Prey will most certainly reignite interest the Predator franchise with a fierce enemy and a powerful performance.
Written by Elliot Lines / August 3, 2022
Set 300 years ago, Prey is a prequel to the Predator movies that have come before it. Following a female warrior, Naru (Amber Midthunder), who is trying to protect her tribe against one of the first Predators to land on earth.
Since the original Predator, this franchise has tried it's hand at different types of story-lines that included these alien creatures in the City and humans being taken to their world. Barring a select few people, all these sequels have so far mostly been a disappointment. Prey brings a refreshing change of direction for a franchise only going one way. By setting this in the early 1700's you take away all the gun fire and radical plans to kill this thing. Instead what you get is a survival film, where hand to hand combat or more planned thinking is required to beat the alien invader. This equates to fantastic action scenes, and some truly gruesome kills, which are littered throughout, not only that but due to the nature of the location there is more to think about that the predator himself for Naru.
Amber Midthunder puts on a powerful performance in the lead role. She has to carry the film almost entirely herself, she is the main focus throughout. You certainly get the sense of the danger she is in just by the emotional performance that Midthunder gives, the stakes feel real, when something as ruthless as these creatures is coming for you, that should be felt.
Taking the franchise to a more stripped back world, Prey finds a natural beauty in its setting but splatters it with the blood and gore these films require. Everything about this film is stunning, and that even goes for the predator design. It surely should look out of place, an futuristic alien visitor, but somehow the animalistic design almost makes the predator feel like it belongs.
It's no easy feat 5 movies down the line to create something that feels new and unique, but Dan Trachtenberg has managed it. The premise behind these movies is simple, they hunt and they kill, but Prey feels like it brings more to the table in amongst the bloody killings and will reignite interest in this franchise.
STAR RATING
