Prey understands what makes Predator interesting: the hunt

Image: David Bukach / 20th Century Studios

The Predator franchise has had its ups and downs over the years. A race of aliens who live for nothing more than a good hunt travel to Earth to look for prey. It worked well for the first two films, but over the course of more sequels, spinoffs, and ventures into games and comics, that high-level idea has been diminished. The hunt is the most important part of the franchise and is the focus of the newest mainline film.

There are things in this review that are related to Prey.

Prey is set in 1719 in the Northern Great Plains and centers on a budding Comanche hunter. Naru wants to be a hunter and leader like her brother Taabe and is constantly pushing against the expectations placed on her. She trains with weapons on her own, pushes her way into hunting excursions, and when asked why she wants this so badly, she said simply, "Because you all think I can't." The presence of an alien forces her into a role she was not expecting.

Naru and her tribe don't know it's an alien It looks like a lion is attacking them. Naru is the one who knows more about it. She notices that people don't notice key details like a dead snake and green fluid. She takes a red storm in the sky as a sign that she is ready for her first big hunt.

Prey is a slow build up to the final battle between Naru and the predator. Naru is gradually growing into herself, trusting her instincts even when no one seems to believe her. As she sorts out just what is going on, she has equal parts impatience, determination, and ingenuity. She becomes a strength. She is aided by a very cute dog who is her companion.

The alien is being tested in this new landscape. He begins slicing up small animals before moving on to larger animals like bears and humans. The group of French fur trappers are also included.

Prey is one of the most patient movies I've ever seen. The high mark for the series is the pacing. Around an hour in, you don't see the alien. Until that point, it is hidden and largely invisible, poking around the edges of the plains in search of a good opponent. The humans are frightened by it in brief spurts of violence.

That doesn't mean there isn't action until then, because it's gruesome and gory. There is an excellently gross scene in which the predator is doused in bear blood. The film teases out the main conflict. Prey makes it all the more satisfying because you know Naru and the alien will get into it eventually. The use of futuristic-yet-brutal gadgets and weapons makes the predator seem unstoppable.

I had some apprehension when it came to representation. When it comes to depicting indigenous cultures on screen, Hollywood doesn't have the best record. I am not the best person to judge how successful a movie is in this regard, but it appears that some thought was put into Prey's approach, from the use of the Comanche language to the indigenous talent both in front of and behind the camera. The heroes of the story are Naru and her companions, who are more than just stereotypes. When any of the French trappers died, I didn't feel bad.

Prey is simple. Slowly building up the tension, it never strays from its concept. It adds to the lore of the predator. Prey made me wish the franchise was turned into something like Assassin's Creed, with each new entry looking at a different time period, exploring the mythos from a new lens.

In the second movie, viewers got a glimpse of a room full of skulls that serve as trophies, suggesting that this species has been looking for the ultimate hunt for a long time. In 1719, they discover that on Earth.

On August 5th, Prey is going to be on the air.