his new trophies, pretty cool, but he too prepares for the final prey on his hunt. Hell we see play medic..on himself! How manly of an alien is he? That's cool. Once the final showdown starts it's very subdued of a mouse hunt. Comes in camouflaged, Dutch (fortunately) gets it disabled and the fight is on. Dutch has now pissed it off. It's angered and confused shooting wildly. It becomes very personal soon after. This human is a pain in it's ass. In it's (I view it as at least as) hunter's pride it shows it's face to the prey. They go at it hand to hand (w/ wristblandes). And we all know how it goes from there.
Die Hard has..playing his best character, Bruce Willis as Motherfucking John McClane. He's fucking realistic in a way. He's as scared as anyone else when shit goes down but being a cop (well he's really a detective) he can pull it together and try to survive. As character...John McClane may be the best character in all the 2 films. Cuz...you're literally w/ the guy the whole time and seeing what kind of shit he has to put up with when he's got NOTHING to initially fight back with. And Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber playing the (not beyond belief) smart bad guy. His motives are realistic and he's a smart cookie. Those 2 are the only really memorable cast members. You have the cop that helps John, Argyle, Holly Genaro (McClane), the FBI guys,and the news reporter with some other much minor characters..all interesting yes but...the 2 that matter are John and Hans, very memorable they are.
Music-...Predator by far. It's themes are just soooo memorable. It brings in that military element for sure but also that suspense of terror and mystery. For the life of me I can't remember much from Die Hard besides the huge classic orchestral piece used and now otherwise known as the DH theme.
Last but certainly not least (though I hope this is my last edit on this thing...so it was my last thing to type)..
The Action- I'm having a hard time grading them. Both are going for something really different in style. Again both are VERY FUCKING GREAT at it's action. So I'll leave it at that they both have equally awesome action and I can't find a spot to say where one is better than the other. I know that sounds shitty but...it's true. Very different tone and types of action..and they're both really good. I can't decide right now. I'm watching DH right now actually..so I might edit this a bit more (fuck)
AND HOLY FUCK...I didn't know I wrote so much. I just really like these films but...
PREDATOR to me is the much better film. Again DH is damn fine film but...Predator is just a much better film.
All of this ^
01-22-13 | 10:55 AM
#82
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
I love them both but Predator by just a bit to me. I'm more of an Arnold fan personally and I like the atmosphere of Predator better. Also I agree with pretty much everything from Solid Snake PAC's post. Predator just feels like a cooler film with it's characters and I like the sci-fi elements of the film.
01-22-13 | 12:49 PM
#84
Member
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
B) Finally got around to watching Predator on Blu Ray after buying the Commando, The Terminator, and Predator combo super cheap on Black Friday. Great old school Arnold collection.
C) That video is hilarious and was made by a true fan of the film, and you can't get it out of your head.
01-22-13 | 03:08 PM
#86
Member
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
It was the newer one. Like I said, came with the two other movies. I personally think the picture looks great on my plasma. I know Blu-ray.com and others hate this version over the original release, but I doubt I would be able to see much of a difference.
01-22-13 | 04:41 PM
#88
Member
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
In other words, my picture never has the sharpest image, so DNR is rarely an issue.
01-22-13 | 04:53 PM
#89
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From: Somewhere between Heaven and Hell
01-22-13 | 10:31 PM
#91
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Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
"Shoot da glass."
Love them both but gotta go with Die Hard just for the bare titties and Run-DMC factor.
BTW, Die HArd is the first movie I remember someone talking shit while delivering an ass beating. Just like in my hood.
Love them both but gotta go with Die Hard just for the bare titties and Run-DMC factor.
BTW, Die HArd is the first movie I remember someone talking shit while delivering an ass beating. Just like in my hood.
01-22-13 | 10:34 PM
#92
En vacance
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Faschaintg. glad im int eh pred camp but certainly dh loveers fascinat e me. its the envrinoment, jungle time si fucking shizznigt over boring shitz shitcty.
01-23-13 | 08:51 AM
#95
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
This thread makes me wish for a movie with John McClane trapped in a skyscraper with an invisible alien hunter.
01-23-13 | 09:18 AM
#96
Moderator
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Grew up with both. As I get older, I find I return to Die Hard far more often (could be because it's just on TV more frequently). Regardless, voted Die Hard.
01-23-13 | 11:58 AM
#98
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Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Predator.
If Die Hard had dumped the filler characters who contributed almost nothing to the movie except padding the runtime (the reporter, bearded cokehead asshole, the useless captain, the FBI agents and their dumb "same last name" comedy routine, limo driver, etc.), it would have been a masterpiece. As it stands, it's a very good movie, but Predator is lean and mean and gets right to the point.
If Die Hard had dumped the filler characters who contributed almost nothing to the movie except padding the runtime (the reporter, bearded cokehead asshole, the useless captain, the FBI agents and their dumb "same last name" comedy routine, limo driver, etc.), it would have been a masterpiece. As it stands, it's a very good movie, but Predator is lean and mean and gets right to the point.
01-23-13 | 03:09 PM
#99
Member
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
No offense, but the movie would probably last 3 to 5 minutes. John McClane wouldn't stand a chance.
01-23-13 | 04:00 PM
#100
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From: wandering the earth like Caine in the Kung-Fu
Re: Predator vs. Die Hard..which is better?
Predator.
If Die Hard had dumped the filler characters who contributed almost nothing to the movie except padding the runtime (the reporter, bearded cokehead asshole, the useless captain, the FBI agents and their dumb "same last name" comedy routine, limo driver, etc.), it would have been a masterpiece. As it stands, it's a very good movie, but Predator is lean and mean and gets right to the point.
If Die Hard had dumped the filler characters who contributed almost nothing to the movie except padding the runtime (the reporter, bearded cokehead asshole, the useless captain, the FBI agents and their dumb "same last name" comedy routine, limo driver, etc.), it would have been a masterpiece. As it stands, it's a very good movie, but Predator is lean and mean and gets right to the point.