Unexpectedly, the Predator franchise is still in production, even though the three sequels have failed. Prey tries to take a different time setting, hundreds of years before the first story takes place. Prey is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who also worked on the classy sci-fi thriller 10 Cloverfield Lane. The film stars Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, and Stormee Kipp. Streaming platforms Disney Plus and Hulu recently released the film. Can the golden touch of the filmmaker make this prequel film raise the prestige of the series?
Set in 1719, in North America, where the Indian tribes are still wandering from region to region. Naru (Midhunter) is a tough girl from the Comanche Indian tribe who desires to become a hunter like her older brother, Taabe (Beavers). In one hunt for a lion, Naru, who joined, saw something odd in the tracks she saw. The footprints of an animal she had never seen before. Naru and his loyal dog returned to the hunting ground to prove his point. While out there, the Predator continues to prey and look for the strongest enemy to prove his superiority.
OMG! I’ve been waiting for this film for decades after several sequels failed to live up to the spirit of the original, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Aliens vs. Predator (2004) is better than all of its sequels, even though it is a video game adaptation. This prequel has a story approach that contrasts with the previous series. For a long time, I wondered why the story didn’t go back in time, allowing hand-to-hand combat without modern firearms. Prey is a near-perfect answer. Throughout the film, we only watch the action of the Predator preying on its prey with a little story surprise in the second half of the story.
With the strong female spirit currently trending, the Indian era is the perfect setting to present all of this. Naru, played very well by Midthunter, is an ideal figure symbolizing resistance against her tribe’s traditions. Side by side against the far superior Predator was one that no one would have imagined. The climax that is not difficult to anticipate is the best action in the series since the iconic battle of Arnold (Dutch) vs. Predator. In one moment, Naru uttered the same iconic words as Dutch, which made me, a big fan of the first series, get goosebumps.
Although not as grand as the original film, with a new story and action background, Prey is the best Predator series since the original movie, which was almost 4 decades ago. Although it will satisfy the fanatical fans, some things should be regretted. For example, the use of English in the dialogue. Why not use the original language (Comanche)? After all, the action speaks more than the dialogue. Even though the original theme music is so strong, I think it’s brilliant to use many drum instruments that are in harmony with the background of the story. Ah, if only this film were produced for a theatrical version with a little more colossal, it would be special. It’s a shame; we only see films as good as this on television screens.
