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- “Prey” is worth spending the money to see on the biggest screen possible.
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- Survival of the fittest
- The hunt begins
- Honoring the past to deliver a brighter future
- Our verdict
Reviews
By Tom Power
last updated 3 August 2022
Prey realizes a Predator movie franchise dream over 30 years in the making.
Set in 1719, Prey stars Amber Midthunder (The Ice Road, Legion) as Naru, a member of a Comanche Nation tribe who longs to be taken seriously as a skilled and fierce warrior.
Determined to prove her worth, Naru sets out to hunt an unidentifiable creature living on the Northern Great Plains, an expansive stretch of land straddling Canada and the US. However, Naru soon discovers that the prey she's stalking is a bloodthirsty extraterrestrial, armed with all manner of advanced weaponry, who hunts for sport and glory – and it has Naru, her Comanche brethren, and other Great Plain dwellers in its crosshairs. Cue Naru fighting for her survival amid the numerous obstacles put in her way – Predator included – in a thematic coming-of-age tale.
Narratively, then, Prey doesn't deviate from the Predator series' tried and tested plot formula – i.e. a Predator arrives on Earth to hunt humans who, though outgunned and initially out-thought, eventually succeed in defeating the Yautja warrior.
Basic as that blueprint sounds in 2022, though, the simplicity of Prey's story is what makes it effective. Its plot is concise and cohesive in its approach; foregoing extraneous story beats to tell a story that primarily focuses on its two leads – Midthunder's Naru and the titular Predator, portrayed by basketball player-turned-actor Dane DiLiegro (American Horror Story) – and their respective character arcs.
For DiLiegro's Predator, that means presenting an ever looming and foreboding threat to Naru and company. By contrast, Naru's journey from a bold but naive wannabe warrior into a fully fledged, inventive fighter is the classic "hero's journey" arc that's typical of such films.
Thanks to the brevity of its plot, too, Prey abandons an amazingly odd quirk for the Predator franchise – that being, the quartet of films preceding Prey all clocking in at 107 minutes. With its comparatively sprightly 97-minute runtime, Prey nimbly progresses through its tight narrative, finding a satisfying balance between its quieter, tender moments and those of the action-packed, suspenseful variety. It even dispenses with one obvious horror trope that, when you realize what it is, you'll be grateful for its exclusion.
The inclusion of Comanche language isn't a token gesture on Prey's part, either.
The whole film captures Comanche traditions and cultures in stunningly authentic detail, while the casting of a Native American actor in Midthunder as its lead is testament to Prey's faithful depiction of the Comanche community.
In fact, the decision to almost exclusively hire Native American and First Nation talent in front of and behind the screen is proof of the filmmakers' desire to faithfully represent Indigenous people and their way of life. From Indigenous actors including Dakota Beavers and Stormee Kipp, to Comanche consultant Juanita Pahdopony and executive producer Jhane Myers, Prey makes every effort to reproduce Comanche society on screen as truthfully as possible.
In an industry that's done shockingly little to provide genuine equality for Native Americans – they've routinely been portrayed as violent, primitive barbarians in Hollywood productions – Prey feels like a genuinely significant step in the right direction.
Given the scope of its expansive landscape shots and Naru's personalized journey, parallels are sure to be drawn with Leonardo Di Caprio-starring movie The Revenant. Although, Prey appears to perform a more capable job of accurately depicting Comanche society and heritage than The Revenant's illustration of Pawnee and Arikaran Nations.
Such due care and attention also extends to the history of the Predator franchise. As Prey is set nearly 300 years before the events of the 1987 original, the alien species aren't as technologically advanced in Prey as they are in other entries. There's no plasma cannon here – something just as violently fun replaces it, though – nor does it come equipped with the iconic headgear that Predators are known for.
Prey is the most entertaining and suspense-fuelled Predator movie since the franchise's first entry. Its unique setting in the past, emotive plot, and authentic representation of Indigenous people breathe new life into a series that had lost its way, but equally it's a film that doesn't lose sight of honouring what came before.
Narratively, it doesn't shift the franchise in a new direction, and it's likely that some will criticize Prey for playing it too safe or peddling to nostalgic fans who have been deprived of a truly good Predator sequel for so long. It's a slight pity that the film will forego a theatrical release to launch exclusively on streaming services – Hulu in the US, and Disney Plus in the rest of the world – too, as it's a film designed to be seen on the big screen.
Given the films that preceded Prey, though, there's little competition to suggest it isn't the best Predator flick since Schwarzenegger's Alan 'Dutch' Schaefer implored us to "Get to da choppa". It's unapologetically violent, surprisingly poignant, and simplistically effective. Sometimes, that's all you need from a movie.
The hunt for a worthwhile Predator sequel is over – and its name is Prey.
Prey launches on Hulu in the US, and Disney Plus in non-US territories, on Friday, August 5.
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- Senior Entertainment Reporter
- tom.power@futurenet.com
Aug 5, 2022 · Director Dan Trachtenberg's 'Predator' prequel is an excellent alien thriller anchored by a strong performance from Amber Midthunder.
- belen.edwards@mashable.com
- Entertainment Reporter
Aug 17, 2022 · Here’s our review of Prey, which redefines the future of the film franchise while honoring the past in clever ways (Predator 2 fans will be very happy). The Predator film franchise has slowly ...
Prey review: Pared-down Predator prequel works a treat. The new film – set in the Comanche nation in 1719 – does away with convoluted plot contrivances and is all the better for it. Disney Plus.
Aug 5, 2022 · New Predator movie Prey is out now on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US, and the prequel movie is a must-see triumph. Our Prey review.
Aug 4, 2022 · Culture Film Reviews. Prey review: Brutal, pulse-quickening Predator prequel succeeds by ditching the nostalgia. This is, first and foremost, an emotionally rich story about an indigenous...
