Prey [2022]
“I don’t know that this thing can be killed…”
From writer-director Dan Trachtenberg [10 Cloverfield Lane] and Patrick Aison, comes the summer film I hope ends up getting the buzz that Top Gun: Maverick did. Unlike all of its predecessors [to include the original], not only is Prey a fun and watchable action flick, but it has some bite despite some truly weird directing choices, and refreshes a tired villain in a way that makes them feel brand new. This one is well worth your time if this style of movie is your thing.
1987’s Predator' is remembered for big biceps, corny zingers, and firing machine guns into trees. It’s not a terribly smart movie, and it’s not one that will stick with you much after the credits roll, unless you find the creature design particularly appealing or light-weight, silly action is just your thing. The sequel is… well, the sequel is Predator 2 and not remembered fondly when it’s remembered at all. Fast-forward a few years and you get Alien vs Predator [2004] and Alien vs Predator: Requiem [2007]. More, fun, frivolous, gory action movies. Follow these up with 2010’s Predators and 2018’s The Predator and you’ve got a fairly fleshed out and explored series that's got some hits, some misses, and plenty of skeletons to be left in closets.
Somehow, amidst all that, Prey manages to stand out, be the only one you should watch, and shake off all the negative predilections associated with the franchise.
We follow Naru, a female Comanche warrior desperately trying to break out of the mold made by her tribe by completing a hunting right known as “Kühtaamia”. After a failed hunt in which she sees something strange in the woods, she ventures out on her own in search of this foreign invader.
Prey manages to avoid the cliches that could have easily propagated in a film about a native tribe fighting off an alien stalking them on their land and, instead, maintains an empowering, and exciting air throughout. Prey is well shot, well acted, and well envisioned; taking a foe as tired and explored as the Predator and reimagining its gear, the functionality of its tech, and the possibilities therein, all without feeling the need to “reinvent the wheel”.
I’ve seen all of the above films except for The Predator from 2018 [which I didn't even know existed], and I watched this with someone who had never seen a single one. The experience was equally fresh for both of us, and possibly more exciting for me in seeing the way the film deftly handles the Predator as though it's the first time the creature has ever been seen in film.
It’s not all applause and accolades though. By the end of its 100-minute runtime, Prey is still just an action movie. Yes, it’s more empowering and features some [to my understanding] great representation… but it’s still just an action movie with nothing to really say. There’s an ample amount of sliding around the forest that happens for seemingly no reason, the villain makes a choice I’ll have to watch again to understand, and the conclusion of the whole conflict is… kind of silly and super convenient. Largest of my complaints, however, is the language used in the film.
Not like, “naughty words hurt my ears”, but English as a core choice is strange. This is made especially strange considering that Hulu [where this was released for streaming] even has an audio track option where you can listen to it in the appropriate language for the peoples it was made to depict. So… why not just make that the standard? Prey does most things within its scope fairly right, but this was such a weird directing choice that it’s difficult to let go. This film had a chance to really challenge expectations and force its audience to engage in a way they’re not usually made to, and I think it’s too bad that the easy road was taken. While these things don’t necessarily take away the good time this film is, it could have been something great, and is instead something functional and mostly safe.
Despite its shortcomings, Prey is still an easy recommendation for both seasoned veterans and newcomers to the series alike and showcases a rising talent in the form of Amber Midthunder. Check this one out, and remember:
“If it bleeds, we can kill it.”
