Editorial

The Bottom Line: September 14, 2018: A Hapless Predator Stalks New Prey on Earth

Predator In Mask The Predator

The Bottom Line September 14, 2018

Quick Takes

The Nun was the scary movie that audiences craved last weekend. The Nun was the Number One at the box office last weekend, defeating Crazy Rich Asians and newcomer Peppermint.

Box Office Top Five

The Nun premiered in the Number One spot at the box office last weekend with $53.5 Million. Crazy Rich Asians was Second at the box office last weekend with $13.6 Million for $136.2 Million so far. Peppermint premiered in Third Place with $13.2 Million. The Meg was Fourth with $6 Million for $131.5 Million so far. World-wide, The Meg has made $491.9 Million. Searching was Fifth with $4.5 Million.

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A Closer Look at Some of this Week’s Films

The Predator (R) 108 mins.

I have been waiting for a worthy Predator follow-up film and this film does not seem as though it is that film. The Predator looks like it has good parts, like the majority of Predator 2 and Predators, but that the whole is missing something. The Predator is advertised as having a plethora of colorful characters, jokes, and gore but not a storyline worthy of being front and center. If that is the problem in the trailers and TV spots, it is most-likely the same with the film itself. I wish this weren’t the case. I wish that The Predator was the hard-boiled, vicious, unforgiving film that the first one was but this film doesn’t seem anywhere close.

A Simple Favor (PG-13) 116 mins.

A Simple Favor looks like a simple film – as flash and style, little substance. That is what I gathered from the trailers for the film, though that might not actually be the case. There is a mystery in the film. That is easy to see but will it be compelling. Did as much thought go into that as the art direction for the film?

White Boy Rick (R) 116 mins.

White Boy Rick, based on the true story of Richard Wershe Jr., is the second most interesting film release of the weekend, behind The Predator. Since the person this film is based on is still in prison, that fact will make the film even more interesting to some.  What will also interest cinephiles is that Richard Wershe Jr. is surrounded by minorities in his neighborhood (and eventual drug racket) and is gradually seen as one of them thus he becomes trusted by his adoptive comrades.

Lizzie (R) 106 mins.

True horror fans will gravitate to this film this weekend as Lizzie is not about cheap thrills or building a film franchise. Lizzie is about telling a single, standalone good story with drama that exists outside the chief horrible act that occurs in the film.

The Bottom Line

The Predator will open this weekend in First Place. There is just too much interest in the villainous alien, even if the film is reportedly sloppy. The Nun is going to be second this weekend. The Nun would be first again but The Predator has too much name recognition. People want to see how potentially good or potentially bad The Predator is. A Simple Favor will premiere in Third. Fans of the lead actresses and Gossip Girl will turn out for this stylish thriller. White Boy Rick will premiere in Fourth Place. Crazy Rich Asians with be Fifth at the box office this weekend.

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A Look Forward To:

Fahrenheit 11/9 (Sept 21), Venom (Oct 5), Assassination Nation (Oct 5), First Man (Oct 12), Halloween (Oct 19).

Leave your thoughts on The Bottom Line September 14, 2018 for the films opening this weekend in movie theaters below in the comments section. Readers seeking more The Bottom Line can visit our The Bottom Line Page. Want up-to-the-minute notification? Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook.

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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