Star Trek - Film Series: Thoughts 'n' Stuff

Star Trek - Film Series: By Average Review Rating

(Averages from Imdb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic).
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01. Star Trek (2009) - - - 8.1
02. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) - - - 7.6
03. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) - - - 7.5
04. Star Trek: First Contact (1997) - - - 7.4
05. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) - - - 7.0
06. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991) - - - 6.8
07. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) - - - 6.2
08. Star Trek: Insurrection (1999) - - - 6.2
09. Star Trek Generations (1994) - - - 5.9
10. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) - - - 5.6
11. Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) - - - 5.6
12. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) - - - 4.6
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Star Trek - Film Series: gARTh's Order, and thoughts...
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01. Star Trek (2009)

- - - I love this movie. I love it as a Star Trek movie, but I think I love it more as just a great movie. The new cast may not be the original cast, or the Next Gen cast, and depending on your age or preference you're probably attached in some way to one or both of those. But, this new cast is still one helluva cast, and they have that spark and that chemistry that made the previous crews so relatable, compelling, and resonant. Pine's Kirk is not Shatner's Kirk, nor is any other character for that matter an exact copy of their original series counterpart (really, Karl Urban's McCoy is the only one that's truly like the original and it still works due in part to the perfection that is his introductory scene and how it plays). But they made these characters their own within this new film, and it works.

What works even more is how much fun it is, and while much fuss was made about the super-fast pace and the modern blockbuster style action thrills that don't feel like Star Trek of olde, I think if those movies had come out now they would've had all that. This movie also made Star Trek "cool" with mainstream audiences that might never have gotten into it before, partly due to the rise of geek culture with mainstream comicbook movies and such, but also because it feels like a summer blockbuster in the best of ways. And it's well written, the plot's pretty good, it manages to introduce the new cast of characters to those that knew the old versions and to those that are experiencing all of this for the first time, and it's highly entertaining to just sit back and watch.

I think this is the best Star Trek movie, and I like all of the rest, for the most part. But this is a Star Trek MOVIE, not a movie featuring Star Trek as you may have seen it on TV. And I think, because of that lack of restriction or ties to anything previous (other than the rebooting of classic characters in a remake sort of way), it was able to just be a movie. And while I like Star Trek a lot, and I like many fandoms of many different kinds - whether it be Harry Potter or Star Wars or whatever - I like movies more than I like the fandoms and the surrounding mythologies of the worlds and characters. If all of that adds up to a good movie, then I love it, because I'm a movie fan first and foremost. If the mythology surrounding it is great but the movie that features it is sort of okay at best, then I'm not really that big a fan of it. Because all that other stuff doesn't matter to me as much; the movie does. And Star Trek (2009) is a near flawless movie. How it may or may not relate to the larger fandom of Star Trek is beside the point.

02. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

- - - A great science fiction action film, with or without the Trek, Wrath of Khan brought Star Trek to cinematic life in ways that The Motion Picture just couldn't do (by sticking too close to the original series' tone). I personally think that, in a lot of ways, Wrath of Khan doesn't feel like Star Trek, and sort of reinvented what Star Trek should or could be. Star Trek was not action heavy until this movie, nor did it have an action movie's pacing (there's not really that much action in it, but it feels like there is due to the pacing and tone), and just like the 2009 reboot, this movie was a game-changer for the series. It brought Star Trek into the world of 80's science fiction action movies and made it relevent in a world dominated by Star Wars and the like. Montalban brings to epic life the most famous Trek villain of all time, and the movie's writing keeps it smart and witty and moving along towards the thrilling and  surprisingly emotional finale. The most important thing this movie did, though, is be entertaining. That's what The Motion Picture was missing most, and that's what Star Trek needed if it was going to survive. That this still holds up so well is a testament to this film's magic.

03. Star Trek: First Contact (1997)

- - - The only Next Gen film that I think really nailed what makes this new crew click while telling a compelling 'could only have been told on the big screen' story. It expands on the beginnings of Earth's move towards the Star Trek era of Starfleet peace. It expands on the villainous Borg and creates the second best Star Trek movie villain in the process. It deals with Picard's anguish and emotional issues over the situation in ways that Generations wished it had. It deals with time-travel in a less 'fish-out-of-water' way than Voyage Home and plays it more as a ticking-clock threat. And, more than anything, it's a great, fun, blockbuster film. Most of the Star Trek movies before the Kelvin era, even the best ones, have a way of feeling like Star Trek movies, and anyone that's not already a fan has a hard time "getting into them" because of this. First Contact is a Star Trek film, too, and feels like it... but, it's also fun enough and accessible enough that anyone can enjoy it. Up until this movie, the only other Star Trek movies I can think of that have that sort of 'mainstream audience' appeal would be Wrath of Khan and maybe Voyage Home to a certain extent (but even that one is mired down in a lot of plotpoints and character details leftover from the two films preceding it).

04. Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)

- - - Taken on its own, this movie is pretty awesome. I realize that it's hard to not compare it to the Wrath of Khan due to this movie's way of integrating previously known characters and stories and previously done scenes, and I get that it's weird that they decided to remake that stuff... but, again, taken on its own and on the merits of what it offers, I love this movie. I've watched it about six times, I think, and I've enjoyed it more and more every time. I can still watch this film and Wrath of Khan and enjoy them both, and neither does anything detrimental to the other because they feel like they're from two different Star Trek universes - which they kinda are. I'm not gonna try to convince you of anything, but I like it and have since I first watched it and think it's one helluva movie. I think Cumberbatch's interpretation works for the film as a kickass villain, I think the redo-scenes play out great and, even though you know what's gonna happen, the emotion is still there. I like the arc that Kirk goes on, from where he is from the previous movie and the beginning of this one to where he's at by the end of this. I seriously  don't have any complaints with Into Darkness, at all.

05. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

- - - The best Klingon story the movies have ever done, this film is highly underrated. Plummer's Shakespeare-obsessed villain, even with limited screen time, is the second best villain of all the original crew films. The story is great, the acting is great, the mystery driving the film is well handled... I mean, really, there's nothing here to not like. I find it interesting, in the years since this came out, how many movies use scenes seemingly taken straight from this. Everything from Chronicles of Riddick to Guardians of the Galaxy have handled their "hero goes to space prison" scenes in amost the exact same manner as Undiscoverd Country. Not sure if this was the first movie to do that, but it feels like it was. And, as a farewell to the original crew, this movie wraps things up in a way that feels right and leaves you satisfied.

06. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

- - - Every other movie to come out of the '80's that revolved around some corny "save the planet" message usually felt more like Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (i.e. cheeseball with a capital "Uggghh!"). But, The Voyage Home's "save the whales" message works perfectly with the awesome character moments, the fun time-travel bits, and the desperation to fight the odds on a crazy save the world sceheme that makes it all somehow work together as a Star Trek movie. This is the kind of movie that, on the surface, shouldn't be as good as it is. It's a goofy story that was just smartly written, well acted, and is highly enjoyable to watch. It's held up great, too, over the years, with everything still playing out and working to the film's strengths, so even the 80's-ness of it doesn't really age it in a bad way.

07. Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

- - - Way better than people tend to give it credit for, this is the most Star Trek (and by that I mean, a big screen continuation of the original series that spawned it) of any of the films. It's smart, it's interesting in a 70's science fiction sort of way (emphasis on the science), and while maybe it's too long and/or too slow by today's standards, it feels more in-line with classic science fiction films than leaned more on mood than action (more 2001, less Star Wars). It's not that much fun, nor is it an entertaining ride, but it does feel like a big cinematic experience and it captures a sense of awe and wonder about this space-age stuff that none of the other films have managed since... partly due to the fact that space-age stuff isn't that wondrous anymore. I completely understand why it's no one's favorite, but I also think it gets a lot of unfair hate, too.

08. Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

- - - It's not that this is a bad movie, because it's not, it just feels like too much - too late. Like the filmmakers, the cast, the crew, everybody was doing it because they were contracted to, or were expected to, not necessarily because they wanted to. Tom Hardy's breakthrough film role is actually a pretty legit villain as far as Trek films go, and the plot's dark turns are pretty well done, (really, the side-story involving Data and Data No. 2 is the worst part of this movie), it's just that by the end you'll be shrugging your shoulders, wondering why it was even made and why you should care. Seems like a strange film, too, for the Next Gen cast to leave us with. But, while watching it at least, it's fairly enjoyable for the most part.

09. Star Trek: Insurrection (1999)

- - - Possibly the one time where "it feels exactly like the show it's based on" might be considered a bad thing. This movie, much like Nemesis, isn't bad at all. In fact, the character stuff going on here is really good. F. Murray Abraham plays a good villain, and the story is intricate and well written. There's just, well, not much going on for seemingly long periods of the film, at least in terms of momentum or anything engaging. It's greatest strength and greatest weakness is that it feels too much like an episode of the show that's been extended out, and while the same has been said for The Motion Picture, that film feels cinematic and big and bold and exactly like what a TV show brought to the big screen should feel like (even if that one's a bit dated). Insurrection, on the other hand, is a tad boring... even though, other than that, it's a really good story worth sitting through.

10. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

- - - That this movie isn't at the bottom of the list is already wrinkling some of your noses, but it has some of the absolute best moments between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy of any of the films. The overall plot isn't bad, even if it goes off the rails at certain points (Uhura's dance sequence?) and has a hugely anti-climactic finale (getting there is decent enough, it's what happens to finish up that feels hokey, unsatisfying, and a little stupid). I don't hate it, though, and never have. Sybock is an interesting enough character and a lot of the early scenes with him play out pretty good, it just starts to unravel as it goes. But, it holds up better while watching it than some of the other films... namely...

11. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

- - - Going back and watching these films a few years ago, and then again recently on Blu-ray, out of all the Star Trek films this is the one that I used to like but now doesn't hold up the most. It feels cheap, more so even than Final Frontier. It's got some major pacing issues, feeling like a not-nearly-as-good Wrath of Khan at times, action heavy and kinetic and with a serious threat (in the form of Christopher Lloyd as Christopher Lloyd wearing a Klingon costume), and at other times it's boring, drawn out, and, well, just plain goofy. The story's good, it's just not very well done. This one feels like an original series episode, too, but not the parts of the episodes it probably wants to feel like. The only thing missing from the lamest 'hero vs. villain' battle a Starfleet officer ever had to endure is a rubber rock shaking in the shot (although, actually, there might be one or two). The Klingons, in their first big screen appearance, are underused and sometimes fairly laughable, coming across like the villains in your average Saturday morning cartoon than anything else.

But, there are good moments. Bones, in particular, gets to play a more lead role and it helps the film immensely, as well as all of the Vulcan stuff. However, in my opinion, I probably wouldn't ever watch it again if not for it's importance on the series' over-arcing story. There is a noticable and significant quality dip between Wrath of Khan and Voyage Home, and I'd say it feels like maybe it was rushed together, but it had two years between films like most of the rest of the films, so...? That I don't think it's as good as Final Frontier should really be all I need to say. 

12. Star Trek Generations (1994)

- - - Alas, Generations just isn't that good. The original cast stuff is great, but the cinematic introduction of the Next Generation is clumsy (putting it mildly), and if anyone watching this movie had never watched the show before - they probably didn't after. Picard spends most of the movie either as an unlikable a-hole, or brooding in the dark, or telling people he doesn't want to do his job (then later telling someone else to suck it up and do his job), or sitting on some rocks for like thirty minutes of the film's runtime doing absolutely nothing. Data, one of the most fun characters on the show, is flatout annoying here, and I dislike almost every moment he's on screen. Pretty much everybody else spends the movie reacting to Picard's a-hole-ness or Data's annoying behavior, and so you're left watching Whoopi Goldberg's minor character Guinan steal the show while Jonathan Frakes' Riker, also in a very minor role, tries to salvage the Star Trek in what's supposed to be a Star Trek movie. Malcolm McDowell's villain begins as a great foil for the crew, but quickly turns to hamming it up with speeches and goofy leers that simply make me want to turn this off and watch him in Tank Girl instead. And, when the two 'generations' meet, it's about as exciting as trying to smash two things together and hope they fit. I can barely sit through this movie anymore. It has its moments here and there, don't get me wrong, but it is by far the worst of the entire film series.
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These are just my personal thoughts, and I know that the majority of people don't agree with my choices or reasons. I actually don't think most people agree with the list order provided by the review averages, either.

Closing thoughts...

I love Star Trek. But, I didn't used to. I liked some of 'em but never loved any of 'em. I think it's an age thing. When I was younger, Star Wars was cool and awesome, while Star Trek was sort of old-school and boring by comparison. But, as I've gotten older and my tastes have changed, I find that I like Star Trek a tad more, in certain ways. I like the original series, I like Next Generation, and I like the movies they led to (I haven't been able to get into the other series, by the way, in case you're wondering why I haven't mentioned them). Even the movies I dogged on here, there's still a lot to like in the stories they tell. I wouldn't give any of them negative ratings or anything (even Generations I'd probably give a 2.5 outta 5).

But, what I like most, I think, is Star Trek wrapped in a Star Wars package - Starfleet stories told in a hugely entertaining Star Wars-like way. That's why I like Wrath of Khan and First Contact so much, and why I think I love the new ones. I can get my Star Trek fix and my Star Wars fix at the exact same time, whereas growing up it was almost like one or the other, separately. It's not so different, in my mind, than loving James Bond wrapped in a Jason Bourne-like style, making the Daniel Craig Bond movies the undisputed best Bond films (sorry, Connery had the misfortune of acting in corny stories that don't age well in an era that didn't know how to film action scenes yet). Or, watching recent horror films that have finally figured out the best way to make a very modern horror movie using the best of what worked in the classics without it feeling like a ripoff of some particular classic.

Anyway, the latest Star Trek movie, Beyond, is currently sitting an an average review rating of 7.9, making it (at the moment) the second best Star Trek film ever made, only topped by the 2009 film. I didn't include it, because it's still a few days from release and that number will probably go down when all is said and done. But, the early word speaks volumes for this new series... Because the 2009 film is unequivocally the best received Trek film ever made, and Into Darkness, for all it's controversy and huffing-and-puffing amongst fans, is the third best received Trek film ever made. And now, Beyond is being well received.

Years from now, I wouldn't be surprised if I say that I like the so-called Kelvin Star Trek films on equal terms as the Star Wars original trilogy. Blasphemy, perhaps, but I've been saying that Craig is better than Connery since 2012, and as the years progress I get less and less push-back when I say it (meaning that others are starting to see it, too).

Popular opinion sometimes stays popular opinion strictly because it's popular to state that opinion, or something like that.

But, opinions (in my opinion, lol), just like tastes, should evolve and grow. And I think there are plenty of movie opinions on the internet based on nothing more than "that's what I'm expected to say so that I don't get attacked by everyone else that's already said it." Keeping in line with the majority rather than striking out on one's own and dealing with the flack. But, I've been loving movies that everyone's told me suck all my life, from Howard the Duck and Transylvania 6-5000 to Willow and Adventures of Baron Munchausen, these are all movies that I discovered and loved long before I knew they had bad reputations. Which means that the reputations, in my mind, have nothing to do with their actual quality and instead are based around "outside factors."

So... Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek Beyond, and the just-announced Star Trek 4, will - most likely - be "up there" with the best science-fiction franchises. Not because I have a nostalgic love for them that's reinforced by a surviving popular opinion, but because they managed to be great films despite any outside opinion/obstacles and any sort of modern-day adult cynicism about modern films not being as good as things that came out "'X' amount of" years ago.

They are quite simply consistently good movies, which is something neither previous Trek film series could manage. 

Star Trek Beyond hits theaters Friday, July 22nd. I will be seeing it during the Thursday night preview shows, because this is one of three movies I was most excited about coming out this summer (and I've already seen the other two).

- gARTh -

PREDATOR: RETRIBUTION - Story Treatment

Preface:

The following is a story treatment I had started working on that's been in my head for about five years or so. I started working on the details, writing out the basics, casting ideas and some dialogue. It's not perfect, because I only had most of it worked out and I'm not spending any more time on it, but I thought it was kind of cool.

This isn't meant to be anything more than just something fun, because it's a story to which I own no rights nor have any way of actually contributing to in a real-life sense (i.e. it's basically like fan fiction). I decided to post it up on here, to share it, and I hopefully you enjoy reading it for what it is.

Thanks,
T. Garth Simmons

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TURKISH VILLAGE - NIGHT

Militant rebel forces roam streets as townfolk rush indoors. A curfew is in effect. A message repeats over loudspeakers on gun-mounted trucks that circle the town: "We are in control of your village. Do not get in our way and you will not be harmed."

Inside, on the second floor of a former official building, the Militant Commander is on the phone, making demands. He learns that the U.S., European Union, Russia, China, even Iran, all refuse to support their claim and their cause. The Commander slams the phone down, furious.

He walks out onto an open balcony, lights up a cigarette. As he exhales, suddenly he is impaled from behind by a spear of some kind, lifted off the ground, and thrown from the balcony into the street.

A few guards come running out from the second floor hallway, looking down at his body, while men on the ground are examining the body and rushing around below, guns at the ready. From below one man asks, "Did anyone see what happened? Did he jump?" A man from the balcony responds, "The Commander wouldn't do that!" Another states, "Someone took him out!" "Spread out! Keep your eyes open!"

The men on the ground begin combing the area thoroughly. The two guards on the balcony begin looking over the walls and the roof of their own building, and scanning the rooftops of the buildings across from them. There are men walking and searching those rooftops, as well.

Suddenly, at the exact same time, two men on two different rooftops are taken down, quick and mysteriously. The guys on the balcony witness it, and scream out: "On the roofs!" They open fire wildly, and a group of men rush inside the buildings.  After a moment, the two on the balcony stop firing. It goes quiet. No one emerges from the building, on the ground or on the rooftops.

One says to the other, "Go call this in, someone needs to know what's happening here!"

One heads back inside and picks up the phone. While he dials, his partner - behind him, still on the balcony - is lifted up and out of sight with no sound. "Yes, Commander?" comes a voice on the other end of the line. He replies in haste, "The Commander is dead, we need reinfo-"

The guard's voice is cut off. Blood sprays on the table and the phone drops, while the man's body falls to the floor. There is a strange, low rumbling growl, animalistic and distinctly terrifying, coming from the unseen killer. On the open line, the voice continues, "Hello? Please repeat. What's the situation?"

Panning back from the phone and table, the limp body of the guard is dragged by his right leg towards the balcony. Holding the leg is nothing, or seemingly nothing, yet as the spectral unseen killer passes in front of the room's desk lamp, the light reflects off the "invisible intruder" just enough that a man-like shape appears. The killer shape drags the body out of the room, and in one strong pull the body is heaved up towards the building's roof and out of sight.

The faint voice over the phone - "Hello? Please repeat." - can still be heard.

Cut to Black.
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Insert Title:

" P R E D A T O R  :  R E T R I B U T I O N "

Cut to:
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WASHINGTON D.C. OFFICES - DAY

A man in a suit runs quickly down a bustling hallway of some unnamed government agency building. He is clutching a dark colored folder, and cutting through the groups of people with a crisp, "Move please," or "Make way!"

He crashes through an office door, the alarmed secretary barely getting out a "Hey, you can't just..." before he bursts through the inner office door. She tries once more, with "He's on a conference call..." but the man closes the door in her face. He walks briskly up to the desk in the center of the office, halting as he reaches it.

Sitting at the desk is a 30-something in a sharp suit (Chris Pine), speaking over the phone very professionally to someone that obviously demands respect. "Yes, I can see how it might appear that way, sir, but I assure you that nothing could be further from the truth." He catches sight of the man, which clearly aggravates him, and he waves the man away.

Undeterred, the man speaks up softly, "I'm sorry, sir. It can't wait. There's been an incident. You need to see this."

"I'm sorry General, could you give me just one moment," and the young boss holds the reciever to his chest. "What the hell's wrong with you? Do you have any-"

The man cuts his boss off, "It's a Level Seven, sir. Less than 36 hours ago."

The young boss hangs the phone up without a second thought and grabs the folder from the man's outstretched hand. He quickly scans the documents inside, eyes darting back and forth as he absorbs the information.

"Sir? How do you want to proceed?" the man probes.

His boss, still lost in the info, babbles under his breath, "I can't believe it, it's been so long..."

"Sir?"

The boss looks up and slowly stands. There's a pause, and then he collects himself. "Ininiate the Level Seven protocols. Start bringing 'em in."

The man nods and rushes out as quickly as he came.

The young boss sits back down in his chair, savoring the contents of the folder a while longer. He finally lounges back, spins the chair around and glares out the window into the morning sun. He mutters, "Finally," and smiles to himself.

Pulling back, the name plate on his desk is revealed:

"Sean Keyes - Director of Operations"
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MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, WISCONSIN - SUNSET

A cabin, some woods, a nice plot of peace-and-quiet land. Inside the cabin, it's growing dark. Cluttering every inch of the place are magazines, newspapers, boxes, and milk-crates of belongings and knick-knacks that were never unpacked but are covered in dust.

On the wall are police department special commendation awards, framed and hung with care. An antique packed-powder pistol is hung on a plaque above an unlit fireplace. Some sort of necklace dangles from the old pistol, too.

Out front, a small fire burns. A dog lies nearby, along with a large red cooler and an empty camping chair.

An aging man shuffles calmly up, carrying a shotgun in one hand and a dead rabbit caught in a snare in the other. He approaches the fire, props the shotgun up behind the chair, and sets the rabbit down next to it. He plops down in the seat with some satisfaction, revealing himself.

He is retired LAPD Lt. Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover).

"When you learn to catch your own then you can have rabbit instead of that dry stuff," he says to the dog as he picks up the rabbit, the dog staring at it and whining. "Oh, stop it. You know I'm gonna give you some anyway." He smiles, the dog's tongue wags. He catches a glimpse above at the wide open sea of stars above him and he smiles. "I'll never get tired of this view." As he stares, he notices one of the stars is moving - towards him.

His smile turns to a a split-second of fear, and then settles on a disapproving frown.

Harrigan reaches calmly for the shotgun, checks the cartidges, pulls one empty out and flings it behind him and reloads a new one from his pocket. He sits back in the chair, and holds the shotgun down by his side at the ready. As the sound of a helicopter grows, he glances at the rabbit, down in the dirt by his feet, and shakes his head.

The helicopter lands in a flourish of dust and noise. Two men get out; Keyes and a man of military bearing (Luke Goss), dressed to the nines in combat gear and packing an advanced looking assault rifle. As they approach, Keyes sees Harrigan and calls out.

"Michael Harrigan?"

"If I wasn't, then how much time and gas do you think you'd have wasted coming all the way out here?" The two men glance at each other, unsure of how to respond, and continue moving closer.

Harrigan states, "That's close enough, until you tell me who you are." He moves the shotgun into view, still lowered by his side but letting them see it.

"It's all right, Mr. Harrigan, I just want to talk. My name is Keyes. Sean Keyes. I believe you knew my father?"

Harrigan swings the gun out further with a tight look on his face. In turn, the armored man brings his own assault rifle up quickly on Harrigan. Keyes steps in between them, arms up. "Whoa, there. Hold up. Everybody just calm down."

Harrigan: "I met your father, wouldn't say I really knew him." He and the other man are still aimed on each other, with Keyes in the crossfire.

Keyes: "Well, he had a file on you. It spoke highly of your, uh, persistance, and your skills in the field."

Harrigan responds quickly, "I don't believe you. Keyes was an asshole that got himself killed, got a lot of my friends killed, and almost got me killed. He didn't like me, and I sure as hell didn't like him."

Keyes keeps at it, "There was mention of your attitude, sure, but that's not what I'm interested in."

There's a brief silence and finally Harrigan lowers the shotgun, Keyes' man follows suit. "Just what are you interested in. Be specific, and be quick,  my dinner's goin' to waste."

"Do you mind if we sit?" Harrigan nods towards a log on the far side of the fire. Keyes and his man sit on the log, while Harrigan plops back down, with less satisfaction, into his own chair. "This here's Nathan. He's the head of my team." The man Nathan nods rigidly, looking uncomfortable and out of place sitting by a campfire to talk.

"I'm waiting," is all Harrigan says.

Keyes gets to it, "Ok, what I'm about to tell you is classified intel, but knowing your, uh, history, I know you can keep a secret. So... let me tell you a story."
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ARLINGTON, VA HIGHWAY - DAY

"What the hell kind of a story is that?" says the well-built older man with the thick grey beard and thicker Austrian accent (Arnold Schwarzenegger) sitting in the backseat of the town car.

He's speaking to the driver, dressed in a suit and dark glasses like he's secret service or something like it. The man continues: "You know that's a load of bullshit, so why don't you tell me what's really going on?"

Driver: "Mr. Smith, I'm sorry, but that's all I'm allowed to tell you. We'll arrive in just a few..."

The older man Smith sits back in the rear seat, clearly upset. "You people do understand what the word 'retired' means, am I right?

The car pulls up to a gate in front of a large house, proceeds past a guard post, and the driver pulls the towncar around to the front door. A man is already waiting and opens the rear passenger door. The doorman says, "Mr. Smith, if you'll proceed inside, they're all waiting for you."

"Who's 'they'?" he askes bluntly.

"Please, sir," the doorman replies, and gestures towards the open front door to the house.

Aggravated, Mr. Smith enters.
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ARLINGTON HOUSE - DAY

Inside, the house is empty and quiet. Mr. Smith is immediately suspicious, walking slowly down the hallway leading from the front door.

He comes upon a set of double doors, standing open with soft light pouring out. He enters just as two more agents exit the room, and once Mr. Smith is inside, shutting the doors behind them.

Standing at the front of the room is Keyes, with Nathan at attention beside him. Harrigan sits in an armchair with a Scotch in his hand, and in a chair across from Harrigan is a quiet yet striking Brazilian woman. This is Isabelle Rias (Alice Braga).

Keyes greets him with a smile. "Major Schaefer, glad you could make it."

"My name is Smith, now, and your goons didn't give me much of a choice. I told them to go fuck themselves, and they told me that they were just following orders and to speak to the man in charge. Is that you?"

Keyes, looking uneasy, "Well, yes, I'm..."

"Good, so I can tell you to go fuck yourself, and you can bring that damn car back around and take me home."

"Listen, Major..."

"No, I don't care what this is all about. You need to bring me back in for one last job, blah blah blah. I've said no before, and I'm saying no again. Have a nice night." He turns to leave.

Keyes, speaking firmly yet sensatively: "Dutch. We need you on this. Not in the field, but here."

Mr. Smith/Dutch turns around, meeting Keyes' eyes.

Keyes continues, "This isn't just about some mission. It's bigger than that. Please."

Dutch sighs in defeat. "They're back."

Keyes: "Yes."

Dutch: "I really don't know what use I can be. I said all I needed to say thirty years ago. Isn't there someone else you can harrass, that's dealt with this kind of situation more recently?"

Keyes smiles slightly, "Well, yes, in fact." Keyes gestures towards the rest of the group. Dutch finally takes in the room.

Harrigan gruffs, "You ain't the only one they strong-armed into coming."

Dutch makes his way towards the bar and makes himself a drink. Keyes takes the center of the room to make introductions.

"Major Dutch Schaefer..."

Dutch: "Retired."

"...led the covert ops team into Guatamala in '87 that ended in disaster, but became our government's first official foray into this fight. I believe you've all been briefed on Dutch's file."

Keyes, pauses to sip his own drink.

"Dutch, I'd like to introduce you to Lt. Mike Harrigan of the Los Angeles Police Department."

Harrigan: "Retired."

Keyes smiles, and continues: "In 1997, he encountered one of these things in downtown LA, and after many casualties including his entire team, and my father, he was able to defeat it."

Dutch notices Harrigan looking down at the floor, haunted by something for a moment.

"And, finally, this is Sgt. Isabelle Dias, former IDF." Isabelle nods at the men.

"She... Dutch, please, take a seat. You're making me nervous."

Dutch takes a seat on a small couch in between Harrigan and Isabelle.

"Now, she was part of an assorted group of merceneries, killers, and all around badasses who were kidnapped - I don't like to use the word 'abducted' - by these things and dropped off on an as-yet-unknown planet in an as-yet-unconfirmed galaxy, and only by sheer luck were they able to escape and return to Earth."

Harrigan: "Another planet? How the hell did you escape from another planet?"

Dutch: "And you said 'they' escaped? Who else survived, and why aren't 'they' here?"

Isabelle, quietly: "His name is Royce. He was apprehended by your government after we landed." She looks up, hoping that will be the end of it, but the faces looking at her want more info. She sighs.

Isabelle: "After we killed the three hunters..." 

Harrigan: "Three? Jesus."

"...by then it was just the two of us left, Royce and I. We were in bad shape. More people, some not even human, were dropping in from parachutes. The prey for round two, I guess, only we'd killed the predators. Once those others were willing to listen, we worked together and overtook the next ship that came in. We spent a long time figuring out the controls. But, Royce figured it out, and once he felt he was able to, we set a course for home. There were five of us, but... two were killed on the way, and then..." She stops, looking down, not wanting to continue.

Keyes takes over: "Daniel Royce was taken into custody due to his crimes prior to these events, and is serving time in a military prison. The whole thing was sloppily covered up. This was all before I took over the project."

Harrigan, "I have to ask, before we really get into it... What's your interest in all of this, Keyes? No offense, son, but your dad said he wanted to capture the thing. Use its tech to get rich, something like that. I hope you got more sense than him."

Dutch, "In Guatamala, the CIA were already looking into this thing, and used my team... as disposable assets. I will not be used like that again."

Keyes, "Guys, I understand. But things are different now. I told some of this to Harrigan, already, but... Well, let's get to the point, finally."

He steps back over towards the front of the room.

"Three days ago, a small village on the border of Turkey was hit by, and I'm not exaggerating the language used in the reports here, ghosts. These 'ghosts' took down every member of a militant squad, all in one sweeping blow, but left the villagers themselves unharmed. We haven't been able to get a team in there yet, but satelite imagery is pretty forthcoming. Take a look at this."

He pulls out his tablet, and with a swipe, shines a projection onto the nearby wall. It shows a zoomed-in satelite image above a town, and twelve red bodies all lined up.

Dutch, "They're hanging?"

Keyes, "Yes, from what we can tell."

Dutch, "And skinned. That is why they appear red."

Keyes: "Again, yes, it matches some of the CIA's images found in your folder from Guatamala. While reports of this incident in local news are short on actual details, one thing did emerge before being silenced and retracted - that the heads were missing."

Harrigan: "It took the skulls."

Isabelle: "They. They took the skulls. If these men were hit all at once, that would mean there were multiple assailants."

Keyes: "Correct. See, I knew it was a good idea to get you all together."

Dutch: "So, what's the plan? Or did you get us together just to confirm what you already know?"

Harrigan: "He's right. You're planning something, might as well spit it out now."

Keyes: "Well, the trail's gone cold in Turkey, but we've been monitoring, and we've hit on one possible lead. Yesterday, a report surfaced of a wanted murderer in Southeast Asia turning up dead, along with his whole gang. It was attributed to a revenge killing by the local police and wasn't investigated further. Guess how they died?"

Harrigan: "Wait, you want me to believe these things are roaming around the world?" He turns to Dutch, "That fit with you?"

Dutch: "No... the whole idea of a hunting ground is that the prey is contained. Why travel around, taking out targets in different places? It doesn't make sense."

Isabelle: "Are you sure it's not just someone trying to get your attention? Someone who knows what you're looking for and baiting you?"

Keyes: "It's possible. But I wouldn't know who... the only people with all of the details, still alive... are in this room."

Harrigan: "Yeah, except this Royce fella."

Isabelle: "He wouldn't do that. Besides, he's locked away."

Keyes: "It's not Daniel Royce. Now, what I need from you three are ideas. You've fought them and come out of it relatively unscathed. Use your collective knowledge and give us something. Anything. What would they be doing? Why? And, most importantly, how do we stop them from killing any more?"

Dutch: "So, we're just your alien consultants."

Keyes: "For now, yes. You'll be paid handsomely for your time and service. Now, I'm gonna leave you all here. This house is yours for the time being. There are rooms made up for you upstairs, fridge - and bar- are fully stocked, and if you need some time away there's a TV back in the den."

Keyes nods at Nathan, and they both head towards the double doors.

Isabelle: "Keyes. If you really want ideas, then you know who should be here."

Keyes stops and turns slightly, "I'm working on that." He smiles at her, and he and Nathan leave, shutting the doors behind them.

The three survivors sit in silence. Harrigan finally speaks up, "So, who wants another drink?"
_____________________________________

MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON, UNKNOWN.

Daniel Royce (Adrien Brody) sits on a metal bunk in a concrete cell, back against the wall and a pair of fives in his otherwise worthless hand. He slams the cards down, his bunkmate slams down a full house, sixes over Jacks, and grins. Royce grabs a smoke from behind his ear and tosses it to his bunkmate. The other man starts to reshuffle the deck.

"Royce! You got a vistor!" calls a guard from outside the cell. Royce stands and comes to the door. A small window slides open, and he sees Keyes looking in.

Keyes: "Royce. How are you?" 

Royce: "Keyes, man... I'm not sure if you're just hard of hearing or if you're actually stupid."

Keyes smiles. "Look, they're here. Right this second. Landed probably two days ago. And Isabelle and a few others are helping me get a plan together. She wanted me to come and see if I could get you on track, that's all."

Royce: "And I told you, I'm perfectly happy playing cards and watching TV on the taxpayer's dime until you can grant my request."

Keyes: "An impossible request."

It's Royce's turn to smile. "It's only impossible for you, if you let me do it my way... Not only is it possible, but it might even be fun."

Keyes: "You really aren't gonna let this go."

Royce: "You want my help, fine. But he's coming with me. A promise is a promise. All you pencil pushin' government jackoffs can play the asshole card all you want, but don't make me an asshole. Don't make me be that... to him."

Royce is getting aggitated now. "I promised him it would all be ok, despite the sacrifices, and you people... You just treated him like..."

Keyes: "Yeah... I know."

Royce collects himself and pushes his face close to the small window in the door. "You help me get him out of that shithole, and we'll both come work for you. That's my deal."

Keyes looks at him, shakes his head to himself. "Do you know what you're asking?"

Royce: "Well, think of it this way... what other choice do you have?" Royce smiles wide in the tiny window.

Keyes: "I'll see what I can do. No promises."

Royce: "That's right, no promises! No more promises!"

Keyes turns and walks away and a nearby guard approaches, slamming the window shut.
_____________________________________

RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE - DAY

Soldiers walk the battlements of a snow covered fort, built in WWII most likely but with highly modern additions. It's bright, with the sun reflecting off the snow. The soldiers are all bundled and wearing eye protection, but they are alert and disciplined.

One guard leans on a railing, another stops and makes small talk. Two high-tech bladed discs, razor-sharp and fast, penetrate both men simultaneously and then return - boomerang style - back from the direction they'd come. The bodies of the soldiers fall over the railing out of sight, as if they were never there.

On another wall of the fort, a soldier walking alone is stabbed by a blade in upper-cut fashion, through the bottom of his chin and out through the top of his head. The blade retracts, and vanishes, the body slumps to the ground. A soldier nearby sees the body on the ground, blood pooling, and yells. "Help! Intruders!" Other men are running now, and an alarm is raised.

The nearby soldier has almost reached the fallen body when, as he runs, his guts spill as his abdomen is sliced.

In a tower, a commanding officer takes his binoculars and begins panning the parapet and walls of the fort. As he does, men are being sliced, diced, stabbed, impaled, and generally cut to pieces as the view pans the length of the fort. It is a slaughter, some twenty men dead in less than a minute.

The commanding officer's view is then interrupted by a visual distortion, and he pulls the binoculars away from his face. His view out of the tower's window is obscured. The visual distortion gets worse, and in sparks of blue light a creature is revealed standing in front of him. He looks up into the reflective sculpted visor on its face mask, as it picks the commander up by the neck.

Cut to:

A jeep and reinforcments reach the fort, decked out in armored gear and heavily armed. They run in, taking corners and covering areas, as the leader of this back-up group enters the central square courtyard of the fort,  he sees the fort's commander has been tied to a flag pole at the ankle, dangling headfirst and screaming.

As the back-up leader watches, a spectral almost invisible man, hanging off the flagpole beside the commander, slices the commander's throat just as the back-up all come into view.

The thing then hops to the ground, standing in front of the men for a brief moment, and as it does so the eyes of the creature flash a momentary blue light. The men take aim, but falter in absolute fear when flashing blue eyes come from all around them; surrounding them in the courtyard and along the battlements and on top of the towers and everywhere.

There are thirteen Predators, in all, surrounding them.

The men - looking at each other in fear, and then each trying to get a clear shot at one of the mostly-invisible creatures - are all taken out as the Predators fire shoulder-mounted plasma shots, all at once, like a firing squad, executing the back-up team in one swoop.

The ghostly Predators then all jump away and out of sight, as it they were never there.
_____________________________________

ARLINGTON HOUSE - NIGHT

The three survivors have come up with a few ideas, but none of it's great nor hitting anywhere near what they feel to be 'right."

Nathan stops by. "Mr. Keyes is seeing to a delicate matter that may or may not prove beneficial to our cause." We get some one-on-one time with him and the group and learn a bit about him. He's also delivering the news of the latest attack.

Nathan leaves, and the three go at the problem head on, but they don't agree on anything. Dutch and Harrigan lay into each other for not contributing, sort of a macho-male alpha thing, while Isabelle gets fed up with both of their shit, lays into them both, and leaves.

They calm down as she leaves, and sort of halfass apologize.

Isabelle goes to the back and flips on the TV, watching some Shark Week show while she stares at nothing. She falls asleep.
_____________________________________

FLASHBACK - QUICK CUTS.

Isabelle and Royce on an alien spacecraft. Two men enter the room. One attacks Royce from behind, knocking him out. Then they both come at her, holding her down. She fights them off and kills them both.
_____________________________________

ARLINGTON HOUSE - LATE NIGHT

Isabelle wakes up with a fright. Dutch and Harrigan are in the room, watching Shark Week shows in silence. She turns to them, they look back at her. There's some sort of apology from both of them to her, she waves it off, knowing that they've all been through a lot and it's all coming back to them now.

Dutch in the middle of this tells Harrigan to shut up, he snaps back, and Dutch is like "No, shut up and let me hear this." He reaches for the remote and turns it up, something about shark's having super-memory allowing them to 'never forget, never forgive,' and therefore the idea of revenge killing, thought once to be a myth, turns out to be highly possible.

Isabelle and Harrigan are slow at first to understand, so Dutch spells it out. "They're not hunting anymore."

Harrigan, "Wait, so you think...?"

Isabelle, "Yes. that actually makes a crazy kind of sense."

Dutch, "Yes. They're pissed off, and they're out for blood."
_____________________________________

MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON - NIGHT

Keyes gets Royce released, all completely bullshit forged papers and such, from prison.

Keyes tells him, "He's here. In this facility, just... deeper." Royce tells Keyes to go distract a guard, Royce knocks him out and takes his keyring and tosses them at Keyes, "Hold the keys, Keyes." Keyes frowns at him, "Aren't you hilarious."

They make their way down an elevator, Royce fighting off two more guards, and they break out a prisoner. It is only revealed after they get the door open that the prisoner is an alien named Khu'no (voice of Dennis Haysbert).

Khu'no and Royce have a moment, Royce apologizing for his treatment and such, tears almost welling up. Khu'no takes the apology, but wants something to hit, wants a target to unleash his rage and pain onto. Keyes is all "Don't worry, I think we can ablige you with something."
_____________________________________

ARLINGTON HOUSE

Keyes and Nathan meet with the survivors who go over their plan. They explain that the Predators are mad at humanity, for some reason. Royce and Khu'no are there, too, but don't come forward 'til then.

Royce, "I know why." He glances at Dutch and Harrigan. "You two played by the rules. You out-hunted the hunters. They might not like it, but they respected it."

He looks at Isabelle. "What we did... that got to 'em."

Harrigan: "What did you do?"

Royce, "We embarrassed them, that's what. Beating 'em in combat is one thing, that's honorable, that's fair, right? But burning down their whole operation and then stealing their ship... it might simply be survival to us, but to them that must've set a fire under their collective asses."

Harrigan, "So they want payback."

Isabelle, "To teach us a lesson, and, in a way, all of humanity a lesson."

Royce nods.

Dutch, "Well, these things, pissed off or not, still have rules. And, that's how we beat them one last time."

Keyes, "I don't follow."

Isabelle, "Bait. We bait them with something that they cannot refuse."

Dutch, "We get a group of the toughest, meanest sons of bitches -"

Royce smiling as he catches on to the plan, "The exact kinds of guys they seem to like."

Dutch, "-and we put them all in one spot. Use their M.O. against them, because we'd choose the players. We'd choose the playing field. And once they come, another force, hidden, takes them down."

Keyes, "What if they don't take the bait?"

Harrigan, "Oh, they'll take it. They have to."

Keyes, "Still not following."

Royce, "Keyes, man. If they don't accept the challenge, then they'd be admitting Earth's supremacy in combat. That they're afraid to take us on. That we're the better warriors or whatever."

Khu'no, "The hunter will never shrink from the prey. Never."
_____________________________________

Predators take out government building staff. Turns out it's where they housed the spaceship that Royce, Isabelle and Khu'no stole and returned to Earth in. The Predators had a way to track it. Royce realizes that they can use that same connection to help lure them to their chosen battleground.
_____________________________________

Dutch and Harrigan talk with Isabelle about not trusting Royce and Khu'no, but she vouches. She explains that Royce, while sometimes unpleasant, is a good man that has saved her life several times and in several ways. And Khu'no saved Royce's life, in turn. They became like brothers on the journey home.

Dutch and Harrigan attempt to take her word on those two, but the conversation dirfts: none of them trust Keyes. 

Royce comes up, probably overheard them talking about him, too, and says, "You're right about Keyes. I'd keep an eye on him, all of you."
_____________________________________

Montage of putting together the "team."

--- Siberian gulag: The biggest brute of them all, Jökull (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) breaking up a fight between two gangs - ten against ten - on his own. After the last man falls, the man sees that the guard is waving him over to the prison's main building. Through a window Keyes, Nathan, and Dutch are watching. Keyes, "You said you wanted tough sons of bitches. Well, Jökull is as tough as they get." Dutch looks at him a little disbelieving. "You ever wondered what color these alien bastards piss themselves?" Dutch chuckles.

--- Hong Kong: A suitcase full of money lies on the ground in a dark alley, and lured out of the shadows by the money is a young Asian woman (Wei Zhao). Royce, "This is B.Ling, also known as The Red Death." Keyes, "An assassin?" Royce nods, smiling at B.Ling, who smiles back as she eyes the money. "For when you need to send a first and final message to someone, except no substitutes." 

--- Interpol heardquarters, Paris: A man (Scott Adkins) in a nice suit sits calmly in an interrogation room, staring straight ahead. In the room looking in, Keyes and Isabelle speak with an Interpol agent, who is explaining, "Russell 'One Shot' Shaver. We caught him, by sheer luck, as he was was in between flights, heading for Jordan." The agent shows the engraved gold, silver, and ivory handled twin pistols the man was carrying. Agent, "These babies have toppled governments." Isabelle smiles.

--- Texas maximum security prison: A man (Quentin "Rampage" Jackson) is fighting off inmates in a cafeteria, one after the other after the other, and eventually guards try to subdue him, too, and he fights them off. Warden, "Vick Knox. He was supposed to have been out of our hair five years ago, but he started his quest and now I think we're never getting rid of him." Keyes, "What quest?" The warden sighs, "He wants to be the, and I quote, 'baddest killer there is.'" Harrigan, "A man's gotta have a dream, right?" Knox, having taken down all of the guards, too, screams up at the window they're peering in from.

--- Mexico desert: a convoy of SUVs speeds across the vast emptiness, helicopters finally descending in their path. A man in a slick suit (Mark Dacascos) gets out of the lead car's passenger side, staring at the helicopter. A small window in the copter slides open, he reaches fro his gun, but is struck in the neck with a tranquilizer dart.

The man wakes on a mat in the floor of some empty concrete room set thirty feet into the floor of a large hangar. He stands and looks around. In the room with him are Jökull, B.Ling, Shaver, and Vick Knox.

Dutch, "Kalino, former U.S. Special Forces who turned traitor and now aids the cartels protecting their money."

Keyes, "Is this all of 'em."

Isabelle, "No, there's one more. He's coming in now." A car in backing into the hangar behind them. The car stops, Royce gets out. "Man, this guy is a handful." Isabelle, "That's why he's on the list."

Royce pops the trunk, and an Asian man (Tony Jaa) gets out, fast. He eyes the group over, looking like he's about to fight his way out, then he spies Khu'no with a large weapon on him. Khu'no smiles as the man goes wide-eyed and stops cold.

Isabelle, "Wait, who the hell is this?"

Royce, "Tao Ze. That's who I was sent for, right?"

Isabelle, "This is not..."

Man: "I am Ukrit. I killed Tao Ze and took his place."

Keyes, "And why would you do that?"

Unkit: "I hear you're looking for the best. Well, I killed Tao Ze, so I am better than he was. I am the best."

Dutch smiling, "I like this guy."

Keyes and Isabelle share a look. Keyes shrugs, "Works for me."

Ukrit, "What is the job?"

Keyes, "Mr. Ukrit, you may join the others on your team. We'll explain the job soon enough."
_____________________________________

Team assembled, Keyes in his office by himself drinking and looking at pictures of his father and a kid (him), smiling to himself.

Nathan enters, says there's a call for him.

"Tell whoever it is that I'm busy."

"It's the boss, sir."

Keyes looks up, not scared - but anxious. He picks up the reciever and Nathan goes and stands by the door, guarding it. Keyes, clearing his throat, picks up the receiver, but we cut before we hear anything.
_____________________________________

Dutch walks corridor, happens by a group of unknown-military personell working for Keyes unloading cargo. He looks on, and notices that there are large collapsible cages, non-lethal assault weapons, and so forth.

Cut to:

Dutch slamming Keyes against a wall. Harrigan is present, asks what's going on. Dutch lays into Keyes that he's the weasel he always figured him to be. Harrigan gets pissed, too. Keyes defends himself and apologizes, saying that the people he works for, that are paying for all of this, make the final calls. He was against it, but he can only do so much. Keyes explains that his number one priority is stopping them, by any means, and that they have to trust him. Dutch asks about the team they assembled. "The plan was to lure them with these men, but to also fight alongside them. You're just going to lead them to the slaughter, aren't you?" 

Dutch and Harrigan leave, walking away from the whole thing.
_____________________________________

Royce, Khu'no, and Isabelle talk privately... about Dutch and Harrigan leaving, about what's actually happening, and what's about to go down. Royce says that it's too late to walk away, that this plan, flawed though it may be and even if Keyes tries something stupid, is all they have. He asks Khu'no and Isabelle that, "When the time comes, will you help me take those bastards down? And if Keyes and his people get in the way, then, well... so be it."
_____________________________________

The place is chosen, an abandoned complex in Northern Alberta, Canada, not far from where they've been housed ever since gaining their "bait team." Far from civilization, isolated, and the site is built out of concrete and has plenty of places where they can hide additional forces. Royce and Isabelle confront Keyes, giving him a simplified version of what they've already discussed, that if his people and whatever stupid plan he has about trying to possibly capture one of these things gets in their way, then they'll show no mercy. Keyes continues to ask them for trust and that it's not what they think. Nathan comes and backs Keyes up, making Keyes nervous about escalating things further, so they all walk away.

Royce has figured out a way to use an arm band taken from one of the Predators - the same band that he figured out to fly the craft back to Earth - and send a signal out that the rest will receive. Keyes tells him they're ready, and he sends it. Now they wait.
_____________________________________

Dutch and Harrigan in a bar somewhere talking, trying to convince each other that they walked away for the right reasons. But the more they talk, the more they convince themselves that the others are gonna get killed and if that happens, these things would be loose and no one to stop them. They grudgingly admit that they have to go back - but if they do, they're not just going to be consultants. Dutch, "We're going back on field duty." Harrigan, "Well, shit."
_____________________________________

Night falls, the "team" are in place. They are all decked out in the best tactical gear and weapons of their choice. Most are pacing anxiously, awaiting the battle soon to come. They've all been given what they need to know, and understand their place in this. If they survive, degrees of clemency (not immunity) for their previous crimes will be granted. Plus, (and this is how Keyes sold it) they'll be able to say they took on the baddest mofos in the galaxy and lived to tell. Bragging rights like this don't come around all the time.

There are teams of snipers and military personnel scattered, wearing specialized suits and under cover. False roofs and 'stone' structures have been placed to hide turrets and spotlights with various bulbs.

Under a false cover, Royce and Isabelle crouch together, speaking a bit. Khu'no is close by, listening with his eyes closed.

Keyes is watching everything from a control room, with Nathan behind him - watching Keyes closely.

Khu-no's eyes shoot open, he breaths, "They are here."
_____________________________________

On monitors in the control room, sensors are going off and cameras are auto-directing towards movement, cycling through various lenses until a red apparition appears on the monitor where there was previously nothing. As the monitors of the control room all follow suit, Keyes can see that there are red blobs representing their targets crouched all around the top of the complex, circling it's roof like gargoyles, looking down at the scene below.

Keyes, "What are they waiting for?"

Nathan, "They know it's a trap, so they're trying to see where it's gonna come from."

About half the red blobs start to drop, jumping down to the team below. The rest stay put, and continue looking around, searching.

On the ground... 

- Shaver sits in a chair, spinning his pistols as if he were an old west gunslinger.
- Kalino stands leaning against a concrete pillar, eyes closed
- Jökull is pacing around, alert
- Knox shadowboxes the air
- B.Ling is sharpening her sword
- Ukrit is sitting on the ground, seemingly in some meditation

Ukrit's eyes open and he turns to see a plume of dust rising on the ground. He slowly stands and stares at it.

Shaver notices him, and looks around him and notices another plume, though he makes no sign that he noticed other than his eyes focusing.

The rest continue what they've been doing, whether they noticed anything amiss or not is unclear.

All of a sudden, plasma blasts erupt from all around, aimed at each player. And each dodges in their own way. B.Ling drops backwards, Shaver kicks his chair back, Knox jumps to the side as an explosion of dust and debris erupts around him, Kalino drops to the ground in a split, and Jökull moves out of the way (quicker than you'd think) getting slightly grazed in the shoulder by the blast.

Ukrit side-steps the blast quickly and immediately runs and kicks the invisible assailant in the face, knocking it down and getting the creature in an arm lock, elbowing the thing in the head viciously and repeatedly.

B.Ling comes up with her sword in a flourish, fast and nimble and deadly like a spider. Her eyes are closed as she clashes with the Predator's metal claws.

Kalino hops between two pillars to scale upwards and out of the way as a Predator throws a bladed disc. It lodges into the concrete as Kalino lands back on the ground.

Knox comes jumping out and comes down on the Predator closest to him with a downward punch, following with jabs to the ribs.

Shaver stays on the ground and shoots one in the leg and another, the one fighting Knox, in the foot. That one drops and Knox takes the opportunity to get a few face shots in.

Jökull moves towards his as a bladed spear extends and a growl of rage meets him. He grabs the arm holding the spear and then the other as it comes down with its claws out. Holding the Predator by both arms, Jökull pulls with all his strength. The Predator's arms are removed in a bath of glowing green. Jökull kicks the Predator, which goes sliding towards a concrete pillar, where Jökull crushes his skull with another well placed kick. Jökull moves on to the next.
_____________________________________

In the control room: Keyes is happy, "They might actually pull this off without our help." Then into a walkie talkie: "Remain undercover, stand by. We don't move until their full force does."
_____________________________________

Back on the ground: 

Knox continues punching, and knocks its helmet off. The stealth goes with it, and the creature looks back up at Knox slowly, screaming, its mandibles extended in rage. Knox looks on in genuine fear and disgust, and the thing takes the opportunity. The Predator extends its claws and stand up, slicing Knox  in half. It then raises its arms in defiance. But is shot in the head.

Shaver, "Take that, you-" Shaver's hand is separated from his arm, the gun flies through the air.  Wide-eyed, he ejects the mag from his other gun and attempts to reload it one-handed, pulls it off, and swings it around the other side. Green blood flows freely from the leg in front of him, kicking Shaver in the face, and flipping him on the ground. Shaver kicks back, pushing the Predator away, and using a spin of his own gets on his feet. Shaver and the Predator have at it.

B.Ling is still evenly matched with her own, her sword against its dual claws. She manages to grab a knife from her boot, quickly and slyly, and getting the Predator's claws caught in her blade and coming up close, she stabs it in the gut with the hidden knife. The Predator knocks her back, however, and they continue.

Ukrit is finally pushed away by his assailant, who's been on the ground taking elbows this entire time. Ukrit's elbow is bloody, is arm raw, but he kept up the punishment. The Predator's invisiblity is malfunctioning, and it finally goes off. The creature pulls it's mask off, visor cracked and metal face plate indented from the barrage. Ukrit takes no time getting back into it. The Predator catches him by the throat, raising him into the air, but Ukrit spins his body upside down and gets out of it, stepping off the Predator's shoulder to propel himself away, kicking it in the face as he does.

Kalino gets a few great kicks in, but he's picked up and tossed into a pillar sideways. He falls to the ground clutching his back. Before he can get to his feet, the Predator stomps on it. Kalino goes limp.

Shaver and his opponent are kicking and punching and grappling, and each holding their own. The Predator manages to kick Shaver away and shoots him with a plasma blast in the chest. Shaver falls.

B.Ling gets her sword into a striking position, but she too is shot. She dodges, but it catches her in the leg - tearing it off completely.

Ukrit is shot, but still manages to get one last headbutt in. He is thrown and then the Predator comes over to Ukrit, lying on the ground and stabs him in the chest, just for good measure. Jökull comes up behind this one, though, and smashes its head against the wall several times, and the body drops beside Ukrit. He is dying, but not yet dead. Ukirt smiles one last time and spits blood at the dead Predator beside him before he goes.

B.Ling is crawling, trying to get herself upright and get her sword into a defensive position. The Predator strolls up to her, as does another (the one that killed Kalino). She holds the blade straight up and closes her eyes. Behind Kalino's killer comes Jökull, who grabs it from behind and throws it, and B.Ling tosses her sword at the other, landing it in the Predator's chest. Jökull takes both fists together and comes down in one single punch on the back of its neck and breaks it. He takes her sword out and slides it to her.
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In the control room:

Keyes, "The others still haven't moved. What are they waiting for?! I can't wait any longer. We need to do something, they're getting slaughtered out there."

Nathan, "You have your orders. We wait." Keyes turns on Nathan, "What did you just say to me?" Nathan, "We wait." "No, we move out. All units, prepare to engage." Nathan gets on his own walkie, "Belay that order. Stand down." Keyes turns on him and begins to move, and Nathan brings a gun on Keyes. "You have your orders, and I have mine." "Orders from who?" "From the top."

On the monitor behind them, Nathan notices - but Keyes does not - that some of the red blobs watching from on high are dropping down into the fray.
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Back on the ground: 

Around Jökull are four clouds of dust as Predators hop down. He turns on them and let's them have it.

Shaver, still alive, lying on the ground, shoots one of them but it ricochets off its helmet. He is shot again, for the last time.

B.Ling is also shot by one of the newcomers, that's cleaning up the mess and making sure the rest are dead for good. 

Jökull is managing to hold on, surprisingly, but he's taking on several at a time and taking damage.
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Back under cover:

Royce, Isabelle and Khu'no realize that there's something screwed up going on, and they silently break cover to sneak out to get a better vantage.
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Back on the ground:

Jökull is getting beaten pretty bad. Claws are extended by one, and suddenly a boom takes that Predator's arm off and the claws go flying. The Predators turn around to see Dutch and Harrigan, tooled up and ready for action, entering.

Dutch, "You ugly motherfuckers ready to dance?" They both fire on the Predators with their shotguns. The Predators scatter and dodge, getting hit as they do so. Jökull is hanging on and trying to stand.
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In the control room: Nathan, "No no no, what the hell are they... they'll blow the whole thing?" Keyes laughs. Nathan shoots Keyes. Nathan watches on the monitors. Two Predators remain up top. At the sound of the gunshot, they begin moving along the roof towards the control room. Nathan, "Shit. It's all gone to shit."
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Back on the ground, Dutch and Harrigan are joined by Isabelle. She helps Jökull to his feet. The four of them begin unleashing hell upon the remaining Predators.
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Royce and Khu'no are oh-so stealthily tracking the remaining Predators, themselves making their way stealthily to the control room.
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In the control room, Nathan searches the monitors for signs of the two headed his way. He's loading and readying his assault rifle. A video call comes in and he answers.

On the main screen, an aging business man (Ian Holm) stares sternly.

The Boss, "Keyes?"

Nathan shakes his head, still readying himself.

"Pity. And the targets?"

"We've lost a lot of them, but I've got at least two remaining, on the way here any second."

"Bag one, two if you can. No more that two. But, The Company must have one, do you understand? If you fail me today, there will be no tomorrow for you."

"Yes, sir."

The screen goes black, and Nathan turns to the door. The assault rifle draped over his chest, while the non-lethal is readied in his hands.
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Royce and Khu-no are creeping through a service duct above a hallway where they're tracking the Predators using goggles. The Predators are making their way slowly towards the control room.
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On the ground, Isabelle takes a shot in the stomach. The others are able to finally kill the remaining Predators, and come to her aid.
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The door to the control room explodes and into the smoky room walk two ghosts. Nathan, coughing, gets one lined up in his sights as they try to circle him. Royce and Khu-no drop down silently in the hallway behind the Predators, goggles on, taking aim themselves.

As Royce looks into the room, he sees the two Predators on either side of the hole where the door used to be, Nathan across the room from them, taking aim at one, and behind Nathan, coming down from a duct similar to the one they used, one final Predator (the leader). Royce then notices Keyes' body on the floor, shot in the head by a pistol.

Nathan takes his shot, the Predator trying to dodge but getting knocked back and faltering as whatever toxin takes affect. Nathan turns on the other while the one behind him gets its bearings. He realizes only too late the presence behind him. He is stabbed from behind by a spear and lifted off the ground, screaming. The other Predator turns quickly as it detects movement. Too late, Royce and Khu'no take their shots, taking the final two down. The one with Nathan crashes through the control room window and both bodies fall down into the pit below.

Khun'no and Royce go inside the room. Khu'no takes a moment to shoot the Predator again, and Royce stands over the one knocked out. He stares a moment, unsure, then unloads into it as well. They check the vitals of Keyes, dead.

Royce picks up the walkie. "All clear up here, though we lost our main man, Keyes. How y'all doing below?"

After a moment, Dutch answers, "Royce, you should probably get down here."
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Royce runs up to the dying Isabelle, they share a nice moment. Khu'no remains close by, but giving them distance.

Dutch and Harrigan help Jökull as best they can. Harrigan, "I don't get it... Where the hell is everybody else? All Keyes' soldiers?"

Royce looks up, "It was a lie. All of it. There's a few men somewhere, probably gathering up the dead bodies for study. Whatever agency was running this show used us, used Keyes, and I'm guessing Keyes was gonna double-cross 'em and actually do what was right, so Nathan killed him."

Isabelle dies in Royce's arms, her last words that he needs to try to be a better person (or something like that). He laughs, but says he'll try. Khu'no consoles his friend.

Dutch and Harrigan share a look, something like, "We're way too old for this shit, and we're going home."

Military men pour in all of a sudden, and helicopters can be seen coming through the sky. Another company man comes in, looking at the carnage and seeing who is left alive.

"On behalf of the Company, I'd like to thank each of you for your sevice. You will be debriefed shortly, paid of course, and then you can be on your way. Now, if you'll please follow me."

Jökull, "I need medical attention, please."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of you."

Dutch, "If you don't mind me asking... what sort of company do you work for? What do you do, exactly?"

"We build better worlds... Mr. Smith."

Cut to:
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Dutch and Harrigan staring at the stars and sharing beers around the campfire at Harrigan's place in Middle-of-Nowhere, Wisconsin. Dutch smiles, "Now, I could get used to this."

Headlights appear on the dirt road leading to them, they both turn to see. An SUV appears, and at first their smiles falter. Royce, Khu'no, and Jökull exit the vehicle, dressed in tactical black and looking badass.

Royce, "Hey, aren't you ol' timers up past your bedtime?" Dutch flips Royce off while ashing his cigar.

Harrigan, "So, you guys are really gonna do it, huh? How?"

Royce, "Work for them, you mean?" Royce shrugs. "I mean, they'll pay us to do what we'd probably be doing anyway, plus, I can also keep an eye on them. An organization like this, if you lose sight of 'em for an istant then they'll slither back into the shadows and you'll never find 'em again."

Harrigan nods. "I guess."

"What about you two, can I count on you again if things ever go south?"

Dutch, "Oh, no. This alien nonsense is a young man's game, and I know when I've pushed about as far as my body will go."

Harrigan, "I think it's time for 'retired' to finally mean 'retired.' Dutch and Harrigan clash beers together and drink to that.

A call comes in on the SUV's radio. Khu'no answers it, listens, then beckons to Royce.

Dutch, "Trouble?"

Royce shrugs, picks up the radio, and listens...

"Sir, we've located the stealthed spacecraft that the, um, that 'they' came in..."

"Yes? And?"

"Well, sir. There's something... strange here."

"Ok... You gonna make me guess what it is? Spit it out, man."

Cut to:
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Technicians, military personel, etc. going through/searching a spacecraft with scanners and lights and such. The technician on the radio is looking out at the scene.

"Well, as we mapped out the ship and its contents, we discovered a group of containers stashed inside what I'd guess was a cargo bay. Some of them contained some really weird but very cool looking weapons... but..."

The technician turns around and kicks at a large metal crate, filled to about two and a half feet high with a pod-like organism.

"...it looks like there were hauling some sort of eggs."

Royce over the radio, "Did you say eggs?"

Cut to Black.
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Cue music ("Shotgun" by Junior Walker and the All-Stars, perhaps?).
Roll credits.

The End.