How Studio Meddling Accidentally Made Predator More Realistic
In a strange coincidence, studio interference in the making of the 1987 action sci-fi classic Predator actually made the film much more realistic. Originally conceived off the back of a joke about Rocky Balboa fighting E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Predator was an overwhelming success upon its release in 1987. Widely considered one of Arnold Schwarzenegger's best movies, Predator's particular blend of sci-fi, action, and horror made it an instant classic, spawning its own franchise in the process.
The film concerns an elite paramilitary rescue team on a mission to save hostages from guerrillas in a rainforest in Central America. Upon their arrival, they encounter the Predator, an alien creature with superior technology who is seemingly intent on hunting the soldiers one by one for sport. The idea of an alien race of predatory beings who view Earth as a hunting ground is one that has been explored in depth in subsequent entries to the franchise, and it's a premise that transcends the trappings of the first film's action-based narrative.
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Despite the deaths of most of Predator's characters proving how ineffective traditional military tactics and weapons can be against the titular alien, the studio stepped in to demand that the film included more shooting. Director John McTiernan obliged, adding scenes to the film which depict the team of soldiers firing blindly into the jungle to no obvious effect. Though it may seem to be an odd choice, this accidentally made Predator more realistic, as it's actually reminiscent of some legitimate military tactics.
After discovering the skinned corpses of multiple Green Berets and Blain is killed by an unknown force, an enraged Mac
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