Prey spoiler free review
Prey, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, is available now on Hulu and is the recent addition to the hit franchise Predator. Set in 1719, the film stars Amber Midthunder as the lead character Naru who is apart of a Comanche Nation in the Great Plains. As the film kicks off we see that she is a skilled warrior who is held back by her brother Taabe, played by Dakota Beavers and the rest of her fellow tribe believing that her role should be in medicine and cooking.
From the start this film sets a tone built on suspense. As we weave and wind our way through the forrest’s of the plains Naru and her dog Sarii. She witnesses the arrival of the what she thinks is the “Thunderbird” taking it as a sign that she is ready to prove herself. What this film does extremely well is they do more showing rather than telling. The film is not reliant on dialogue which is a strong suit for what Trachtenberg has set out to do. It doesn’t take long for us to see the Predator on screen showcasing it’s talent for hunting various land creatures before setting its sights on anything it deems to be a threat (a nice nod to other films in the franchise.)
While we are used to seeing a highly advanced Predator and while this one is still outfitted with the ability to go invisible, this version shows us that it is not as highly technologically advanced as the ones we are accustomed to seeing our heroes face off against. Outfitted with arrows and spears primarily the kills are nothing short of brutal and they do not shy away from blood and the gore factor. All of this setting up for some stellar sequences showcasing Naru’s talents and clever ways her and her brother come up with against the face of danger.
The film and ultimate showdown is not a CGI explosion outfitted climax either. Taking place in the same setting we have been in during the film the final battle allows for Naru’s battle to make sense without going over the top. All in all I really enjoyed this film and although at times the CGI that was used seemed a bit evident I would give this film a 9.5/10. It is a breath of fresh air to a franchise that seemed to be losing life due to recent releases. I would say Prey may just reignite the franchise I look forward to seeing what it is they do next.
You can stream the film now on Hulu in both Comanche language as well as all others.
