Prey

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Prey is the fifth feature in the Predator series (seventh if you count the AvP films) and serves as a prequel set a couple of centuries before Predator. In this film we follow Naru, a young Cherokee hunter who rebels against the notion she should join the other women of the tribe gathering. I loved watching naru as a protagonist, the whole way through she's just learning and showing an incredibly strategic mind in the face of a powerful, lethal force. Early in the film we see her display skills that make her an already capable tracker, she has a bond with her dog Sarii and is extremely capable with a throwing axe. She also displays an affinity with medicine, a survival skill that comes from her mother. Already early on we see Naru as this balanced warrior, taking what skills her father and mother have given her to be an adept hunter in the wild. A really great early example of this is when her brother, Taabe, shoots down a bird she was hunting before she can only for Naru to mock him for not waiting like she was; he may have gotten the kill first but now has to cross a river to claim his kill. Even later on she is the first to understand that something has changed within the natural world around her tribe, noting the first telltale signs the Predator has arrived nearby.

Naru's journey sees her strategy and cunning almost result in her killing a mountain lion, though her brother claims the glory for this kill. Forced out of the hunting party, Naru seeks out the Predator on her own - no idea as to the severity of what she is tracking. There's a few powerful shots here in which Naru moves past a flood of the women of her tribe, all of whom are heading out to tend to the crop while our protagonist starts her hunt. From this point the film really forges a journey of seeing Naru discover that which she is hunting; while also having Naru constantly the subject of a hunt. Naru is disregarded multiple times over by the Predator, her tribesmen, the French trappers and her own brother because none of them perceive her as a legitimate threat. The basis of the Predator is that the species hunts hunters, it seeks out the toughest thing it can find to kill. So seeing Naru surprise the Predator at every turn, eventually outsmarting it and killing it in a manner that made Schwarzenegger's effort pale by comparison. I loved this character journey, it was impressive to see Naru claim her rightful place as a hunter and ultimately, as the leader of her tribe after defeating the Predator.

 

The cinematography used throughout is really impressive, there are these vast landscapes that frame up beautifully. I love how tight shots captured every thought Naru had and even the action sequences got really creative with a variety of angles. The special effects were something I went back and forth on initially, but I will say the final style of the Predator looked really impressive in the back half. The large battle against the trappers in particular was a fine display of practical and visual effects. Sarah Schachner does the music for this film which really grounds you in the setting and the culture at the heart of the film, it sets a foreboding sound as we ramp towards the final hunt.

 

Dakota Beavers, who played Taabe, exudes a steady charisma that makes him a great on-screen leader for his tribe; he and Midthunder shared a competitive yet gentle bond that marked them as really convincing siblings. Michelle Thrush, who played Aruka, was a very nurturing and wise performance; she worries for her children on-screen while always doing her best to lift them up which I really liked.

 

However, the best performance came from Amber Midthunder, who played Naru. This young performer is one of the youngest protagonists we have ever had helming a Predator film and she is easily the best yet. Midthunder's portrayal of a young woman with a stubborn streak who is confident in her own ability to be proficient is a great watch. I loved the caring relationship she built up with her on-screen family; any time she was working alongside Beavers or Thrush was a treat. She manages the real subtle details of Naru's inquisitive mind, you can literally see her wander through and solve the puzzle of her environment in many scenes. I loved how Midthunder portrayed fear, because it was so realistic that when she turned it into courage it became inspiring. Her ability to rage and rebel was great, leading to a great scene shared with Kipp. Ultimately, I loved the expulsion of raw determination, anger and victory we get during and after her final fight with the Predator, it stayed with me for a long time after watching the film. 

The glaring issue I had with Prey was some of the early special effects, mainly centred in the first act and the start of the second. Our initial look at the Predator cloaked looked glaringly fake against the background and it's ship looked even worse. But I really struggled with CGI animals such as the lion, snake, wolf or bear which all moved awkwardly and didn't look real enough to be immersive.

Stormee Kipp, who played Wasape, is the bully type figure who doesn't heed warnings; every film like this has a lughead written to be killed off and Kipp's two-dimensional role is no different. Bennett Taylor, who played Raphael, is a role that feels very jarring at times; the way in which Taylor plays to an English translator who bargains so lightly makes the introduction of the French trappers feel a bit out of sorts.

The Predator franchise has been completely revived by what I can only describe as my new favourite Predator film. I would give Prey an 8.5/10.