Review ‘Prey’:  The Predator returns to the Past

Prey is now available on Hulu

In 1987 audiences were introduced to the universe’s most ruthless hunter in the sci-fi thriller Predator. After years of sequels, reboots, and versus installments in the franchise, director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane)has cracked the code, taking us back centuries before Dutch and the jungles of Central America with Prey. Written by Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison and starring Amber Midthunder (Legion), Dakota Beavers, Mike Paterson, and Dane DiLiegro.

Set in the Northern Great plains in 1719, Prey finds its heroes among a Comanche village teaming with life and community. Naru (Midthunder) is at odds with the expectations of gender roles within the tribe. She wants to be a hunter like her brother Taabe (Beavers) but isn’t taken seriously by the others. It was a relief to see how seemingly effortless the bond between siblings was portrayed. The older brother, younger sister dynamic is so genuine that when the threat escalates, you’re invested in their survival.

When the hunting party heads out after a lion, she decides to follow along with her canine sidekick Sarii (Coco). She realizes something new has arrived in the forest as she witnesses a mysterious red fire in the sky. Despite their teasing that hunting is man’s work, Naru notices a skinned snake and footprints too large to be any natural predators. “Something scared off that lion,” she tells her brother, but it’s quickly dismissed as childhood folktales.

Running parallel with the hunting party, the Predator has begun the ritual of collecting trophies and testing the new surroundings. First the snake, then a wolf, and after a harrowing chase sequence, a Grizzly bear. It’s here that Naru finally gets a glimpse of this monstrosity when it’s bathed in blood after savagely gutting the bear and lifting it up over its head. It’s one of the more tense set pieces and probably the most brutal kill. Naru makes like a tree and gets out of there quickly, as one would.

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Along with the Predator itself, Prey introduces another adversary, Fur trappers. There is a powerful scene where Naru comes upon a field of skinned buffalo as far as the eye can see and prays over them. At first, you think the Predator is responsible, but it’s just man’s greed. Their introduction also gives us more fodder for carnage and bloodshed while introducing an exciting point. When the two siblings are captured by the poachers, tied up to use for bait, they aren’t attacked. The Predator isn’t looking for easy kills. It wants a fight, a challenge. It’s a notion explored more so than other entries in the franchise.

Prey is vast and expansive, whereas 1987’s Predator felt claustrophobic with the heavy jungle blanketing the actors. I can imagine how breathtaking seeing the unspoiled wide-open landscape on a big screen would be. Cinematographer Jeff Cutter makes walking along the hills in the sunlight look like a dream and skulking through a fog-soaked forest a nightmare. Truly majestic visuals capture the beauty in neon blood warpaint close-ups to an extreme wide shot of a trapper being eviscerated in a field.

The Predator in Prey feels more primal. Maybe it’s the retrofitted bear skull helmet that does this because if horror movies have taught us anything, wearing your victim’s face is absolutely terrifying. Actor and former NBA player Dane DiLiegro plays the creature and has the height and the physicality to make this version his own. I think he does a great job with the overall spider-like movements, slow and deliberate, and then that sudden strike without mercy or remorse. He does the legacy proud.

I know of the toxicity from some fragile individuals toward the main protagonist, but  Amber Midthunder earns every victory, praise, and war cry for her performance in Prey. Not only is she physically powerful and intelligent, but she uses her connection to the land itself as a resource. Even during non-Predator-related dilemmas, Naru uses instinct and intuition to survive. She can portray strength, ruthlessness, and drive without being superhuman. She just wants to be taken seriously, earn her place and make her tribe proud. When the action figure is eventually made, it better have the ax on a rope accessory and Sarii.

 I think this new direction of the Predator franchise could make for some compelling movies. I can’t imagine there won’t be a follow-up given the viewership reception and even high praise from the original cast. Prey remains of my top ten of the year, and I look forward to further viewings. The cast is superb, and visually it’s mesmerizing. The score from Sarah Schachner will be stuck in your head for days. This is your next watch if you’re a fan of the franchise, culturally empowering stories, a badass lead, or science fiction. Just be aware, “if it bleeds, we can kill it.” 4.5/5

Prey is now available on Hulu, check out the trailer below. Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi, fantasy and everything in between.

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