Prey

Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope, Mike Paterson, Nelson Leis
Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
2022

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A group of Comanches must fight against an extraterrestrial Predator who arrives on the planet and begins hunting them.

Review:

Tim: I generally liked the Predator franchise, even if the 6 installments have overall been fairly disappointing. The original movie is incredibly good, as you'd expect. The sequel has its moments, but it's weak. We got two Alien vs. Predator movies that were a terrific idea, but never lived up to the promise. Predators was good but flawed. The Predator was a disappointment. So, going into Prey, who knew what to expect? 2/6 movies in the franchise were good, 2 okay-to-decent, and 2 bad. Fortunately, this movie exceeds all expectations, firmly planting itself in the realm of the original. It's not better than the first movie, but it's close and absolutely the second best film in the franchise. That's a major win.

This movie also draws much more attention to director Dan Trachtenberg. I know he's been working in television lately, but his 10 Cloverfield Lane has been the only worthwhile sequel to Cloverfield. He took the basic concept but made that movie stand on its own. It was an impressive achievement. It showed an ability of his to focus on what mattered most in a franchise and tell a story in his own voice. That's exactly what he does with Prey. This is a Predator movie, yes, but as the title suggests- he's far more interested in the human characters. The last two movies suffered in this area- the characters were too one-dimensional, fodder for the Predator. This movie puts the Predator in the right context, as the antagonist, a supporting character. Trachtenberg doesn't become so enamored with the hunter that he forgets this is a movie about people. That's the defining characteristic of this movie, a big reason why it's so good. And, while I haven't seen his television efforts, I'm immensely impressed with Trachtenberg. He's now been able to step into two franchises and deliver impressive results. I don't know what he's going to do next, but I will be there.

There's quite a bit I loved about this film. I believe setting it in the past, in the 1700s and featuring a mostly Indigenous cast helped separate this film from the rest of the franchise. It reinvigorated it. We've seen enough of these movies at this point, but having the Predator battle Comanche warriors felt unique and refreshing. I loved the scenes with characters actually speaking Comanche. One, they aren't represented enough in Hollywood, and two, it was a major differentiator here. It was also just great fun getting to see Comanches verses an alien hunter.

The focus on the characters always came first, an obvious move that too few films in this franchise remembered. It felt closest to the original and this film does often pay tribute to the original. It makes the movie better for it- it felt like Patrick Aison's screenplay showed that he understood and appreciated the original. That's a huge reason for this film's success. It also helps that the cast give exceptionally strong performances. Amber Midthunder was incredible in the lead role. I really loved the work she did on Legion and she seems even more confident and in control of her talents here. She gives arguably the best performance in the entire franchise. Through the course of the film, we get to know her character, develop an emotional connection with her, and see her arc as she grows and develops. A lot of this is due to the excellent screenplay, but make no mistake, Midthunder is a major reason why this movie is such a success. I pray Hollywood is paying attention, because she needs many more opportunities. She was undoubtedly my favorite part of the movie. Dakota Beavers added a strong supporting performance, too. I thought he worked well with Midthunder. The rest of the supporting cast all gave good performances and worked well within their roles.

I really appreciated how this movie got back to the basics. It felt gritty, narrow, focused. The past few movies got a bit lost in the science fiction world. This movie focuses on what truly matters. We have a deadly alien hunter with advanced technology and a small group of humans hopelessly outgunned who have to rely on their wits and fighting experience to survive. It doesn't need to be more than that. By narrowing the focus of the film, Aison and Trachtenberg are able to tell a powerful, compelling story. I was engrossed in the story from beginning to end. The pacing feels right on. The visual effects are impressive- they're never overwhelming, simply add to the story. The script feels tight and full of exciting moments and unexpected events.

While I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, it's not quite great. This is the 5th film in the franchise (7th if you count the AvP movies like I do) and we mostly know the story at this point. The film doesn't push the boundaries into something new. It's an exceptionally brilliant retelling of the original. That's not a big complaint, because Trachtenberg delivers the only movie in the franchise on par with the original. But, it's a film looking back and paying homage. It's not looking forward. I still wonder if a future-focused movie could be this effective in the franchise. It's possible and Trachtenberg has shown how to do it.

Prey is undoubtedly one of the more pleasant surprises of 2022. The movie looked good from the first time I saw a trailer, but to think a Predator movie would be this engaging, full of action, characters you actually were invested in, and would be a thrilling, entertaining movie from start to finish? Those weren't my expectations. This movie far surpasses that and I hope it puts the franchise on the right path forward.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Predator, Predator 2, Predators, The Predator