Prey Review

By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)

This review is spoiler-free.

Despite Prey containing numerous triggers for me, there is no doubting the intention of the movie – the change the way we view the Predator franchise – by stripping everything thing back but still offering the action and suspense we’ve come to expect.

Amber Midthunder (Naru) puts in an outstanding performance and really carries the film on her shoulders. With that said I, personally, feel that some faults in the writing actually handicap her character, making Naru unlikeable and frustrating at times. This does a huge disservice to the performer, especially when they are your film’s lead. Midthunder is supported by the excellent Dakota Beavers (Taabe) who, despite some cliché tropes and dialogue, is another strong element of the film, alongside Midthunder. Bennett Taylor (Raphael Adolini) was also introduced into the story in a supporting role, and I am a little disappointed – not with the actor, as that was fine, but with the character being there – as it retcons a fun comic series. This series would make a great adaption in a similar way as Prey, being a Predator story set in the past, but hey ho!

In terms of the negatives, there were a lot of elements that all missed their mark for me, personally. I think the film was a little too predictable and a little too on the nose at times. I have already mentioned the issues with some of the character writing, but that also spills over into the story aspects as well. A lot of people are saying that this film deserves to have been released on the big screen, but I don’t see it personally, and I think that home streaming was more than an acceptable platform.

With all that said, Sarah Schachner’s score was incredible as was Jeff Cutter’s cinematography. The historical accuracy in terms of the Comanche tribe was also a huge positive as it showed real attention to detail. There were a lot of inventive and imaginative elements on display throughout the movie and I do believe that Prey has rejuvenated the Predator franchise – I would be very open to more movies of this type – one-off stories – goings forwards. Prey is definitely one of the better entries in the franchise, and if I was to rank it, I’d put it third overall.

Prey breathes fresh life into the Predator franchise, and while the film does have numerous issues, a strong lead performance, some great imagination, and, a stunning score more than secures its place as one of the better films in the series.