For awhile, the Predator franchise seemed to be the equivalent of the Jurassic Park franchise, in which it has one film that is a major classic that just can’t be replicated no matter how hard you try with the sequels and trying to top it is just asking for trouble. Sure, you can argue the sequels where entertaining in both intentional (Predators) and unintentional ways (Predators 2, The Predator) but none of them works as well as the original did. What made the original Predator so good was strictly because it was able to deliver it’s creative but straight-forward premise and able to deliver intense thrills and exciting action with what it gave itself to work with. There was nothing more complex or complicated about it. Just Arnold facing off against an alien monster!
If there is one thing that is the most refreshing about Prey is how it seems to operate in that exact distinct mindset. There’s no attempt at going grander, bigger, and more epic or trying as hard to make you “understand” the Predator itself. All it does is have Amber Midthunder (which is one badass name btw)as a young female warrior facing off against a mysterious creature while proving herself to here tribe that she is just as capable with fighting as her male counterparts. Being able to execute on the exact premise heights is not only what makes Prey far and away the best since the original Predator but there may even be an argument that it’s on par with that if not better.
Premise: In 1719, Naru (Amber Midthunder) is a young girl living in the Northern Plains with her tribe. She has ambition to be as good of a leader and warrior has her brother Tabee (Dakota Beavers) and other members of his group. She constantly works hard everyday to train herself to be the best fighter she can possibly be. Eventually, a presence of a haunting alien force emerges in the Northern Plains. This finds Naru being forced into a position that she has been working towards her whole life. To finally become that elite warrior she has always seen herself has. She goes undercover to discover what exactly this creature is and how she can stop it. It’s then that Naru believes this supposed alien makes her set to embark on her very first hunt known as a “kuhtaamia”.
The first thing you can immediately take from Prey is it has it’s own back-to-basics feel to it. It doesn’t put as much focus on the overall mythology of Predators or try as hard to expand on certain backstories and motivations that it doesn’t need to. It’s able to convey it’s own ambitions as the original did by having a very nature vs extraterrestrial subtext to it along with subverting the narrative with it’s female main character.
I’m sure many people will compare the character of Naru to that of Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor has having a strong action heroine that can hold her own but I think a better comparison can be that of Mulan. Not just because it also that our main heroine going through an arc of showing that a woman can be as strong and capable in battle as a man but that we also see a very vulnerable nature to the character as she learns to inhabit the wilderness and being able to survive on her own. Heck, when you really think about it, this is basically a better live-action Mulan movie than Mulan (2020).
Admittedly, having a strong female protagonist would not worked if the lead actress isn’t compelling but Amber Midthunder (Again, such an awesome name!) is an absolute force of nature as the main heroine. She is able to display the perfect mix of vulnerability and just plain badassery to the character of Naru. We see her constantly grow and change constantly throughout the film as she learns to trust herself even when others don’t. It’s the key traits she has in her actions in her own determination and resourcefulness that helps define her character. Throughout the film, we see Naru start to learn the skills and mindset that she has and must stick to exactly that in order to survive and kills this vicious beast. Only knowing her true strengths and her own capability will she be able to live free when it’s all good.
This is majorly important as the movie never loses the fact that Naru is still a person. She has her own flaws, weaknesses, and there are certain things that she just can’t do. Instead of trying to be somebody she is not, Naru discovers the exact somebody that she has to be. This is not just a story about a woman vs a predator, this is about a human being vs a predator.
The overall simplistic premise does give director Dan Trachtenberg plenty of opportunities to focus on the tense and suspenseful atmosphere the movie is set in and for the most part, he exceeds. It’s always important in a movie like this to showcases a level of intensity and suspense in a movie about a hunt in the woods. Trachtenberg is able to use those exact techniques he displayed brilliantly in 10 Cloverfield Lane to an even better advantage here has he is giving more scope and location to work with here.
What works even greater here are the glorious action sequences. While the CGI is quite noticeable at times and it’s not entirely action-heavy until later on in the second half, the fights scenes really excel here. Not only are they bloody and gory, but they feel real and dirty. These aren’t just superhero with superpowers that has vulnerability taking away from, these are real living lifeforms that take hits, bruises, scars, and cuts throughout battles and must find a way to fight despite those. The real standouts here are the early ones with the Predator first arrives as that does a perfect job of displaying the tone and tension in every scene the alien arrives in.
Production wise, this movie is on top form as well. The cinematography by Jeff Cutter is top notch with plenty of nice location shooting that perfectly displays the time period which this movie is set in. The editing by Angela M. Catanzaro and Claudia Castello is rather well done despite a handful of choppy moments, particularly in the action scenes. The score by Sarah Schachner is inspiring and fits the movie immensely well. The make-up and costumes are great which look exactly that I would expect from certain tribes. The only real downside is some admittedly noticeable CGI that might take you out of the movie at the very beginning. Whether it has to do with it being strictly Hulu Plus exclusive or not, it’s just something you are force to get used to until it fades away.
If there is a downside to the movie, it mostly revolves around the pacing of the first half hour or so. It’s definitely worth noting that this is a fairly patient movie. While the 99 minute long runtime isn’t that noticeable, there are parts in the first half that does feel rather slow. This mostly consists of some of the same scenes repeatedly of Naru working on her own with her daily process of hunting and surviving. I get that the filmmakers were trying to show the ins and outs of Naru’s everyday routine but it does feels like it goes on a beat or two longer than it should. There’s also a cute animal sidekick with a dog that the movie hints at being a potential supporting character but comes across as an awkward cameo that feels like is only there or else Naru would have no one to interact with for at least 15 minutes long. There’s also the third act while fulfilling and satisfying, does end on a rather abrupt note with the reaction to the characters involved with it feeling like a complete blink and you miss it moment.
When looking at the big picture of Prey, it’s quite baffling how it has taking this long for the franchise to finally remember and understand the true appeal that the original Predator had. With all these attempts that the sequels try to do by making the lore overly complicated and giving the Predator some kind of motivation and depth, it always seem to be like those movies were thinking ahead of themselves and trying to accomplish something that was nearly impossible because of the standards that they themselves created for themselves. Prey, more so than any other movie in the franchise, gets the appeal of the franchise. It’s the action, it’s the tension, it’s the suspense, it’s the subversive genre, it’s the haunting atmosphere, and it’s just the plain badassery from the main characters that are likable, fun to watch, and easy to care about.
What director Dan Trachtenberg is able to display better than nearly every Predator movie that has come before it is it’s own unique craftmanship. Not only is it a true work of art, but it’s a labor of love. Or in the case of this movie with it’s main lead actress, it’s a labor of love and midthunder.
Other comments:
- This movie stands out so well on it’s own that you don’t even need to have seen the original Predator to enjoy or get this own.
- Yeah, I totally get why people are upset with this not being in theaters but I can think of a big reason or two for it. Something I plan to go into in a future post.
- This movie now kinda makes me wish that Trachtenberg directed Mulan (2020).
- Can’t wait to see Amber Midthunder being casted in a future Marvel or DC movie. Maybe as Black Cat or something.
- Did I mention that Midthunder is an awesome name?
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