Predator is one of the most iconic action movies of all time, and it’s about to be the latest trophy in my collection of Cinematic Chiasmus. Chiasmus is a storytelling style in which the first half mirrors the second half. And Predator amazingly falls into this symmetrical pattern.

I felt compelled to write this as soon as possible, and I hope you will enjoy joining me as we unmask Predator’s chiasmus.

The Chiasmus

The chiasmus in Predator looks like this.

A. The Predator is introduced from afar in space
 B. A chopper arrives at a jungle base with Dutch and his team inside
  C. Dutch is the last member of his team to leave the chopper
   D.. Dillon loses a contest of strength to Dutch, and he says he’s going with Dutch on what turns out to be a suicide mission
    E. Dutch’s teammates put camouflage on their faces and arm themselves as they fly into the jungle together
     F. Poncho climbs up into a downed chopper and finds a bloody mess inside
      G. Billy finds a team of skinned green berets hanging from a tree after they lost a fight to the Predator
       H. Billy finds evidence of the green berets firing wildly in all directions to try to hit the Predator
        I. Blain cocks his minigun and says, “Payback time” about the men he thinks skinned the green berets
         J. The Predator lurks nearby. Dutch looks around, but he can’t see the Predator watching him from a tree
          K. Dillon accidentally makes a lot of noise, giving away the team’s position. Mac promises to kill him with a knife in response
           L. Dutch and his team launch an assault on a terrorist camp after the inhabitants shoot a hostage in the head
            M. Dutch spares Anna’s life after neutralizing the threat she posed to him
             N. Dillon takes Anna prisoner and forces her to go with Dutch’s team
              O. Mac kills a scorpion, he says “Anytime” to Dillon, and Billy gazes eerily at the jungle
               P. The Predator comes down to the camp, and we get our first peek at his hand
                Q. Dutch’s team travels deeper into the jungle to try to escape to safety
                 R. Anna creates a diversion in her first escape attempt, but she’s quickly discovered
                  S. Billy gets spooked by the Predator, frozen in unknown terror
                   T. Anna tries to escape again. Hawkins catches her and says, “Please” right before becoming a corpse
                    U. The Predator kills Hawkins and drags his body into the jungle to avoid detection
                     V. Poncho and Dutch find Anna drenched in Hawkins’ blood and are puzzled about what happened
                     V. Poncho and Dutch look at some of Hawkins’ blood and entrails on the ground and realize he was killed just like the green berets
                    U. The Predator kills Blain and runs into the jungle after Mac spots him
                   T. Anna hears the Predator for the first time after Mac says, “Goodbye, bro” to Blain’s corpse
                  S. Billy admits he’s scared of the Predator and says with certainty, “We’re all going to die”
                 R. Anna fails to use a distraction to make her escape, and Blain’s body can’t be found
                Q. Dutch’s team makes a stand in the jungle to try to kill the Predator
               P. The Predator gets lifted up in a net, and Dillon gets his first peek at him
              O. The Predator kills Mac, says “Anytime” to Dillon before killing him, and kills Billy in a faceoff
             N. Dutch tells Anna to run away and get to the chopper intended for Dutch’s team
            M. The Predator fails to kill Dutch, making Dutch realize that mud neutralizes the Predator’s heat vision
           L. Dutch prepares an assault on the Predator, while the Predator savors the skulls he’s collected from Dutch’s team
          K. Dutch purposefully makes a lot of noise to give away his position. The Predator heats up his blades in response
         J. The Predator lurks right past Dutch. He looks around, but he can’t see Dutch watching him from a tree
        I. Dutch shoots the Predator with an explosive arrow, starting to take revenge on him for killing his team
       H. The Predator fires wildly from his shoulder gun in all directions to try to hit Dutch
      G. Dutch hangs under a log to avoid detection by the Predator when he’s not ready to fight
     F. The Predator lures Dutch down into a cave with a trail of his own blood
    E. Dutch and the Predator’s masks come off, and they fight each other alone without weapons
   D. The Predator loses a battle of wits with Dutch, and he tries to take Dutch with him as he commits suicide
  C. Dutch is the only member of his team to get to the chopper
 B. The chopper departs from the jungle with Dutch and Anna inside
A. Each cast member bids farewell up close and personal in the jungle

Turn Around

I love that the turning point of this chiasmus comes at such a meaningful moment in the film. It’s when the perspective of Dutch and his men changes from uneasiness and vague suspicions to finally realizing the gravity of their situation and beginning to confront the problem head-on. The whole focus of the film shifts from a routine mission to facing an existential (or extra-terrestriential?) threat once Hawkins is killed and his body can’t be found.

I also like how M, J, and H really show how Dutch and the Predator switch places over the course of the film. The Predator follows in Dutch’s footsteps in M, and then Dutch becomes a predator and the Predator becomes his prey in those other scenes.

In case you were wondering if Predator has any depth to it, now there’s no doubt. What an amazing film! For everyone who made it to the end, I appreciate you not following Blain’s advice and saying you ain’t got time to read.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

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