DVD Talk Forum - 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)

Quote:

Arnold Schwarzenegger as MAJ Alan "Dutch" Schaeffer: Dutch, referred to as "Delta 5," is the deputy director of the team, which is a joint Delta Force/ CIA SOG task force. He is a former Green Beret who served together with Dillon in Vietnam during the Battle of Huế.
Carl Weathers as Agent George Dillon: Dillon is a former ODA teammate of Dutch and current CIA agent, sent along with Dutch's team as the mission director. He is no longer a regular field agent, so he is out of practice.
Elpidia Carrillo as Anna: Anna is a guerrilla, captured by Dutch's troops following a battle with the rebels. She later tells them of an "old demon" that during hot summers attacks people from violent areas who are later found skinned and hollowed.
Bill Duke as Mac Eliot: Mac is a close friend of Blain's; they served in Vietnam together and were the only two members of their platoon to make it out alive after a night-long battle. He is hostile towards Dillon, stating that he'll kill him if he hinders the group.
Jesse Ventura as Blain Cooper: Blain fought alongside Mac in the Vietnam War and were the only members of their platoon to survive a night-long battle. He often chews tobacco, and wears a battered old cowboy hat. His weapon of choice is a modified M134 minigun he calls "Ol' Painless," but he also carries a submachine gun when he needs to be stealthy.
Sonny Landham as Billy Sole: Billy is a Native American tracker. He is generally very quiet, and Hawkins constantly attempts to make him laugh.
Richard Chaves as Jorge "Poncho" Ramirez: Poncho is a Chicano, who speaks fluent Spanish, and shows a sarcastic wit.
Shane Black as Rick Hawkins: Hawkins is the team's radio operator and technical expert. He tells sexual jokes, though he usually has to explain them, and reads comic books.
R. G. Armstrong as Major General Homer Phillips: Phillips is the coordinator of the mission, who assigns the team based upon their reputation.
Kevin Peter Hall as The Predator: The Predator is member of a warrior race which hunts aggressive members of other species for sport, uses active camouflage, a plasma weapon and can see the infrared spectrum. Hall also plays the end scene helicopter pilot.

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.