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Watch Prey with a subscription on Hulu.

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The rare action thriller that spikes adrenaline without skimping on character development, Prey is a Predator prequel done right.

If you can look past some dodgy effects, Prey is pretty much the back-to-basics Predator installment fans have been waiting years to see.

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Dan Trachtenberg

Amber Midthunder

Dakota Beavers

Stormee Kipp

Michelle Thrush

Julian Black Antelope

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“Prey” is worth spending the money to see on the biggest screen possible. The wide open spaces of Alberta look fantastic, there’s plenty of monster mayhem and action, and the striking score by Sarah Schachner deserves to be blasted from the largest speakers available. So, why is Disney dumping an entry in the popular “ Predator ” series on Hulu in the middle of the summer? The original “Predator” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger turns 35 this year; what better way to celebrate than with a prequel that’s better than any of its sequels? The marketing team could have had a field day promoting this connection. So why is this film, like Disney+’s “ Turning Red ” before it, going straight to streaming with no simultaneous theatrical presence? 

Was it because director Dan Trachtenberg ’s sci-fi actioner didn’t have any major stars (besides the Predator, of course)? Was it because the screenplay by Patrick Aison takes place in 1719, making this a period piece? Or was it due to the fact that the protagonist is a woman and her kin are Native Americans, both of which buck the trend for movies like this? Considering the recent cancellations of films scheduled for upcoming release, I suppose I should be thankful that “Prey” can be seen anywhere, including on services to which I do not subscribe. This is not to say that streaming services are bad, just that I always feel itchy recommending movies you need a contract to see. Plus, this deserves a theatrical release.

But I digress. “Prey” bills itself as an origin story of the first Predator alien to appear on Earth. This one is fitted with slightly retro versions of the weapons wielded by the late actor Kevin Peter Hall in the first film. The Predator’s modus operandi is the same, however: it is a hunter and it’s looking for trophies of prey. This gives the creature a kindred spirit of sorts in Naru ( Amber Midthunder ), a young warrior who wishes to hunt like the males in her tribe, including her brother, Taabe ( Dakota Beavers ). Naru is teased by the guys, who state that hunting is men’s work, but we learn she can hold her own in a fight. She’s twice as tough as she looks, and three times more observant than the others. Naru is the one who first notices that there’s a new creature on their land. Perhaps it might have something to do with that blazing streak of fire she saw in the sky earlier.

While on the hunt to find a lion that’s been prowling about, Taabe barely tolerates Naru tagging along. They have an easygoing sibling relationship that Midthunder and Beavers create almost immediately in their first scenes. Their bond adds to our worries once the real danger appears. Naru notices a skinned snake and prints that do not belong to a known entity. “Something scared off that lion,” she tells Taabe, but he is in no mood for her claim that it is a “monster from childhood stories.” Meanwhile, the Predator works its way up the animal chain, teaching a pugnacious wolf a lesson about selling woof tickets by pulling out its spine. Naru finally gets to see it when it ruthlessly guts the bear that was chasing her and her faithful mutt.

The scene with the bear is so cleverly staged that one wishes “Prey” hadn’t given us a good look at the Predator beforehand. As it yanks the bear from its pursuit, lifting it up for the kill, the invisible Predator is painted into view by an outpouring of blood. Naru sees this and runs like Hell. So begins a series of expertly crafted chase scenes, with our antagonist employing familiar and new ways to eviscerate its victims. There’s also a callback to one of the original film’s best lines: “if it bleeds, we can kill it.” Bleed it does, with a neon green blood that, at one point, Naru uses as war paint.

Adding another element of danger (as well as fresh meat for viewers hungry for Predator-based carnage) is a slew of uncouth French fur trappers. When Naru stumbles upon a field of skinned buffalo, she prays over them, thinking that this is the monster’s handiwork. Soon she realizes it’s man, that other evil predator, who is responsible. Even though they agree with Naru that something otherworldly is out there, the trappers are even more villainous than the Predator. So we’re not sorry when they start getting splattered.

“Prey” is a worthy successor to Ah-nuld’s original, even though there are no “choppas” for anyone to get to in 1719. Naru deserves to be added to the list of tough characters who can hold their own against the Predator. She uses brains and brawn in equal measure to handle all of her foes, dispatching them with gory efficiency. Nature also proves a cruel adversary, but she’s ready for that as well. The film creates a portrait of her Comanche nation without othering them—they are the heroes of the story and their village teems with a sense of camaraderie. Even though the film is mostly in English (a full Comanche language version was apparently also shot in tandem), it does not endanger our suspension of disbelief.

Despite the expected whine from immature males who haven’t seen the movie yet but are already deeming it “too woke,” “Predator” fans will not be disappointed by “Prey.” It’s a scary and fun amusement park ride that also elicits a surprisingly tender emotional response. When Naru finally let out the war cry she had previously been denied, I couldn’t help but cheer. It’s too bad I couldn’t do it with an audience full of equally excited viewers.

On Hulu tomorrow, August 5th.

Odie Henderson

Odie “Odienator” Henderson has spent over 33 years working in Information Technology. He runs the blogs Big Media Vandalism and Tales of Odienary Madness. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire  here .

• Amber Midthunder as Naru
• Dakota Beavers as Taabe
• Dane DiLiegro as Predator
• Stormee Kipp as Wasape
• Michelle Thrush as Aruka
• Julian Black Antelope as Chief Kehetu
• Stefany Mathias as Sumu (Chief Wife)
• Nelson Leis as Waxed Mustache
• Bennett Taylor as Raphael
• Angela M. Catanzaro
• Claudia Castello
• Dan Trachtenberg

Cinematographer

• Jeff Cutter
• Patrick Aison
• Sarah Schachner

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Prey strips the Predator formula down to basics, but finds some room for style

The movie is bypassing theaters and going straight to Hulu, but it’d look great on a bigger screen

by Jesse Hassenger

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Before Disney bought 20th Century Fox in 2017 , the film studio had become known as a purveyor of durable genre movies like the Alien, Predator, and X-Men series — and also as an interfering cost-cutter, defined by its willingness to set pivotal action sequences in generic parking lots and Canadian forests. (See The Darkest Minds , Elektra , or X-Men: The Last Stand , among many others, for examples of the Fox aesthetic at its worst.) These reputations weren’t mutually exclusive; sometimes, a Fox movie would strike up a pleasing balance between muscular thrills and relative limitations, like The Wolverine , a smaller-scale superhero movie that makes evocative use of its initial, woodsy setting.

Prey is the latest Fox production to capture both sides of that Fox history, while also nodding toward the studio’s new identity as a Disney-owned content mill for Hulu. The latest entry in the Predator franchise that began in 1987 is a stripped-down version of the usual sci-fi hunt, coming straight to Hulu without hitting movie theaters first.

At first glance, it makes sense to send a new Predator movie directly to streaming. Like a lot of R-rated sci-fi series, this one hasn’t been popular in years. 2010’s Predators and 2018’s The Predator proved the series still has loyal fans, but also demonstrated that the audience is relatively small. Prey attempts to bring the series even further back to its roots than those films did — not that the other Predator movies have strayed especially far from the formula of giant, masked, mandible-faced alien monsters hunting humans who eventually fight back.

Still, there’s an admirable minimalism in the idea of a prequel that goes so far back in time that the franchise’s previous characters won’t be born for hundreds of years. Prey is set in the Great Plains of North America in the year 1719, following Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young Comanche woman desperate to undergo the training rites to become a hunter for her tribe. Her family and tribemates predictably disagree about her readiness for this task, encouraging her to help her people in other ways. But when a series of mysterious signs indicates that an unfamiliar creature is stalking their territory, only Naru is willing to hunt it down.

Prey ’s early scenes flirt with minimalism without fully committing to it. Naru trains herself in solitude with a custom-made weapon — a throwing ax she makes retrievable by tying on a rope — and she fulfills her tribal obligations alongside her trusty canine sidekick. Meanwhile, an 18th-century Predator arrives on Earth and explores the Great Plains, mostly by observing smaller predatory animals in action, then taking them out. (Seems like easy pickings for an 8-foot alien with technology far beyond this world, but apparently this is the Predator equivalent of a tourist checking out local restaurants.) Eventually, the two cross paths more directly.

Before that inevitable, satisfying clash, Prey makes some concessions to less-adventurous audiences. Rather than making full use of a Comanche language, or simply avoiding dialogue whenever possible, the native characters speak primarily in English, in a vernacular that sounds suspiciously like contemporary screenwriters tiptoeing around their inability (or unwillingness) to approximate something older and less immediately familiar. This is part of a larger pattern: Whenever the movie has the opportunity to hold back for a scene or even a moment that plays slightly more lyrical or mysterious, director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg tends to cut himself short. He may be out there in the woods, but he isn’t exactly communing with the spirit of Terrence Malick.

Trachtenberg, who made the similarly pared-down franchise extension 10 Cloverfield Lane , has one major thing to offer in Prey : efficiency. This is a movie about a young woman on a collision course with a spine-ripping alien dude in a cool skull mask. The other members of Naru’s tribe are there to naysay and/or become Predator fodder. A late-arriving band of fur traders also offers up some huntable bodies. Trachtenberg finds ways to present the efficiencies of their short, brief lives with a flourish: He sets up action with overhead shots, sometimes from far above for lay-of-the-land establishing shots, and sometimes giving the camera just enough space for a full view of obstacles like a particularly sticky mud pit.

He also makes series-best use of the Predator’s neon-green blood, as an accent color against the more muted, natural tones of the film’s setting. The action itself is shot cleanly and clearly. One scene pitting Naru against the fur traders is especially impressive, considering it doesn’t involve the movie’s iconic monster.

Both the strengths and the weaknesses of Prey place a lot of pressure on Midthunder, playing the only human in the movie who isn’t there solely for narrative convenience. She delivers a charismatic, athletic performance, popping off the screen with her watchful, expressive eyes highlighted by tribal makeup. What sets her apart from heroes of past Predator movies is telegraphed right upfront in dialogue, as her brother questions her desire to prove herself: “You want to hunt something that’s hunting you?”

He isn’t talking about the Predator yet at that point, but he might as well be. When the time comes, Naru must actively seek out the alien, who never identifies her as a hunt-worthy opponent. Like everyone else, the Predator underestimates Naru, keeping his eye on showier, less worthy prey. The simplicity of “women can kill as good as men” threatens to turn Naru into a Predator-fighting, bloodthirsty girlboss, but the no-nonsense scrappiness of Midthunder’s performance keeps that from happening.

It would be easy to overhype Prey because it’s a direct-to-streaming movie that could have passed muster on the big screen. It’s about as good as the other Predator movies, rather than being a game-changing revelation. It is a shame, though, that Disney didn’t opt for a simultaneous theatrical and streaming release, given that this August is a relatively barren month for wide releases. This movie would make fine summer drive-in fodder, in the tradition of some recent non-Fox woman-versus-nature features like Crawl or The Shallows .

Summer entertainment that actually works as an exciting, unfussy B-movie isn’t an area the modern version of Big Disney typically explores. It’s probably too much to hope that the Fox acquisition would diversify the types of movies Disney makes, rather than simply eliminating another group of titles from the release schedule.

Maybe that’s why Prey doesn’t feel shameless, even though it theoretically embodies everything that’s tedious and unspectacular about big-studio filmmaking: a franchise extension traded from one subsidiary to another, designed to induce nostalgia pangs and inspire Easter-egg hunts. (Hint: Besides the obligatory Predator dialogue riff, there’s a connection to Predator 2 afoot, too.) Trachtenberg’s film wields the elemental appeal of watching sci-fi/horror weirdness bend the boundaries of the human-against-nature conflict. Prey doesn’t worship the past — not of its country, studio, genre, or franchise. But it has a keen understanding of its place in all of those histories.

Prey debuts on Hulu on Aug. 5.

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‘prey’ review: ‘predator’ prequel gives old franchise a fresh spin.

The new installment in the long-running 'Predator' series takes place 300 years ago and centers on a young Comanche woman.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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There’s a reason that the title of the new Predator film doesn’t contain the word “Predator.”

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Release Date : Friday, August 5

Cast : Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane Diliegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope, Stefany Mathia, Bennett Taylor, Mike Paterson, Nelson Leis

Director : Dan Trachtenberg

Screenwriter : Patrick Aison

The film will no doubt be lambasted by its less forward-thinking male viewers, much in the same way that they somehow couldn’t stand the thought of female ghostbusters. But there’s no denying that director Dan Trachtenberg ( 10 Cloverfield Lane ) has effectively gotten back to the basics. There’s enough carnage and violent action on display to satisfy Predator fans whose cinematic bloodlust knows no bounds, and the dramatic change in milieu provides some much-needed freshness. Featuring a cast composed almost entirely of Native and First Nations actors, Prey has clearly taken pains to be as authentic as possible.

Amber Midthunder, who previously proved her badass bona fides in the Liam Neeson vehicle The Ice Road , proves perfectly cast as the incredibly resourceful and skillful Naru, who throws a mean tomahawk and desperately yearns to be a hunter like her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers, making an impressive debut) and the other men in her Comanche tribe. She more than gets her chance after the arrival of the Predator (Dane Diliegro, all 6’9” of him), who, being an equal opportunity killer, begins gruesomely dispatching whatever animals and humans have the unfortunate luck to cross his path.

Screenwriter Patrick Aison can be forgiven for laying on the feminist themes a bit thickly, since for every earnest or overly self-aware moment there’s one or more scenes of the Predator slaying his victims with undeniable panache. The important thing is that the action sequences are staged with maximum skillfulness (occasionally undercut by the subpar CGI effects, including the Predator glowing like a clubber who’s wandered into ultraviolet light). Some of the visuals are truly striking, such as an invisible Predator being exposed by the blood and viscera raining down on him from the bear he’s just killed. Adding to the impact are DP Jeff Cutter’s striking visual compositions, including a gorgeous shot of Naru and the mountain lion perched precariously on a tree limb, and Sarah Schachner’s pulse-pounding musical score.

Full credits

Production company: David Entertainment Company Distributor: 20 th Century Studios Cast: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane Diliegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope, Stefany Mathia, Bennett Taylor, Mike Paterson, Nelson Leis Director: Dan Trachtenberg Screenwriter: Patrick Aison Producers: John Davis, Jhane Myers, Marty Ewing Executive producers: Lawrence Gordon, Ben Rosenblatt, James E. Thomas, John C. Thomas, Marc Toberoff Director of photography: Jeff Cutter Production designer: Kara Lindstrom Editors: Angela M. Catanzaro, Claudia Castello Composer: Sarah Schachner Costume designer: Stephanie Porter Casting: Rene Haynes

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Naru, a skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation, fights to protect her tribe against one of the first highly-evolved Predators to land on Earth. Naru, a skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation, fights to protect her tribe against one of the first highly-evolved Predators to land on Earth. Naru, a skilled warrior of the Comanche Nation, fights to protect her tribe against one of the first highly-evolved Predators to land on Earth.

• Dan Trachtenberg
• Patrick Aison
• Amber Midthunder
• Dakota Beavers
• Dane DiLiegro
• 2.6K User reviews
• 327 Critic reviews
• 71 Metascore
• 12 wins & 44 nominations total

Top cast 34

• Chief Kehetu

• Sumu (Chief Wife)

• Waxed Mustache

• (as Harlan Kytwayhat)

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• Young Comanche Girl
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• Trivia The rattlesnake could "see" the predator whilst invisible as a rattlesnake has pits on its head that allow the snake to sense heat and track prey through its thermal radiation signature, much like the Predator.
• Goofs At 23:00 the mountain lion roars. Mountain lions can't roar. They scream.

Naru : I don't know that this thing can be killed.

Taabe : If it bleeds, we can kill it.

• Crazy credits SPOILER: Part of the closing credits are a sequence in Comanche rock art drawings depicting the events of the film. At the end of the sequence is an image of Predator ships appearing above Naru's village.
• Connections Featured in AniMat's Crazy Cartoon Cast: Disney+ Day & Disabling Dislikes (2021)
• Soundtracks Theme from Predator Written by Alan Silvestri

User reviews 2.6K

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• How long is Prey? Powered by Alexa
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• August 5, 2022 (United States)
• United States
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• Depredador: La Presa
• Calgary, Alberta, Canada
• 20th Century Studios
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• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $65,000,000 (estimated)

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• Runtime 1 hour 40 minutes
• Dolby Atmos

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'Prey' Review: A Smart, Gripping Action Thriller That Asks Who's Hunting Who

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Breathing new life into a long-running, popular franchise is often considered a fool's errand. Not only can it prove difficult to recapture the same magic of circumstance that made the first outing such a success, but it's even harder to build out an existing world the deeper you get into it without running the risk of retreading narrative ground. Fortunately, director Dan Trachtenberg and screenwriter Patrick Aison have cracked the formula with this year's Prey , which expands the world of Jim and John Thomas ' Predator franchise not by continuing forward in a linear fashion, but going all the way back to the beginning, long before the events of the 1987 film ever take place. The result is a tense, engaging action-thriller that asks us to question exactly which of our leads has actually assumed the role of the Predator this time around, and which one might find themselves at a disadvantage on unfamiliar (and potentially unfriendly) territory.

While Prey is something of an origin story for its titular alien — it's the Predator's ( Dane DiLiegro ) responsibility to surveil the new world he's been dropped off on while earning a front-row seat to natural selection at its bloodiest — it also works solely on the level of being a coming-of-age journey for its heroine. Naru, played by the soulful and mesmerizing Amber Midthunder , is a young member of a Comanche tribe who seeks to defy the position she's been slotted into as a gatherer by default of her gender; instead, she has dreams of becoming a hunter, trapping and catching wild game and defending her tribe against external dangers just like her older brother, Taabe ( Dakota Beavers ). She's met with skepticism and resistance not just from the other male hunters, but her own mother, who wants her to use the weapons at her disposal to collect various herbs and plants for a variety of medicinal purposes instead. (Ironically, it's Naru's knowledge of both hunting and gathering resources that later proves to give her a leg up over some of the men in her tribe, even those who pride themselves on being the best when it comes to taking down prey in their sights.) In spite of her detractors, however, Taabe is only ever supportive of his little sister's ambitions, and the relationship between the siblings ends up becoming one of the film's best emotional anchors, rendered by equally strong performances from Midthunder and Beavers through every scene they share together.

Above all the movie's engaging dynamics, however, this movie is Midthunder's to carry on her shoulders, and she proves more than adept at being not only our window into this rugged and oft-cruel world of survival, but a lead worthy of rooting for until the end credits roll. While it might seem as though Naru is punching above her weight class in trying to confront the Predator, an extraterrestrial warrior with more than a few technological superiorities in the weapons department, Prey 's script makes the smart move of letting Naru's knowledge give her the edge. She knows she can't actually battle this enemy in straight hand-to-hand combat, so she reaches for what she can rely on: her familiarity with this land, and how to use that to her benefit in the fight against someone bigger, stronger, and better-equipped. In this Predator prequel, it's absolutely a case of brains against brawn, but the ways in which Naru wields her own underestimated power leads to some of the most exciting action set pieces of the whole film.

RELATED: A Guide to August’s Exciting New Movie Releases, From 'Bullet Train' to ‘Prey’

Previous Predator movies have given less effort to dwelling on inward motivation for these alien invaders and afforded much more screentime to how many explosions can be packed into a two-hour span. Prey , by comparison, feels like the first instance in a long while that actually focuses on the philosophy of the Predator as a character — and there's a terror that's derived from the realization that his mindset is singularly driven by one instinct. Within his first few days on this new planet, the Predator seems entirely focused on discovering what — or who — could pose the greatest threat to him, and adapts his hunting strategy accordingly. He's not interested in targeting entirely helpless victims, or someone that has been strung up with the clear intent of baiting him out of self-camouflaged hiding. Once we're clued into the fact that the Predator is only interested in taking down what he views as competition, the question becomes: who's hunting who at this point?

Beyond a script that allows us an even deeper glimpse into the main antagonist's moral code, Prey is a film that uses every part of its natural surroundings to create striking visuals as rendered by cinematographer Jeff Cutter . One fight scene that takes place within a burning forest, surroundings half-obscured by smoke and ash, evokes a terrific sense of apprehension, as the Predator's targets wait with tremoring breath for the moment when he'll leap down from the skeletal trees and start slicing them to ribbons. When you pair that with some of the most excellent stunt choreography committed to screen, Prey manages to fire on all cylinders, not just on a physical level but also in continually reminding us of the greater emotions at play in every scene. In an environment where one wrong move could result in your enemy getting the upper hand, the stakes literally couldn't be higher — but they're also the perfect means through which our lead can double down on what she's capable of, as Naru literally fights tooth and nail (and with her loyal dog Sarii at her side, played by a canine actor who seems very happy to be making a movie) to protect her people from the biggest menace they've ever faced.

Prey conclusively works by taking the Predator franchise back to basics, stripping away much of the technology and giant explosions in favor of focusing on a character-driven narrative of struggle and triumph. It doesn't mean that this movie skimps on the action — far from it — but it's also proof of how good these stories can be on a smaller scale. Sometimes, true power isn't about how many advanced tools you have in your arsenal; sometimes, it's as fundamental as knowing the land you come from, and how to make that your weapon. The only real downside to Prey is the streaming format through which it'll be released, with the 20th Century movie being shuttled over to drop on Hulu later this week. It's no hyperbole to say that this is a film that demands to be seen on as big a screen as possible, if only in order to thoroughly appreciate one of the best action movies of the year thus far, let alone one of the best Predator movies since the first.

Prey will be released exclusively on Hulu on Friday, August 5.

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‘Prey’ Review: A Clever ‘Predator’ Prequel Proves Even Old IP Can Draw Fresh Blood

Kate erbland, editorial director.

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Fans looking for connections between “Prey” and the four “ Predator ” films that preceded it (not counting a pair of crossover titles from the early aughts) will find plenty to enjoy in Dan Trachtenberg ‘s prequel. There’s the overt stuff (keep your eyes peeled for a gun that pops up many decades later in the series’ timeline) and the tropes (clever kills that mirror some of the best from John McTiernan’s 1987 film, unexpected heroes of all stripes), but what’s most thrilling about this 18th-century prequel is how much it still manages to feel like its own thing.

Turns out, even the most wrung-out IP — we’re talking about a series that was eventually forced to crossover with another  action-centric alien film, to deeply stupid results — can still tap into truly smart new ideas.

Set on the Great Plains in the fall of 1719, “Prey” picks up at a fraught time in American history. The Comanche Nation may still rule this slice of prairie, plains, and forest, but just miles away is a group of money-hungry French fur trappers pillaging their way through the country’s wildlife. Within the tribe, there are other troubles: Young Naru (Amber Midthunder) is desperate to prove her worth as a hunter and warrior, but the group’s male-dominated hierarchy (including her big brother, played by Dakota Beavers in his film debut) isn’t interested in seeing what a girl can do with an axe.

Too bad, because she just might be the only one who can save them.

Midthunder, a longtime actress who is the daughter of actor and stunt performer David Midthunder and casting director Angelique Midthunder, makes for one hell of an action star. That Naru really is a worthy contender and a credible warrior is key to the film and some of its more heavy-handed ideas, and Midthunder makes her bonafides clear from the start. Naru has spent her life picking up key bits of training that others might overlook, including her skills as a tracker and healer that she inherited from her own mother. A discarded axe is her weapon of choice, and while others might sniff at its outdated style, it (and Naru) can do some serious damage.

It’s Naru who first realizes that something is amiss, looking to the sky while the rest of her tribe remains fixated on their everyday lives. When a fellow Comanche goes missing with only his blood left behind, her brother Taabe and his friends only consider known predators like a cougar or mountain lion. It never occurs to them that a creature they’ve never encountered before — like an alien being, or even a bunch of vicious fur trappers — could be responsible for wounds they’ve never seen before. Naru is prone to more expansive thinking; soon, she sets out on a mission to warn her beloved brother of what’s really out there, and perhaps defeat the damn thing on her own.

What follows is a thrilling journey in which Naru and her beloved dog (offering a truly incredible canine performance) cut their way through the plains, steadily realizing what they’re up against. The Predator, now a decades-old cinematic star, appears in his usual guise, from lightly shimmering see-through camouflage to his truly terrifying full-color, weapons-laden, definitely alien visage. (Does this Predator kill? Oh, boy, does he.) While Trachtenberg’s film will only stream on Hulu, the filmmaker hasn’t skimped: “Prey” looks great, and would likely look even better on the big screen. After the disappointment of Shane Black’s 2018 “The Predator,” “Prey” ably proves how much more life there is in this franchise, sequel or prequel, big screen or small.

Despite a slower start — though there are pleasures to be found in getting to know Naru and the rest of the all-Native cast — once “Prey” kicks into high gear, it does not let up. Major set pieces abound, including a heart-stopping sequence in which Naru finally witnesses the Predator in all his horrifying glory (the alien warrior takes on a massive, very angry bear, to stunning results) to one in which Naru must use her wits to pull herself out of quicksand. Jeff Cutter’s cinematography, including a number of eye-popping overhead shots, moves between the graceful (a scene in which we see the trappers’ handiwork with a herd of buffalo is absolutely chilling) and the suspenseful (a last-act battle set in the trappers’ camp is made even more freaky by the use of smoke and fog).

The key to “Prey” is screenwriter Patrick Aison’s smart interpretation of its table-turning title: this one is about the Predator as much as it is about his seeming prey, someone used to being counted out who actually offers the biggest danger to the alien baddie. When Naru realizes that the Predator doesn’t view her as a threat — either because she’s a woman (the “yasss queen” tone that runs through the film toggles between smart and heavy-handed, often in the same scene) or because he typically sees her when she’s weapon-less — she uses that insight to her advantage.

How can even the most skilled Comanche warriors battle a massive alien being with a full arsenal of advanced technology? Now that’s how you orient a prequel. How Trachtenberg, Aison, and Midthunder interrogate that very question is a thrill, offering the most unexpected of movie treats: a once-stalled franchise that suddenly seems bursting with delights — and, yes, plenty of blood spatter.

“Prey” starts streaming on Hulu on Friday, August 5.

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Prey review: Brutal, pulse-quickening Predator prequel succeeds by ditching the nostalgia

This is, first and foremost, an emotionally rich story about an indigenous comanche woman fighting for survival out in the american wilderness, article bookmarked.

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Dir: Dan Trachtenberg. Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, Julian Black Antelope. 15, 99 minutes.

Prey didn’t need to be a Predator film. All those decades-spanning sequels, including Shane Black ’s poorly received 2018 instalment, have lived in the shadow of that single, canonised image of a glistening Arnold Schwarzenegger dolled up in his war paint. None of them got close to replicating that muscle-bound greatness. But Prey succeeds by not even trying in the first place. Its thrills aren’t solely reliant on what’s already familiar to audiences. It isn’t powered by nostalgia – an exceedingly rare thing to see in mainstream cinema these days.

That’s not to say that, when our intergalactic murder-hulk does turn up, with its jaws like an origami fortune teller, the film doesn’t quake with childish glee. But this is, first and foremost, a brutal, pulse-quickening, emotionally rich story about an indigenous Comanche woman fighting for survival out in the American wilderness. It just so happens to be that, about halfway through, a trophy-hunting alien also turns up to join in on the game. In fact, the film’s director, Dan Trachtenberg, originally intended Prey to be marketed with no reference to its franchise connections, until the news was leaked online and the surprise was ruined. It’s shame – this could have been an all-timer of a narrative twist.

Set in the Comanche Nation, somewhere during the 1700s, Prey follows Naru (Amber Midthunder), a woman who, against the warnings of her elders, pushes to upturn patriarchal tradition and pass the initiation test that would solidify her place as a hunter. The Comanche men show little sympathy. When she suggests they set down bait for the mountain lion whose tracks they’ve been following, they mistake her shrewdness for weakness. But, when it comes to fending off a Predator, Naru’s home-ground advantage is pretty much all she’s got. Any hope for survival lies out there among the trees and the flowers and the earth.

And Trachtenberg’s film, working from a screenplay by Patrick Aison, makes the most of these pared-back surroundings. As its intricate hand-to-hand combat sequences play out, the crunch of bones seems to ricochet around the room you’re in – as does the satisfying thud of a throwing axe as it embeds itself into a tree trunk. The night scenes look surprisingly rich, illuminated by single torches or by the laser-quest-green glow of a Predator’s spilt blood.

There’s even a wicked sense of humour embedded in the chaos. A rabbit watches on, relieved, as a Predator de-spines a wolf. Elsewhere, a group of French-Canadian fur trappers, in a state of panic, try to reload their muskets as the alien lines up its laser sights. The film was made for and deserves to be seen on the big screen. But it’s incidentally become the victim of a corporate power struggle – Disney is dropping it straight onto streaming, as a prior contract would have required a theatrically released film to have initially gone onto HBO Max. Prey , arguably, has been let down by the fact Disney has too much confidence in the project.

Put aside the unfortunate consequences of the film’s own success, and there’s something deeply significant to be seen in an Indigenous-led narrative so proudly centered on a Hollywood project. There’s real care put into the details of Comanche life, as overseen by producer Jhane Myers – a Comanche and Blackfoot advocate and artist, who was able to take on a more hands-on role than the traditional “consultant” positions that allow projects to take performative credit while rarely lending a voice to the people it depicts. The film was shot in both English and Comanche, with both versions set to be available on Disney Plus.

Naru weaves rope made out of the fibres of tree bark, and is seen frantically trying to restring a snapped bow before a bear makes its attack. Midthunder imbues these scenes with a quiet determination. It’s a star-making performance. Naru’s a relatively subdued character, who communicates to us more through body language than she does words. Still, Midthunder has that kind of natural, undefinable gravitational force that draws the audience’s attention back to her even in moments of rest.

Prey’ s setting makes logical sense – the mercilessness of the Predator, who hunts only for pride, is reflected in the actions of the white colonisers, who leave behind nothing but scorched forests and fields of dead buffalo. But the film simultaneously challenges the common assumption that Indigenous peoples like the Comanche were simply outmatched by the power of European gunfire, when the history of American expansion was really only achieved through persistent trickery and betrayal. The Comanche were actually very adept at fighting back against their oppressors. And the film, time and time again, sees Naru succeed specifically because those around her never treat her as a plausible threat. And so Trachtenberg’s film lands on a broader, more empowering message amid the alien mayhem – that the marginalised and the forgotten, in all forms, already have the tools they need to survive.

‘Prey’ is streaming on Disney Plus in the UK and Hulu in the US from 5 August

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‘Prey’ Film Review: This Is How You Reboot A Horror Franchise

By Valerie Complex

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The Predator franchise is the ugly step-child of horror monster canon. Fans know about it, are aware of it, but don’t necessarily give it the credit it deserves. With the original film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the sequel with Danny Glover, a bunch of Alien vs. Predator crossover films, and an attempt at a reboot in 2018, it is the one franchise that lacks consistency. However, director Dan Trachtenberg gives the film a new edge by inserting the titular monster in an 18th-century setting to see how the people hold up against the advanced technology of the warrior creature.

Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a Comanche woman who aims to become a warrior by embarking on the “kühtaamia,” a rite of passage ritual where the hunter hunts the hunter who hunts them. Many in her tribe think she isn’t ready for the experience despite being somewhat of a skilled fighter. She gets the chance to prove herself when one of the children is taken away from her village. Naru, her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers), and other young warriors aim to rescue the child. On the same day as the kidnapping, the Predator arrives. When the two cross paths, all hell breaks loose.

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There are many similarities between Prey and Apocalypto , but Prey stands on its own due to its sharp storytelling and uber-strong performance from Midthunder. The goal isn’t just to kill or be killed (which, of course, the film contains a lot of graphic deaths), but there is a level of coherence and emotional intelligence that many other monster films refuse to address. At every increasing moment of this journey, Naru experiences a change in front of the camera, and it’s not just talked about in passing. 

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Prey is a risky venture for 20th Century and Hulu to take on. The director puts his faith in a relative newcomer to shoulder the movie. Women rarely get to be the heroes of these stories, and women of color are often left out entirely. The cast is made up of primarily indigenous actors with a narrative that revolves solely around their lived experiences. Trachtenberg took an unprecedented risk here and succeeded. Hopefully, this will set the standard for the genre at large. 

There are some slight nods to other Predator films and delivers the familiar kills and thrills while also introducing a new generation to a potential new action star in Midthunder. Predator is one of those creatures that can exist at any time. They can fight and have great gadgets, but their greatest weapon is their ability to test the human spirit, which makes it ripe for further exploration.

It was the right move to debut the film on streaming (although a theatrical release would’ve been excellent), as it’s accessible for folks to watch from home. 

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Screen Rant

Prey reviews agree prequel is a refreshing update of predator franchise.

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The reviews for  Prey   have arrived, and they more or less unanimously agree that the film is a refreshing update for the franchise. The series began 35 years ago with the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle  Predator , which saw the hulking star and a team of commandos attempt to square off against an alien hunter in the jungle. Since then, the Predators have stalked the urban jungle of Los Angeles in  Predator 2 (1990), hunted humans on their home world in  Predator  (2010), and taken over suburbia in  The Predator  (2018), as well as fought the Xenomorphs from the  Alien  franchise in both Antarctica and small-town America in 2004's  Alien vs. Predator and its 2007 sequel.

The franchise has still found new places to go in the new film  Prey , from  10 Cloverfield Lane director Dan Trachtenberg. The project, which is launching exclusively on Hulu on August 5, 2022, is set centuries in the past in the Comanche Nation in 1719. It will follow a young warrior named Naru (Amber Midthunder), who must protect her tribe against the onslaught of the technologically advanced being. The cast also includes Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, and Julian Black Antelope, bringing to life a screenplay by Patrick Aison, a TV veteran from  Wayward Pines and  Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan .

Related:  Prey's Reactions Prove The Predator Franchise's Best Setting

Today, the embargo has lifted and critics across various publications have been allowed to release their reviews of  Prey , just two days shy of its release. So far, they have been almost unanimous in their praise of the film as a refreshing new take on an established franchise. While they differ in their takes on the specifics of the film, including the bare-bones plot, overall their reviews are overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the exciting new setting and Midthunder's riveting performance. Check out selected quotes from critics below:

Graeme Guttman,  Screen Rant :

A lean action thriller, Prey takes Predator back to its ultra-violent roots and proves itself as a worthy entry in the franchise's mythology.

James Dyer,  Empire :

With its ferocious heroine, authentic period setting, and a bloody string of inventive action beats (frantic flight through tall grass; pile-on in the ash-rain of a burned-out forest; heart-pounding confrontation with an ornery bear), Trachtenberg’s film breathes new life into a long-deflated series.

Kate Erbland,  IndieWire :

Turns out, even the most wrung-out IP — we’re talking about a series that was eventually forced to crossover with another action-centric alien film, to deeply stupid results — can still tap into truly smart new ideas.

Owen Gleiberman,  Variety :

It’s clear that even a “Predator” movie can now be styled as a lesson in how to be. But maybe, in the case of this franchise, that marks a slight improvement over movies that wanted to be nothing but what has come before.

Tom Jorgensen,  IGN :

Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey never lets up. It’s full of the Predator franchise’s trademark violence and tension, but it’s the ferocious, star-making turn from Amber Midthunder that stands as its greatest strength. The movie’s sole focus on her lead character, Naru, means that the supporting roster comes off a little wooden, but when Prey’s tracking the young warrior’s duel with the Predator -- full of powerful imagery and creative kills -- it rarely falters.

Carly Lane,  Collider :

Above all the movie's engaging dynamics, however, this movie is Midthunder's to carry on her shoulders, and she proves more than adept at being not only our window into this rugged and oft-cruel world of survival, but a lead worthy of rooting for until the end credits roll.

Frank Scheck,  THR :

There’s no denying that director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) has effectively gotten back to the basics. There’s enough carnage and violent action on display to satisfy Predator fans whose cinematic bloodlust knows no bounds, and the dramatic change in milieu provides some much-needed freshness.

So far, Rotten Tomatoes has  Prey  standing at an incredible rating of 100%. While the number is certain to shrink as more reviews are added, it's looking like the film is well on its way toward becoming Certified Fresh on the review aggregation platform. If that were the case, it would be the first film in the franchise to achieve that distinction since the original  Predator . It would also be only the third film of seven to achieve a positive score on the platform, as every other film has been deemed Rotten, with the exception of  Predators , which is sitting at a comfortable 65%.

Although the Predator is an iconic figure from American pop culture, it has an unusually disparate franchise. By standing on its own and taking a new direction,  Prey  actually fits in with the franchise more than might be expected. This time, it is just doing so in a way that critics really seem to be responding to, and hopefully audiences will feel the same.

Next:  Predator: Prey Needs To Steal The Alien Franchise's Smartest Trick

Source: Various (see above)

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