Prey is a story of hunters. Set in the Comanche National during 1719—long before the events of Predator—the young warrior Naru (Amber Midthunder) longs to be a respected hunter among her tribe. After years of training, Naru feels as though she is finally ready to accept the ultimate challenge: hunt a creature that is also hunting her. When an alien descends upon their land and engages on a killing spree, Naru sees an opportunity to prove her worth and save her people. The question is: can she outsmart this otherworldly terror before it’s too late?
What works in Prey is the minimalism and return to form. Ever since Predator (1987) was released, the franchise has attempted to recreate the magic and tone of the first film with varying degrees of success. With Prey, director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) goes back to simplistic roots. The story focuses in tight on the technologically advanced Predator going head-to-head against an outgunned target. On the other side of the match-up, Naru’s skills include her deep knowledge of the forest, ingenuity, and determination. The result is not a grand affair, but rather a clever, tight, thrill ride full of intensity. At every turn, Prey is engaging and brutal.
RELATED: Prey Trailer | 20th Century Studios Announces That Film Will Be Available In Comanche As A Language Option
Individuals with an aversion to violence and gore should probably avoid Prey. The film does not hold back with its “creativity” in terms of dispatching people and animals, and the imagery could be severely disturbing to some watchers. In terms of scope, the Predator films have consistently tried to go bigger over the past few decades. Prey moves in the other direction. It makes excellent use of quiet moments and a slow burn to propel the horror. This is to the film’s overall benefit in terms of setting tone; it simply might be unexpected for those intimately familiar the franchise’s history.
Prey fills a nice void in the action-adventure genre while also embracing the blanket of nostalgia. In a world full of explosions and high-end stakes, Prey revels in something smaller while honoring and appreciating what made Predator a classic. Just be prepared, there will be blood.
You can find Prey streaming on Hulu starting Friday, August 5th 2022
Recommended if you Enjoyed: Predator, Bone Tomahawk
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