After 2018’s execrable The Predator, not seeing the Yautja onscreen again felt preferable. We’ve got Predator (a classic), Predator 2 (decent), Predators (underrated), and the AvPs (hm). Perhaps the right thing is to leave it?
Prey gives me hope again.
I’m amazed by two things:
- The title is so obvious! How did no one think of that before
- Introducing known sci-fi characters and elements into new time periods is interesting
The shock of a good Predator film after twelve years seemed to leave a lot of reviewers woozy and prone to heaping praise onto Prey. I was shocked too! But it’s been a few weeks since release so the hyperbole has calmed down. Prey is a good film, but it’s not on the same level as the original, mainly due to the marvelously muscled machismo of the original cast. At least Prey doesn’t try to outdo that, instead focusing on Amber Midthunder’s Naru, who is brilliant, and far from being prey herself. Questioned by everyone around her, she shows the strength, intellect, and sheer will to engage with the beast attacking her and her people.
The Predator itself succeeds where previous have failed too. It may look different but it doesn’t suffer from the basic misunderstandings in design and production that have afflicted recent antagonists. It’s a harsh fucker too, sussing out it’s place in the food chain as it takes on everything it sees.
It’s cool to see that the story didn’t have to make the Predator dumb or hand out major handicaps or plot armour to make it all work. Naru uses her skill and her knowledge of her surroundings to her advantage. Much like Dutch, though he needed to become the Final Girl before he could triumph. From the start Naru goes out to hunt the thing she can’t see but is sure is out there.
And as I write that the title becomes even clearer and more apt. Took me a while but I got there. Thank goodness for writing reviews!
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