Robert Rodriguez's "Predators" is basically a quasi-remake of the 1987 classic hit "Predator", only nowhere as good. Ah-nuld's rumble-in-the-jungle sci-fi flick was a taut and tense actionier that kept you on the edge of your seat. That film was directed by John McTiernan who went on to make the equally classic "Die Hard". This movie, on the other had, was helmed by Nimrod Antal ("Vacancy", "Armored"). Unfortunately, he doesn't deliver the same tension-packed experience I was hoping for. The picture does have a great set up in the tradition of "Cube", however.

The movie wastes no time in establishing plot. As it opens, a small group of professional killers are shown literally falling from the sky. The first one down is an American mercenary named Royce (a buffed up Adrian Brody). The others badasses that follow include a Mexican cartel member, a female sniper, a Russian Spetsnaz, a prison convict, a Sierre Leone rebel and a Yakuza gangster. There's also a medic (played by Topher Grace) that doesn't quite fit in. Every one of them has an alien-like abduction story to tell. And when they all come together, it is Royce who leads them to through an unknown jungle. Eventually, they are attacked by boar-like creatures and discover they are being hunted. But the real whopper is they're on another planet. That's the biggest difference between "Predators" and "Predator". In the first film, Ah-nuld and his squad were hunted by one alien in the jungle. Here, the squad is hunted by a few different kinds.

"Preadtors" is a good looking movie and it's well made, but it's nothing new. This is a retro-throwback to the first film. The jungle setting, Alan Silvestri's tense score, Blain's mini-gun and Little Richard's "Long Tall Sally" all return. Even the climax is a recycle complete with the Billy Vs. Predator showdown scene. It's fun to watch the classic elements of the first pic again. But it also recalls a much better film. And while "Predators" has enough gore to warrant an "R" rating, it's not as graphic as the first two films. Overall, the movie is entertaining, but don't expect a rather memorable one.