Prey - Movie Review (7/10)

I want to emphasize from the start that this review is coming from someone who has not seen any other Predator film – so I will avoid making any general claims about the series. With that out of the way, I do think Prey was a great introduction to the series and has made me interested in checking out (at least) the original film. Set as a prequel in the year 1719, the film focuses on the Comanche tribe as they come face to face with “other-worldly” threats – both human and not. Our main character here is Naru (Amber Midthunder) along with the rest of the Comanche warriors – chiefly her brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers), who through their hunting come face to face with the “Predator”, a member of an extra-terrestrial species of hunters who seek to kill other species for trophies.

Despite this being my first introduction and knowing very little about the mythology of the world, I still appreciate how little exposition this film gives. I’m left to figure out the relationships, the nature of the tribes, the withering health of the war chief leading to a “proving”, and most of all, the purposes of the big bad “Predator”. Its info-dumping is done through cut-aways that showcases what Predator is here to do, and each of its scene fantastically lead to what later becomes its downfall – but I won’t mention any spoilers here. Just know that the typical cries of “Mary Sue” and “wokeness” are, like most times, false and horrifically misunderstood – the film’s end harkens back to the originals, with plenty of time spent developing Naru’s hunting skills and showcasing her smarts. And Midthunder sells the role wonderfully as well, doing a lot to with her reactions and eyes to convince us of the horror she faces, but also the dedication present that ultimately lets her overcome it.

Connected to this, I was also enjoyed the presentation of Comanche tribe culture and way of life. Though I cannot speak to its authenticity, its wonderful at placing the modern viewer in the midst of life in the 18th century with little to no hiccups. It does need to explain some important elements that are relevant to the story, but they are gotten through rather quickly to make way for a “The Northman” style cultural immersion (though with MUCH less psychedelics and fantastical elements).

The brother-sister relationship between Naru and Taabe fuels a lot of the story and character arcs here. Taabe is a well proven warrior by the time the film beings, having already gone through his Khutaamia – the big hunt – whilst Naru is still left to prove her position as a true hunter. This difference of perceived skill marks the initial lion hunting scene, where though Naru is able to conceive a plan, distraction prevents her from making the final kill and Taabe later manages to win truly glory. This is our first insight into Naru’s ability to think and plan, which later becomes quite useful. The sympathy that Taabe shows Naru in asking her to stop hunting hits quite rightly as an insult even for us and sets her off to prove herself on her own Khutaamia as she traces the Predator tracks that no one else seems to notice or care for. As a final note here, I appreciated that never is Naru’s gender explicitly mentioned by her fellow warriors as a reasoning for their doubts in her. I’m not saying her being a woman isn’t a factor – far from it. I want to applaud that the animosity was instead delivered through subtext, by looks, by tone, by the clear difference in ratio and size the audience could see. It fits the entire subdued storytelling it presents throughout, something which I was realty not expecting but was pleasantly surprised to receive.

One of my favourite scenes, the bear chase set sometime after Naru leaves to chase the tracks of the hunter, begins the mid-film realization of horror whilst simultaneously serving to showcase Predator’s hunting skills. It knocks out a grizzly with a single well-placed punch and bathes in its blood immediately after the bear had chased Naru into a collection of dead trees in trying to escape its grasp, making clear the current difference in their abilities (if it had not already been apparent). This scene leads directly to a large sequence of events that place the Predator against the Comanche warriors making for great action.

It also demonstrates the skill in the direction – the anxiety, panic, and surprise captured here is a just a micro-demonstration of the artful handling present throughout. The score, which I am listening to while writing, is also simply fantastic. Creepy, droning violins underscore a lot of the tracks, with drums taking center stage to match your thumping heart. It matches perfectly with the tone and setting of the film, and largely heightens the intensity or melancholy of each scene. The editing of the action is smooth and never jarring – you are never lost as to what’s going on at any moment (which was a welcome sight after watching “The Gray Man” whose many problems I may discuss some other time).

One thing I do want to delve a little into are the themes of the film, especially in the parallels and contrasts amongst the Comanche hunters, the Predator, and the French-European hunters. One of the big emphases placed when discussing chief differences between the “American” indigenous ways of life and the European ways is their connection to nature. When hunter-gatherer tribes live and thrive, they are one with nature, fitting nicely into a larger circle of life. There is a certain respect for the “hunt”. This style of life is first majorly contradicted by the Predator, who hunts not for food and sustenance but rather sport. The film presents one little scene where it melts the flesh of a wolf it earlier murdered, hanging its now bare skull off its belt for display. This is a creature alien to Naru and the Comanche not only in its biology but also its approach to life. This contrast, however, is later deepened with the introduction of the French trappers who themselves hunt not for hunger and food but for business and sport. We are at first led to believe that a great bison slaughter, with the animals left to rot with their skins removed, was committed by the Predator – but later realize that it wasn’t the alien creature, but the “alien humans” that destroyed this herd for their fur. In this manner, the film becomes more than simply a “slasher” horror flick – it’s a subdued commentary on the colonization of the Americas, and how the humans that came from across the sea are just as big a threat as the creature that comes from space. Both are alien to a way of life natural to these peoples, and the end solidifies their fears as Naru tells the chief they must move because there is danger nearby – a human danger.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film. It turned out to be much much more than what I want in expecting, and I was pleasantly surprised at every turn. I would be very interested in seeing more predator sequels in vein of this – with different creatures being dropped off in different time period. All in all, I give “Prey” a 7/10.