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Release: Sep 12, 2020 - Author: Sun Wukong - Translator: Mike Lowrey
- external link: IMDB
Once dismissed as a somewhat generic Alien meets Rambo imitation, Predator, directed by Die Hard director John McTiernan, is now one of the absolute highlights of Schwarzenegger's career. Various Arnold-free sequels had their fair share of trouble to meet the standards set by McTiernan.
Even the newest part of the series, The Predator, doesn't even come close to the quality of the original. Nevertheless, the flick, which has been scorned by audience and critics alike, is not bad. Predator veteran Shane Black and scriptwriter Fred Dekker's work - and it's a little surprising that he was allowed to write anything at all after the dismal RoboCop 3 - offers quite useful B-movie entertainment thanks to the likeable cast and the lively pace of the production. Only the dumb epilogue with the to-be-continued final twist is annoying.
In China, The Predator was released in autumn 2018 in a totally mutilated version: almost all violent scenes had to censored, CGI artificial blood was discolored or retouched away completely and swear words had to be either dubbed or muted. However, a large part of these interventions do not seem to be a part of the Chinese censorship. On the one hand, there are the curse words: The dubbing of curse words with family-friendly equivalents is a rather America-specific characteristic. As an example of this, one can take a look at the recently published comparison on the US TV version of RoboCop or our other comparison looking at the Chinese version of Logan. Furthermore, Chinese censorship in general seems to have less problems with English obscene vocabulary. To name just one example: The Oscar-winning and compared to The Predator no less obscene Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri for example was shown uncensored in Chinese cinemas and was also released that way on DVD.
It is therefore very likely that the distributor, in anticipation of this, has resorted to a version censored for US TV or for use on airlines. Nevertheless, one cannot deny that the censored version has a certain entertainment value. At least it offers a little more variety than the comparatively monotonous F-word monotony.
Another curiosity: In the finale, there are some extensions in the Chinese version, and scenes are often arranged differently. This could indicate that this version was made before the final cut was finalized and some last minute changes were simply not applied.
It's also interesting that the bonus material on the DVD was completely spared from censorship. In this context, the featurette Predator Catch-Up should be mentioned in particular, which is basically nothing else but a highlight reel that contains pretty much every snippet of violence and splatter that the Predator series had to offer until then. So the extensive censorship during the main movie seems to be even more senseless. 191 audio censorships
2:41
Audio censorship
3:28 In the Chinese version (“CN“ from now on), we see McKenna firing his sniper rifle a bit longer. The original version (“OV” from now on) shows the kidnapper’s forehead explode in bloodily fashion, instead. US: 0,6s China: 0,6s
5:13 Audio censorship Damn it instead of Goddamn it!
5:17 Audio censorship Jeez instead of Jesus
5:21 Audio censorship Freaking instead of fucking
5:39 Audio censorship Heck instead of fuck
5:51 Audio censorship "For god's sake" instead of "Goddamn it"
6:01 2x Audio censorship Twice heck instead of fuck
6:04 Audio censorship Freaking instead of fucking
6:09 Here we have a real cut for a change: The two of them encounter Haines‘ badly looking corpse. 3,5 sec
6:15 During the following shootout, we see Haine’s corpse for a short moment in close-up. The scene change to McKenna is missing for continuity reasons, as well. 4,2 sec
6:47 McKenna accidentally cuts Haines‘ corpse in two. 1,6 sec
6:54 A look at Haines‘ remains. 1,3 sec
6:55 And again. 1,9 sec
8:01 Audio censorship Fouling you up instead of fucking you up
10:30 Audio censorship Jeez instead of shit
10:37 Audio censorship As-burger instead of Ass burger
10:40 Audio censorship The „as“-burger once more.
14:51 Audio censorship Bad news instead of badass
15:04 Audio censorship Freaking instead of fucking
18:01 Audio censorship "Right on." instead of "Oh, yeah?"
18:05 Baxley’s tourette’s syndrome is omitted from the viewers of the CN for now.
19:30 Audio censorship Silly instead of shitty
19:38 Audio censorship "Fight cow, cow!" instead of "Fuck-cock-cock!"
19:39 Audio censorship Again "Fight cow, cow!", then "fight cows" instead of "fuck cocks".
19:42 Audio censorship Again "fight cows" instead of "fuck cocks".
19:43 Here, the CN shows a part of the explanatory scene dealing with Baxley’s tourette’s syndrome. Coyle’s line “He can’t control it” was put over the next shot. 7,5 secunden
19:49 Audio censorship Dirtmobile instead of Shitmobile
19:57 Audio censorship Jackass instead of asshole
20:48 Audio censorship Freaking instead of fucking
21:18 Audio censorship "Holy freaking smoke!" instead of "Holy shit!"
23:10 Audio censorship The whole laboratory personnel answers "Heck yeah!" instead of “Fuck yeah!”.
23:24 Audio censorship "You are one beautiful specimen." instead of "You are one beautiful motherfucker."
24:04 Audio censorship "Someone did an alien" instead of "someone fucked an alien"
25:02 2x Audio censorship Twice "Fight your mother!" instead of "Fuck your mother!"
25:07 Audio censorship "Shut the heck up!" instead of "Shut the fuck up!"
25:08 Audio censorship Once again "Shut the heck up!"
25:11 Audio censorship "Y'all talking too freaking much." (the mumbled “freaking” is omitted in the subtitles) instead of "Y'all going too fucking much."
25:15 Audio censorship "Guy" instead of "motherfucker". Right at the moment when the M-word is said, Williams’s hand covers his mouth. This way, one doesn’t really recognize the censorship. Sneakily done.
25:22 Audio censorship "Motherlover" instead of "motherfucker"
25:30 Audio censorship "Oh, shoot!" instead of "Oh, shit!"
25:39 Audio censorship "Bloody hell" instead of "Fuckin' hell"
25:39 Audio censorship Classic: "Shut the heck up" instead of "Shut the fuck up"
25:58 Audio censorship "Big ol' cigar" instead of "Fuckin' cigar"
25:59 Audio censorship Again "Shut the heck up" instead of "Shut the fuck up"
26:00 Audio censorship And again "Shut the heck up" instead of "Shut the fuck up"
26:07 Audio censorship "Goddarn space aliens" instead of "Goddamn space aliens"
26:41 Additional material in the Chinese version This shot is longer in the CN. There’s no obvious reason for it. 1 sec
27:07 Audio censorship "Weird old bogey" instead of "Weird-ass bogey"
27:49 Audio censorship "What the..." instead of "Holy shit!"
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