History Film / Predators

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
** Royce's automatic shotgun blows through ammo like a hooker through coke, and Hanzo's Beretta only holds fifteen rounds. Both run out of ammo about when they should, and the characters are forced to improvise. Cuchillo's guns also run dry after one extended burst, forcing him to draw his sidearm.
** Isabelle's finely-calibrated -- and thus finicky -- sniper rifle jams in the midst of a fast-paced gun fight. Realistically, this is highly likely for the dirty, humid jungle environment they're in.
** Awesome weapons and firing stances like {{BFG}}s and GunsAkimbo have very bad aim. All the shots from the hip burn through ammo, with very few bullets actually hitting.
** [[spoiler: Edwin]] is able to take down [[spoiler: Isabelle]] with a potent neurotoxin and the element of surprise. But after [[spoiler: Royce]] deduces [[SerialKiller what he is,]] and sees him coming, [[CurbStompBattle he destroys him pretty handily.]] Someone with no combat training just can't stand up to a seasoned ex-commando without some kind of edge.
** Noland invokes this when asked why he never tried to steal a ship to leave the planet. He points out that even if he could, he would have no idea how to actually pilot an alien vessel.

* DoesNotLikeShoes: Hanzo takes off his dress shoes to walk in the muddy jungle terrain, as they obviously aren't suited for it.

* SpitefulSpit: Nikolai spits at a Predator's face.

--> '''Royce:''' I needed to know what we were up against. Now I do.\\

* BizarreAlienBiology: The knobby gray creature that was air-dropped into the hunting zone. Its legs have sunken pockets which cockroach-like creatures skuttle in and out of; it's a complete mystery whether these are a parasitic infection, external symbiotes, or even sexually-dimorphic mates.

* RareGuns: The Atchisson Assault Shotgun (AA-12) makes its second appearance on the big screen here.

* BackToBackBadasses: Several, usually with Royce, Isabelle, and a third person.

* MoodWhiplash: Halfway through the film, Stans says that he's going to do ''[[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments so]]'' [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments much cocaine]] when they escape -- and then says he's going to [[RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil rape some bitches]]. It then swerves back into funny when Edwin [[DeadpanSnarker unenthusiastically agrees]].

* ParachuteInATree: This is how the other characters encounter Edwin.

An American mercenary, Royce, wakes to find himself free falling toward a jungle below, with no clue why he's hurtling towards the ground at an alarming rate, or why there's a parachute on him that deploys automatically. Soon after landing, he encounters others who have arrived the exact same way. All they have in common is that each is a deadly killer and they band together for strength in numbers. Soon they realize that not only are they not in Kansas anymore, they're on a gigantic game reserve...

* AbsurdlySharpBlade: All the edged weapons in this movie seem to dismember and decapitate with one blow. Justified in most instances because they're blades made by Predators, who even make their metal ''nets'' mono-molecular. Royce apparently sharpens his machete like crazy, too, since he decapitates a hunting dog in one hit.

* AlienSky: A very impressive one. They all look like they're about to crack open and spill into space as massive clouds of broken rock and dust. Beautiful. Even Royce, who so far has been calm and unfazed despite all the weird stuff going on, has no idea what to do.

* AliensAreBastards: Played with, in the case of the Predators, who abduct humans and take them to a "hunting preserve" on a different world. However, they deliberately take humans that no one will miss ''and'' will put up a good fight - Special Forces types on highly-dangerous classified missions, serial rapists and murderers with plenty of knowledge about hunting, soldiers who've committed war crimes, gangsters, cold-blooded mercenaries, {{Sociopathic Soldier}}s and disgraces, terrorists, et cetera... It's also shown that the Predators that are hunting the group are a separate group from the standard Predators we usually see (who are known for their focus on honor and nobility) and have ''far'' fewer morals than the others.
* AllThereInTheManual: The movie relies on [[ShowDontTell concise dialogue and action]] for the vast majority of its characterization. The predators' extensive biographies are pulled from other sources, and a great deal of the individuals' backstories come from the comics and special features. Even the majority of the characters' names are found [[AllThereInTheScript only in the script]].
* AllThereInTheScript: Only Royce, Isabelle, Nikolai and Noland give their names on-screen.
* AlwaysSaveTheGirl: It must be a spinal reflex for Royce. When he has time to think about it, he'll leave Isabelle without a second glance; but when under fire, he invariably dives back into the fray to save her.

* AntiHero: With the exception of Edwin, most of the main group are this to varying degrees. Cuchillo, Mombasa, Hanzo, and Stans are all [[NominalHero Nominal Heroes]]/[[VillainProtagonist Villain Protagonists]] who only work together for mutual survival whereas Royce is an UnscrupulousHero and Isebelle and Nikolai are both [[PragmaticAntiHero Pragmagtic Heroes]].
* ArmiesAreEvil: Inverted. In a group that includes criminals, terrorists, and psychopathic killers; Isebelle and Nikolai, both of whom are soldiers in their respective countries' armed forces, but the most morally decent and mentally stable out of the lot of them. Royce was a former soldier as well and while he has his KickTheDog moments, in the end he regains a bit of his old moral center.

** The Tracker Predator's Hell Hounds would make for terrible hunting animals in densely vegetated terrain thanks to their spikes. Sure, their spines look cool, but in a closed-in environment with thick undergrowth like a jungle, the Hell Hounds would end up snagging on underbrush or tree trunks and wouldn't be able to move efficiently at all.

** Stans is the most obvious. At first you think he's evil, then you think he's not that bad when he [[WhatTheHellHero calls out]] Royce on his [[ShootTheDog dog shooting]]... and then you are reminded that he's a death row con. Ultimately his behaviour is based on prison etiquette, which boils down to "You don't shit on your friends".

** However, downplayed at least a little. Bad people though they undeniably are, the captives (with a small exception for Royce and a much larger exception for [[spoiler: Noland and Edwin]]) clearly try to watch out for each other, if for no other reason than pragmatism.
* TheAtoner: Several members of the group 'atone' in some way for their crimes. Turns out the reason Isabelle acts so tenderhearted is survivor's guilt. Of course, when [[CombatPragmatist Royce]] hears the story, he [[AngstWhatAngst all but shrugs]] and says "[[IDidWhatIHadToDo You do what you have to do]] to survive."

* BackToBackBadasses - Several, usually with Royce, Isabelle, and a third person.
%%* BaldOfEvil: Hanzo.
* BattleAmongstTheFlames: The FinalBattle. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]], since it messes with the Predators' sensors.

* BearTrap: The cartel member is surrounded by these, in order to catch the others should they try to help. Royce sees it coming and no one falls for it. Much later, one catches Edwin, forcing Isabella to help him walk.

* TheBerserker: Stans goes knife-crazy on the Dog. He gets respect from the guys with guns after this. If you note the line in which they travel, Stans ends up third in line, right behind Isabelle. Later on he stabs at the big black predator with just a knife.
--> "Die, you space faggot!" STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB.

** Apart from being blantantly racist, Stans doesn't seem too bad, but you work out he's probably a serial rapist and murderer, and he admits he was on Death Row. ''In California''. Deleted scenes establish that he killed 38 people because he wanted to.
** Noland also seems rather cooperative at first, filling in the group on how the game preserve works. [[spoiler:He later tries to kill them by smoke inhalation, in order to get their supplies. His imaginary friend implies he's done it before.]]
* {{BFG}}: Nikolai's minigun. Even referred to as such by Stans:

** Despite Royce swearing up and down that he's a bad, bad man who doesn't care about anyone--and proving it when he trots off without a second look at dead or dying teammates--he doubles back under fire at least twice to rescue a comrade.

* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Subverted, he dies second. The ''Mexican'' dude dies first.
** Not to mention the white Special Forces guy they find already dead and the white guy whose chute doesn't open.
** Zigzagged with Noland. He's been the SoleSurvivor, lasting ''ten seasons'', but then is the next one to die after joining the main group.
* BloodKnight: The Predators themselves are obvious examples. In addition, Royce repeatedly states that the main reason he worked as a mercenary is because he likes the thrill of combat. The subtext suggests that all of the characters are, and furthermore, it's why they were chosen.
* BolivianArmyEnding: [[spoiler:Although Isabelle and Royce win, more humans and monsters are air-dropped onto the planet for another hunt and the odds of winning and escaping the planet are uncertain. There are new potential allies to help improve the odds, but there are more Predators out there who want to go hunting.]]

** [[spoiler:When Noland turns on the group]], he tries to choke them with smoke in a closed space. Makes sense... except he could just have turned invisible and killed them all with his futuristic weapons.

* BoobyTrap: After he tries to kill [[spoiler:Royce]], {{serial killer}} [[spoiler:Edwin]] is left as one-he's laid down with a bunch of grenades rigged beneath him that go off when a Predator pulls him up.
* BoomHeadshot: Isabelle on one of the alien dogs, to save Edwin.
* BottomlessMagazines: Subverted. Whilst the main character's blasting in the first few scenes might lead one to believe this trope is being played straight, there's the "shell count" scene establishing their limited resources almost halfway through. Immediately before that scene, during the battle Hanzo's Beretta runs dry and he is shown reloading, Cuchillo's dual [=MP5Ks=] also run dry as he's firing at one of hounds, forcing him to draw and fire his pistol.
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: Stans has two great moments of this. First he talks about doing a whole bunch of cocaine, which Edwin finds funny. Then Stans starts talking about rape, which Edwin finds [[SarcasmMode somewhat less funny]]. The second is when he shows off his tattoo, which is of a pretty, naked girl... who Edwin then learns is Stans' sister.
* ButtMonkey: {{Downplayed}} but still there. While the other characters get smooth intros that showcase their badassery, Edwin is first seen hanging upside down in a tree hollering for help, before being unceremoniously dumped in the pond below. From then on he's just an ActionSurvivor, and his one big contribution to the team involves playing bait.
* ChekhovsGun
** The neurotoxin-filled plant that the doctor saves Nikolai from, and not used until the very end.

* CanonDiscontinuity: This film ignores the two ''Franchise/AlienVsPredator'' movies, although WordOfGod is unclear if it disregarded ''Film/{{Predator 2}}'' as well (Isabelle doesn't mention the events of the second movie, for what it's worth, but there are some minor nods to it, and Noland was at one point intended to be Mike Harrigan from ''Predator 2''). The [[TheMerch NECA action figure]] for Berserker Predator, however, states that he was the youngest ever Predator to kill a Xenomorph, and that Tracker Predator and Falconer Predator are his Young Blood protégée.

* CombatPragmatist: The Berserker demonstrates this during his duel with the Classic Predator. As soon as Classic starts landing a few good hits in the fight, Berserker introduces his plasma caster to it.

** The fact the game reserve has other species being hunted besides humans calls back to the second movie where the trophy room was filled with other extraterrestrials.
** Despite the supposed CanonDiscontinuity, the Berserker Predator's jawbone decoration is actually a [[Franchise/AlienVsPredator Xenomorph's]] and the Tracker Predator bears acid blood burns on his mask. Further, the camp is decorated with ceremonial torches made of Xenomorph skulls.
* CoolVersusAwesome: A Yakuza Enforcer with a katana dueling with a Predator.
* CoversAlwaysLie: The cover art for the single-disc DVD seen above would lead you to believe that Laurence Fishburne and Danny Trejo play much larger roles than they actually do.

* DarkIsEvil: The "modern" predators have [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver black gear and a red tint to their skin]], in contrast to the steely-gray armor and yellowish-brown skintone of the ''somewhat'' more honorable "classic" predator.
* DeathByPragmatism: [[spoiler: Noland.]]

* DoubleMeaningTitle: The title not only refers to the iconic monsters, but also to their prey, who were dangerous killers on planet Earth.

* DwindlingParty: In effect throughout the entire film.

* EarthAllAlong: The characters assume they're on Earth until they realize that the sun hasn't moved in the several hours they've been there.
* EnemyCivilWar: Noland reveals there's a blood feud between two Predator Clans. Unsurprisingly, this becomes a plot point.

** Lampshaded in a moment from a trailer and a deleted scene when Isabelle says that everyone needs to work together, Cuchillo responds, "Does this look like a team orientated group of individuals to you?"

--> '''Royce''': I needed to know what we were up against. Now I do.\\
'''Stans''': A man is dead because of that.\\
'''Royce''': This morning you were ready to kill him.\\
'''Stans''': Well, it ain't this goddamn morning!

** According to the film crew, the Berserker and his clan are criminals by ''Predator'' standards.
* EveryoneHasStandards: The benevolent doctor is thoroughly disgusted by Stans's "rapin' bitches" comment. [[spoiler:He's later revealed to be a serial killer himself, so either he's faking his outrage or rape is beyond even his standards]].
* EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory: In-universe: invoked and discussed right in the first scene, when Cuchillo assumes they are all in Hell, and Nikolai speculates it's a military psyche experiment. But it's immediately pointed out that you don't need a parachute to get there, and why would a military go to great lengths to construct a piecemeal jungle and slam together criminals, mercenaries, and soldiers?

* FaceNodAction: The Yakuza assassin simply stops walking in a field while the Predators chase them down. Royce, Edwin and Isabelle stop as well and look at the assassin, who simply looks at Royce and nods at him. Royce nods back and starts walking away again.

** [[spoiler: Noland -- "Finally found me, huh big dawg? Well, what took you so long?" ]]

* FailedASpotCheck: The group somehow fails to see the huge planets/moons in the sky for the first twenty-five minutes of the movie.

* FantasticRacism: There's an ongoing blood feud between the "classic" predators and the bigger, nastier "black" predators. Though according to WordOfGod, it's less they're different clans and more the black predators are criminals by their own kind's standards.
%%* FatalFamilyPhoto: [[spoiler:Nikolai.]]

* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are a lot of hints at Edwin's true nature leading up to his revelation:

** Edwin pulls out a photo of ''Nikolai's'' kids when begging for his life.

* FriendlySniper: Isabelle, who is noticeably the most compassionate.

* GoodGunsBadGuns: The main group is comprised of "warrior" humans kidnapped from Earth and dumped on a "game preserve" planet to be hunted by the titular aliens. While none are truly "good", the most "heroic" of the bunch, American mercenary Royce and [[UsefulNotes/IsraelisWithInfraredMissiles IDF]] sniper Isabelle, use a shotgun and sniper rifle, respectively. In contrast, the rest of the group consists of outright criminals and those who use guns have obvious "bad" guns. Mexican [[TheCartel Cartel]] enforcer Cuchillo [[GunsAkimbo dual-wields]] customized [=MP5Ks=], a smaller version of the [=MP5=] that looks and functions closer to a gangster gun-like Uzi. Sierra Leonean "death squad" leader Mumbasa naturally uses an AKM, an AK variant, with a folding stock. Russian Spetsnaz heavy gunner Nikolai carries a [[GatlingGood minigun]]. {{Yakuza}} assassin Hanzo uses a [[BlingBlingBang stainless steel Beretta with ivory grips]] and a compensator. Noland, a survivor of a previous hunt, first shows up carrying an alien weapon, obscuring his morality. [[spoiler:He later double-crosses the group.]]
* GottaKillThemAll: Royce, after the waterfall.
-->'''Royce''': Whatever it is, wherever they're from, [[GottaKillThemAll we're going to kill them all]].
* GreyAndGrayMorality: Everyone chosen to be "hunted," with the exception of the doctor, are war criminals, terrorists, gangsters, and all-around hardass killers, which means that all of them are unsavory one way or another. [[spoiler: And even the doctor turns out to be a serial killer.]]
* GunPorn: Many of the guns get their own close ups, long and lovingly enough that firearm aficionados can read "Surefire" on the grip of Royce's AA-12 automatic shotgun and "elcan" on Isabelle's scope, enjoy the sheen of Hanzo's pearl-gripped Beretta, Royce's ivory-gripped 1911...etc.

** Meta-example: Stans shows remorse at Mombasa's death, even though he was fighting with him and had tried to kill him earlier.

** Also, [[spoiler:Stans playing dead to jump on a Predator's back and stab the hell out of it giving his teammates time to escape]], and [[spoiler:Hanzo]], pulling a YouShallNotPass moment and taking another one down.

* HonorBeforeReason: The Predators always try to fight fair when possible, and play with their prey before killing it, much to their detriment. The only reason the Black Predators seem to fight fair is because they enjoy the hunt so much, and want to make it last. They don't follow very honorable standards the rest of the time, unlike their jungle cousins. For example, multiple Predators hunting at once instead of only one, taking prey to their own turf, using hunting dog-like creatures to flush out their prey, and using aerial recon droids to track prey who have escaped them. It's also demonstrated in the fight with the Berserker against the Classic, in what starts out as a one-on-one hand-to-hand fight, the instant the Classic manages to gain an advantage, the Berserker does away with fighting on equal terms and starts blasting away with his plasma weapon. Simply put, the Black Predators are much more willing to fight ''dirty'' than their cousins.
* HumansAreBastards: Our heroes are not nice people. Predators are bastards to each other, too. The Preds picked Royce and the others because no one would miss them (being soldiers guilty of genocide or terrorism, heartless mercenaries, criminals, et cetera). Though technically neither Isabelle nor Nikolai are shown as doing anything "evil", other than just being soldiers.
* HumansAreWarriors: Well, these guys are. Edwin is a noted exception.
* HuntingTheMostDangerousGame: The entire plot, only unlike the other ''Predator'' movies, this time the game is sent to a reserve dedicated to their hobby.

* IOweYouMyLife: Never said, but rather obviously how Nikolai and Edwin became friends and how Stans and Mombasa stopped trying to off the other.

* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: As expected from a movie where the title characters brandish huge, extensible, spears. [[spoiler:Mombasa]] is the standout case.

* InnocentBystander: While the other abducted humans are military, {{Yakuza}}, criminals, or the like, Edwin is just some poor shmuck doctor snatched on his way to work. [[spoiler:[[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial In fact, there is no reason at all for him to be on the planet, and he isn't a serial killing sociopath or anything like that.]]]]

** Numerous to the earlier ''Predator'' films, from the entire plots itself, the Marine who set traps and the discovery of a dead US Special Forces soldier surrounded by ammo casings, the references to the first film's plot, Laurence Fishburne's character, the lighting used in the Predator ship and the flares (it mirrors shots and lighting in ''Film/{{Aliens}}''), among numerous others.
** [[Film/AlienVsPredator The Enemy of my Enemy...]] [[TakeThat is NOT my friend.]]

*** Not the first time [[spoiler:a human and a Predator make a deal to team up and take out a much larger threat.]]
** "You're one... ugly... motherfucker." ([[BilingualBonus In Russian, though]].)
** The lead Predator has an [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Alien's jaw]] attached to his helmet as a trophy.
** There is a burning [[Franchise/{{Alien}} Alien's Head]] strung up in the Predators camp.

** When Royce frees the Classic Predator from the totem and it does its [[NeckLift neck grab on him]] it turns his head to one side much the same way [[Film/{{Predator}} the Jungle Hunter did with Dutch Schaeffer.]]

*** A character stares intensely into the trees, and doesn't respond when a teammate asks what's up.

*** A subtle one: A giant bug is impaled on a knife.

*** Moments before death, a character's arm is severed. It was Dillon's in the first film, and the [[spoiler:last Predator]]'s in this film.

*** Cuchillo is a member of a Hispanic cartel, which references to the Columbian cartel battling the police in the second film's ActionPrologue, Cuchillo even references the Columbian cartel's enforcer El Scorpio, down to relying on submachine GunsAkimbo, while [[HilariousInHindsight interestingly]] and retroactively, El Scorpio coincidentally resembles {{Film/Machete}} from the film of the same name which was directed by Creator/RobertRodriguez, the producer of this film, and features Creator/DannyTrejo, who plays Cuchillo, in the title role.

* IncestSubtext: Implied with Stans toward his sister. Sure, having a picture of your sister is one thing, but having a nude woman tattoo on your body dedicated to her is another.

** When Edwin is injured, Royce wants to leave him behind, but Isabelle protests that "He's one of us". Later, Edwin will argue "Please, I'm one of you," in very different circumstances.

** A subtle one. When the group first meets Noland, Royce asks him, "What the fuck are you?" and Noland answers, "I'm alive." Noland later shows part of the reason why, [[spoiler:he's not above murder when it's for his own benefit. He gets the group to trust him so he can (attempt) to kill them for their weapons, and it's implied he's done it before. Later, when Royce is showing a similar inhuman disregard for the life of Edwin (whose death would benefit him), Isabelle asks him, "What are you?" and Royce replies, "I'm alive."]]
* {{Irony}}: Stans, the serial killer implied rapist who did everything for the hell of it in a group of trained soldiers, is the one who most advocates for team work.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Royce for sure. Like your typical mercenary, he doesn't seem to care for the group in any real way. But of course, he has a change of heart by the end.
* JerkWithAHeartOfJerk: Stans looks kind of weedy and all he's got is a knife. He's kind of funny, too. You start feeling like maybe he's not such a bad guy; after all, they're all killers there. You're starting to feel kind of sympathetic for him, even. Then he makes his "raping bitches" comment, then about his sister, and you realise that he's no better than any of the others.
* JerkassHasAPoint: Isabelle punches Royce for using the group as bait at the Predator camp, which would be a valid complaint save for one detail--he only falls back to reevaluate the situation when he realizes Isabelle knows more about what's happening than she's let on. At that point, for all he knew she may have been in on it.

** [[spoiler:The Doctor, after revealing he's a serial killer wacko type, is impaled, dragged through the mud while he pathetically begs for his life, and used as a grenade DeathTrap to injure a Predator.]]

* KatanasAreJustBetter: The Yakuza faces a Predator in single combat and manages a MutualKill, while the other humans spend most of the film unable to kill any predators with automatic weapons.

--> '''Noland:''' ''YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE MUTHA FUCKAAAAAAAS!!!''
* LaughablyEvil: Stans may be a [[TheSociopath sociopath]], but most of his lines are pure gold. Take, for example, his rant against the rest of the group after brandishing his shiv:
-->'''Stans''': You know what? This is bullshit! I want a fucking gun! [to Cuchillo] Come on man, give me a gun! You got two fucking guns! [Looks at Royce and Isabelle, [[{{Beat}} seems to think better of it]], turns to Nikolai] Come on Russian, you got a big fucking gun!
* LetsFightLikeGentlemen: Hanzo makes his last stand and draws out katana inviting the pursuing predator to a sword duel. [[WorthyOpponent The Predator accepts]], pulls out his wristblade and awesomeness ensues.

** One of the dogs dodges [[ATeamFiring the entire team's concentrated fire]] until it gets within about ten yards; then it dies in a literal explosion of gore.
* MadeOfIron: The last of the Predators. [[spoiler: In a short span of time it's stabbed repeatedly by Stans, stabbed and wounded further by the classic Predator, blasted by a multitude of grenades point-blank, suffers multiple blows to the head from a wrench, shot by Isabelle's sniper rifle, and torn up when Royce uses an axe on it.]] In spite of all that, it had enough life left in it to necessitate [[spoiler: Royce systematically hacking it apart with that axe.]]
* MaleGaze: The camera follows Stans' line of sight for about fifteen seconds. When Isabelle turns around, he just words it out: "Your ass is awesome." Isabelle knows better than to humour him, or even pay attention to him, and avoids him.
* MaybeEverAfter: Movie convention would seem to force Royce and Isabelle together, but their circumstances and his personality leave the coupling in question.
* MercyKill: Isabelle tries to do this for [[spoiler: Cuchillo, only to have him call out for help again after being shot through the heart, implying his cries were actually a recording played by the Predators.]]

* MrExposition: Noland's role is essentially to show up and clue the other characters (and audience) in.
* MulticulturalAlienPlanet: The Predators have different tribes who have been at war with one another. We see at least two. They also come from are apparently two different subspecies, given their similar but distinct appearances.
* MultinationalTeam: American (including the poor Army sod at the beginning), Mexican, Sierra Leonean, Russian, Japanese and Israeli.
* MutualKill: [[spoiler:Hanzo and the Falconer Predator, Nikolai and the first Predator.]]

* NeutralFemale: Ultimately subverted, although it's a close call. Also justified: it's hard to leap into the fray when [[spoiler:you've been paralyzed by a potent neurotoxin]], after all...
* NightVisionGoggles: Of the false-contrast heat-sensing type that the original movie popularized. The typical method of countering it is inverted, [[spoiler: instead of smearing himself with mud, Royce fights off the Berserker by starting a raging fire, which his body heat does not register against]].
* NoNameGiven: For ninety-nine percent of the movie, the only one with a name is Nikolai and Stans' name is on his jumpsuit. Isabelle and Royce introduce themselves in the penultimate scene, while the rest are named only in the script.

---> "You do it for your country so you don't have to admit you like it."
** Also, the humans are Not So Different from the Predators, being murderers motivated by the sport of it. [[spoiler: Edwin actually seems to embrace this, identifying himself as an outcast and a "Freak", which WordOfGod claims the Black Predators are as well]].

* ObviousTrap: The Predators set one with the cartel member. The team doesn’t fall for it.
* ObviousVillainSecretVillain: The main group of soldiers are whittled down by a Predator team led by the Berserker, who serves as the FinalBoss for Royce, Isabel and Edwin. As Royce teams with an older Predator to outmaneuver the Berserker, Isabel is ambushed by Edwin, who reveals that his cover as a meek doctor is a ruse: he's actually a SerialKiller, and overjoyed to be on a planet filled with monsters like him.

** Edwin's face, before that (he was used as bait to lure whatever was stalking them out).

* OnlySaneMan: Edwin comes off as this, ''especially'' compared to Cuchillo and Stans. This makes sense since most of the others are a BloodKnight at best, and a PsychoForHire at worse. [[spoiler: Subverted, he's by far the craziest.]]
* OntologicalMystery: Our main characters awaken in mid-drop into a strange jungle, armed with weapons, and no memory of how they got into this situation. Lampshaded when the characters discuss their situation and point out every single most used solution to the mystery: from a military training scenario to gauge stress reactions, to [[EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory Hell]]. Later solved when they find out they're on a completely different planet.
* OutrunTheFireball: The characters try to escape the derelict ship before the explosion from Nikolai's claymores catches up to them.

** ''''''"FUCK! All of you!"''''''
** So I can find out who threw me out of a '''fuckin airplane'''.
* PreMortemOneLiner: [[spoiler: Nikolai gets one. In Russian, naturally: "You're one ugly motherfucker." The actual translation is “What an ugly face you have.”]]
* PsychoForHire: Royce and Cuchillo, maybe Mombasa. The other members are either too honorable to be psycho; or are too psycho to be for hire.
* TheQuietOne: Hanzo, the Yakuza assassin. He lost two fingers on his left hand (and needs to use prosthetics) in the past because he "talked too much." Despite having a mere handful of lines, he has more presence than most of the rest of the cast combined, and [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome one of the best scenes in the film]].
* RapeIsASpecialKindOfEvil: Everyone knows Stans is a murderer, but Edwin doesn't get discomfited until he starts talking about all the "fine bitches" he's going to rape when he gets home.
* RareGuns: The Atchisson Assault Shotgun (AA-12) makes its second appearance on the big screen.

** The humans are trying to figure out where they've been dropped. Cue the AlienSky, with a gas giant and multiple moons!

** [[spoiler:Edwin, the doctor,]] is revealed to have actually been a serial murderer back on Earth and finds himself quite at home on a world dominated by alien predators.

* SherlockScan: Royce identifies the various groups within an hour.

** The music that plays during the end credits is "Long Tall Sally," the same music Dutch and his team are listening to as they're about to go into the jungle. Also a bit of SoundtrackDissonance, given the BittersweetEnding just before it.

** Royce to Noland : [[Film/{{Scarface 1983}} "Say goodbye to your little friend!"]]. It references his imaginary friend.
** Noland mentions having been in Air Cavalry during the Sixties, and hums [[Film/ApocalypseNow Ride Of The Valkyries]] at one point.

** Nikolai is [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 a large, Eastern European man carrying a handheld rotary cannon]].
* SingleStrokeBattle: The fight between Hanzo and the Predator.

* SociopathicSoldier: Half the cast are soldiers, Mombasa is part of a militant group known to have openly participated in atrocities and war crimes and he admits as much. Royce also hints that he likes killing, and may well be primarily imployed by the CIA. IDF Sniper Isabelle expresses sadness only over her spotting partner and none over any of her (presumably) many targets over her career. Nikolai, despite being a fairly stand-up guy with two children, is nonetheless participating in the "pacification" of Chechnya with the KGB ''Spetznaz'' Alpha Group.

* SpikesOfVillainy: The alien hunting dogs have more tusks, horns, and antlers than anything ought to, but it sure makes them look wicked awesome.

* StupidEvil: While on the run from the title alien hunters, Edwin steps on a BearTrap, so Isabelle helps him walk. Out of nowhere, [[spoiler:he stabs her in the back and reveals he's a SerialKiller who has decided to make her his next victim. Fortunately, Royce shows up before he can finish her off, and he is killed when he tries to stab him in the back.]]

* SummonBiggerFish: Royce attracts the Predators with an explosion.

** Isabelle's finely-calibrated--and thus finicky--sniper rifle jams in the midst of a fast-paced gun fight. Highly likely in the dirty, humid jungle environment they were in.
** Awesome weapons and firing stances like {{BFG}}s and GunsAkimbo have very bad aim. All the shots from the hip burn through ammo with very few bullets actually hitting.

* SurveillanceDrone: One of the Predators has a mobile scout that flies around and attaches to his shoulder. He's even called the Falconer.
* SurvivorGuilt: It's Isabelle's main motivation; it's also notably lacking in Royce and the others.
* TakingYouWithMe: How one unfortunate merc takes care of a Predator.

** While they are all mulling over their OntologicalMystery, Tijujana gangster Cuchillo suggests they may have been taken for ransom, and goes on to describe the awful things they do to their victims.

** Nikolai was also a pretty decent guy. He was a Spetsnaz soldier but there's no mention about him being involved in any war crimes and is more than willing to put his own life on the line to save the others.
** Subverted in the case of [[spoiler:Edwin]]. As Royce describes to Isabelle that every one of them are seasoned killers, he notes that the meek [[spoiler:Edwin]]'s presence doesn't even make sense. [[spoiler:The doctor eventually reveals himself as the most psychotic member of the entire group, since he's a SerialKiller whose only motive to kill innocent people is because he likes it and feels at home on the predator death world.]]
* [[TooDumbToLive Too Shortsighted To Live]]: [[spoiler:Edwin is dangerous in a way, but not to heavily armed soldiers or the even more physically imposing aliens. Even if Royce has left them, Edwin stands a ''much'' better chance of survival with Isabelle than wearing her scalp as a hat or whatever he had in mind. However, it's {{justified|Trope}} by his nature as a serial killer, as such individuals rarely operate on a rational basis. As proof of his skewed perception, he expresses the belief that the Predators will accept him when they see he is a hunter like them; in truth, the Black Predators weren't any more likely to see him as less of an ant than the others and as for the classical Predators his method of hunting resembles theirs not at all.]]

* VillainProtagonist: Most of the group are NOT nice people including a Yakuza hitman, a death row serial killer and rapist, an African death squad commando, a cartel enforcer, and an [[TheUnfettered unfettered]] mercenary who won't hesitate to backstab his comrades if his own survival is on the line.

* UnflinchingWalk: A Predator walks away casually without even looking at his own ship he's just detonated.

* WithThisHerring: Everyone starts out with whatever they were carrying before, so two of the characters only have knives. Lampshaded by Stans, who demands to be given a gun and nearly kills Mombasa for his, since all he has is a prison shiv.

** [[spoiler:When the classic Predator faces the black Predator, it has been tied up for a while and has poorly maintained equipment, which are the main reasons why it loses. Despite this, he puts up a fight.]]
** [[spoiler:When the black Predator faces Royce he has been stabbed, had a fistfight with another Predator and had a ring of grenades explode in his face. When Royce stops to catch his breath, the fight goes as well as it normally would.]]

** Notably defied, as the Black Predators are exiled criminals who don't play by the rules. Noland has managed to kill at least two Predators, but unlike past media, he's still being hunted rather than being allowed to go home [[spoiler:and Tracker doesn't even try to be sporting with him]]. Also, [[spoiler:despite managing to kill Berserker, the cast are treated the same as Noland was and left for the next hunt.]]
** Played straight with [[spoiler:Falconer and Hanzo, as Falconer has enough respect to give him a fair fight.]]

* {{Yubitsume}}: Hanzo turns out to have two fingers sliced off because he "talked too much", in his words.

An American mercenary, Royce, wakes to find himself free falling toward a jungle below, with no clue why he's hurtling towards the ground at an alarming rate, or why there's a parachute on him that deploys automatically. Soon after landing, he encounters others who have arrived the exact same way. All they have in common is that each is a deadly killer and they band together for strength in numbers. Soon they realize that not only are they not in Kansas anymore, they're on a gigantic game reserve....

** [[Franchise/AlienVsPredator The Enemy of my Enemy...]] [[TakeThat is NOT my friend.]]

** The title of the film is a reference to the title of the second film in the ''Alien'' franchise, Film/{{Aliens}}.

* TitleDrop: Isabelle says to Royce that they were chosen for the hunt because "we are predators. Just like them. We're the monsters of our own world."

* SequelHook: [[spoiler: The ending has Royce and Isabelle still stuck on planet as a number of newbies are parachute-dropped in...]].

** Stans doesn't seem too bad, but you work out he's probably a serial rapist and murderer, and he admits he was on Death Row. ''In California''. Deleted scenes establish that he killed 38 people because he wanted to.

* SociopathicSoldier: Half the cast are soldiers, Mombasa is part of a militant group known to have openly participated in atrocities and war crimes and he admits as much. Royce also hints that he likes killing, and may well be primarily imployed by the CIA. IDF Sniper Isabelle expresses sadness only over her spotting partner and none over any of her (presumably) many targets over her career. Nikolai, despite being a fairly stand-up guy with two children, is2 nonetheless participating in the "pacification" of Chechnya with the KGB ''Spetznaz'' Alpha Group.

* ArmiesAreEvil: Inverted. In a group that includes criminals, terrorists, and psychopathic killers; Isebelle and Nikolai, both of whom are enlisted soldiers in their respective countries' armed forces, are not only the most respectable but the most morally decent and mentally stable out of the lot of them. Royce was a former soldier as well before going freelance and while he has his KickTheDog moments, in the end he regains a bit of his old moral center.

* HumansAreBastards: Our heroes are not nice people. Predators are bastards to each other, too. The Preds picked Royce and the others because no one would miss them (being soldiers guilty of genocide or terrorism, heartless mercenaries, criminals, et cetera). Though technically neither Isabelle nor Nikolai are shown or mentioned as doing anything "evil", other than just being soldiers.

* SociopathicSoldier: Half the cast are soldiers, but only Mombasa is part of a militant group known to have openly participated in atrocities and war crimes and he admits as much. Royce also hints that he's a merc because he likes killing. Averted with Nikolai, who's a fairly stand-up guy with two children he obviously loves, and was selected by the Preds because he was on some top-secret mission in Chechnya with ''Spetznaz'' Alpha Group.

* NeverTrustATrailer:
** One trailer (and the page image) shows Royce's upper body being ''covered'' in the iconic Predator three-dot laser, implying that there's a considerable number of Predators on the planet. In reality, there's only three, four Predators max. In the actual scene, it's only one target.

* TheBerserker: Stans goes KnifeNut on the Dog. He gets respect from the guys with guns after this. If you note the line in which they travel, Stans ends up third in line, right behind Isabelle. Later on he stabs at the big black predator with just a knife.

** There's also a Mexican KnifeNut [[TypeCasting played by]] Creator/DannyTrejo, and his name is [[Film/ForAFewDollarsMore Cuchillo]]...

* KnifeNut: Stans was left only with his prison shiv, but it's likely that he's better with that than a gun. When he presses his knife to Mombasa's throat, he moves like a cobra, so fast that you wonder why he's even asking for one.

* PreMortemOneLiner: [[spoiler: Nikolai gets one. In Russian, naturally: "You're one ugly motherfucker."]]

* BaldOfAwesome[=/=]BaldOfEvil: Hanzo.