A leading craftsman of dynamic, large-scale Hollywood movies, John McTiernan first made his mark as a prolific writer and director of commercials. His first feature, “Nomads,” was well received at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival and directly led to his first major studio action flick, “Predator” (1987). Set against a jungle backdrop beautifully photographed by McTiernan and his cinematographer Donald McAlpine, the film pitted a bickering interracial group of soldiers against an invisible alien enemy in a situation that was seen as a Vietnam allegory. “Predator” firmly established McTiernan’s
