Predator Trilogy [DVD] [1987]

WARNING: If you're thinking of buying these films individually , just be cautious , as there are a couple of versions of Predator available on Blu-ray and one of them is just a basic transfer that HASN'T had the full treatment.The Ultimate Edition (The Ultimate Hunters Edition as Amazon likes to call it) is the one you want and what you get in this box set.PREDATOR ULTIMATE EDITION : Right from the off with the old eighties 20th Century Fox logo you can immediately see the difference in picture quality.Flecks of dust and scratches are completely gone and almost looks like a brand new print of the film and this is just from the first 20 seconds. Even the opening shot of the predator ship which separates , you used to be able to see matt outline boxes around both ships on the VHS , Laserdisc and DVD versions , which was always disappointing , but this seems to have been completely removed which was a pleasant surprise.Also a sun glare reflecting off the ships hull seems to have been added to the departing ship as it reaches the edge of the screen when it veers off to the right , but not sure if this has been an added element for the Blu-rays or if its just more noticeable now with the cleaned up image or the format change ? Have compared the two formats but just cant tell , as the ship disappears too soon on the DVD format , as that is presented in 18.5:1 , and even though on the Blu-ray case it says its presented in the same format , there is a noticeable difference in width compared to the DVD.You can see it straight away with the 20th Century Fox logo , as it always had that anamorphic stretched look too it on all other formats , but looks completely normal on this Blu-Ray.I have to say , the slightly wider format is much better as it cancels out a lot of glaring mistakes.Dillon's arm being visible tucked in his pants when shot off and the springboard he's obviously standing on being in-shot when he finally dies.A microphone above Mac's head when he says 'past dem treeeeeees' and Billy's rucksack seen bouncing on the floor under the tree when he drops it at his last stand (he's supposed to be over a very deep gorge) are now no where to be seen.Although these appeared to be mistakes on previous releases , it was really down to seeing more of the top and bottom of the screen than you were supposed too , due to the format it was shown in and not down to dodgy camera work.The whole film is superbly transferred with every frame razor sharp and contamination free and not a hint of "the grain effect" that some Blu-Rays suffer from , and you could literally count the beads of sweat on Bill Dukes head the picture is that good !Cant believe just how dust contaminated and grainy the print was on DVD after viewing this Blu-ray and it just shows what can be achieved with a little effort , unlike some Blu-rays I could mention and have on other less favourable reviews !The scene where Arnold abseils from the helicopter on all other formats suffered terribly with grain/grit , but this has been cleaned up beautifully on Blu-ray.A couple of negatives... apart from the shot of the full moon in-between the trees just before the final showdown , it still has a very noticeable matt outline box around it and its a shame it hasn't been fixed , and Carl Weathers facial close up does tend to have a "waxy" look , but these minuscule blips are a very small price compared to the rest of this excellent transfer , and is up there with one of the best picture transfers I've seen.The sound is presented in 5.1 DTS master audio and sounds excellent , particularly the hostage rescue attack. Bullets and explosions come from all directions around your front room with a glorious clarity.As for the extras , you get everything from the DVD plus a couple more ...Which was nice !PREDATOR 2 : Think its universally agreed this is the weaker of the films so not going to mention too much about this other than the picture and sound are excellent and much better than its DVD format , but not as good a transfer as the first Predator.Extras are exactly the same as the DVD... Which WASN'T nice !PREDATORS : Well from a film that is only a couple of years old theres not really much to say about the picture/sound quality other than what you'd expect from a recent release.Don't usually review the picture/sound quality on a Blu-ray if the film was made after 2006 , as the majority of films after that time are usually filmed with Blu-rays in mind and have the highest quality digital cameras filming them.Depending on which version you bought on DVD (the single disc for me) you get loads more extras on this Blu-ray and all have digital copies as well... Which is very nice !Definitely worthy of an upgrade working out at £5 per film , this is an EXCELLENT PURCHASE !

Strangely I can identify with both the c critics and indeed enthusiasts with regardsto the 4k upgrade of the trilogy especially that of the first one 'PREDATOR'The early part of the film leading up to the battle with the insurgents was very grainy in fact disappointing, however, things did pick-up picture quality-wise when the Predator started to pick-off Dutch's team.In the first we see retired war veteran Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) persuaded by his old commander to lead a small team into hostile territory to rescue a foreign cabinet minister and his aide who were being held by an insurgent force deep in the jungle.A battle takes place, the team take the one surviving insurgent Anna prisoner who after a while was found to speak perfect English.En-Route to the assigned pick-up point the team become increasingly aware that they were being watched and indeed hunted by an unknown being who was all b ut invisible.One by one the team would be picked off, Dutch tells Anna to run while he attempts to confront whatever had been tracking them.This, the first far and away the best of the three, tense with an explosive conclusion.Film 8.9/10 - 4k 7/10In the second we see Danny Glover as Lieutenant Mike Harrigan, an LAPD Officer lead the way as the streets of L.A become a war zone as two drug gangs fight it out.....There is something watching proceedings from the top of the buildings, a Predator that at first seemed in some ways to be taking out the bad guys, saving the police the trouble, until, a close friend and fellow LAPD officer also becomes a victim.Lieutenant Harrigan then makes it his mission to kill the now-you-see-me now-you-don't Alien creature doing the killing, leading to the final confrontation between the two.Shame, very weak follow-up to Predator, script and story-line thin, many of the actors, not convincing.Film 6/10 - 4k 8/10.In the third we see Royce (Adrien Brody) a former Special-Ops veteran parachuted into an unknown and unfamiliar jungle along with seven others, most well-armed with a military connection, none know the other.Royce takes charge and tries to set a course to lead them out of the jungle, however after being attacked by dog-like creatures the group become aware that they are indeed being tracked....they will soon learn that the trackers are not use to failing.One by one they perish when trying to outrun the Predators, as in the earlier films it will be resolved or not by a one-to-one face-off,Does anyone escape the Predators ?Though far more watchable than the 2nd, much was not explained.Film 7.5/10 - 4k 9/10.