07 Aug Prey Review

PREY

dir. Dan Trachtenberg, starring Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, and Michelle Thrush

Prey, the seventh overall movie in the Predator franchise, gives us the story of Naru, a young Comanche woman who stalks and confronts a version of the highly evolved and technologically advanced alien predator species the audience has known since the 1980s. Throughout the film, Naru encounters a number of environmentally hostile creatures, both animal and human, as she tracks the threat to her tribe.

Prey is perhaps one of the best genre-focused coming-of-age stories Hollywood has produced in years. Returning to it roots and delivering a period piece set 300 years ago about an Indigenous woman hunting to protecting her people, the movie removes all modern day problem solving to this threat and forces Naru to depend on her wits and determination. Such has always been the theme of the Predator films; the necessity to eschew any attempt to outmuscle the creature and discover simple, low-tech solutions appears to be a major point missed by many lovers of the franchise. Prey delivers that, while also giving us great character development along with the action. Prey also deals with the age-old problem of rampant misogyny; the thought that women aren’t capable of the same feats that men are is far from a new concept, and it’s put at the forefront here. On the path to being a skilled healer, Naru dreams of the life of a hunter like her older brother. Constantly mocked and harassed for attempting to do the job of a man, it’s the tribe’s ignorance and unwillingness to accept Naru and her skills that puts them all at risk. When looked at through a prism of categories, be it a science fiction film, a coming-of-age movie, an action movie, or just a really great character piece, Prey excels at them all.

If the characters in Prey are forced to resort to the barest of tools and weaponry to deal with the Predator, the same can be said for the filmmaking crew as well. After years of bloated storytelling in an attempt to match or top the first movie (which itself is a condemnation of hyper masculinity), the franchise became an albatross around the neck of the original. It’s director Dan Trachtenberg and screenwriter Patrick Aison’s decision to return to a simpler, character-focused story that makes Prey so successful: there’s no ensemble of disposable badasses to pick off, just one person laser focused on their goal to both prove themselves worthy as well shield her tribe. Gone are the swaggering cocksure cliches and replaced with actual humanity, a character viewers can actually relate to and empathize with rather than just root for.

Amber Midthunder gives a career defining performance in Prey. Previously appearing in a number of smaller, direct-to-video or uncredited roles, the movie is Midthunder’s chance to fully display her talents. Playing Naru, a young Comanche woman who’s trained as a healer yet yearns for a different life, Midthunder’s fierceness and ferociousness are amazing to behold. On the other side of that coin, she also delivers on the vulnerable aspects as well, helping to flesh out a fully realized character with her own wants and desires independent from anyone else. Midthunder does a great job with the action scenes as well as the dramatic ones; fleet of foot and just as quick mentally, she bounces around the screen, whether it’s fighting lions, escaping bears, or her big third act showdown with the Predator. In all instances, thanks to Dan Trachtenberg’s direction, as well as her own acumen, Midthunder proves that she has the wherewithal and ability to pull off an action set piece. If Prey is any indication, Midthunder is poised to have a spectacular career.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, Prey is his followup to the critically acclaimed 10 Cloverfield Lane. With the addition of Prey, Trachtenberg is proving to be one of freshest new voices in science fiction, delivering a pair of thematically poignant films centered on female protagonists. One of the keys to Prey being as good as it is comes in Trachtenberg’s handling of the material; there’s little to no fat or bloat in the story’s runtime. Focused on Naru and her obsession with becoming a respected hunter, the movie starts off with intrigue and rarely lets up. Trachtenberg sets a mood in the movie that is both daunting and adventurous. Unlike the lackluster predecessors in the Predator franchise, he and screenwriter Patrick Aison strip away the glitz and glamour, giving viewers a bare bones woman-versus-creature story that also manages a great deal of character advancement on top of the action scenes. From a visual standpoint, while it’s unfortunate that we don’t get the movie in theaters, Prey is still stunning on a 4k television; gorgeous establishing shots of land not yet sullied by colonial Americans serve as the backdrop to what’s essentially a forested arena not dissimilar to the original Predator film. With plenty of fog and shadows for the hunters to lurk in, Trachtenberg and cinematographer Jeff Cutter have created of the most beautiful looking movies of the year thus far.

Overall, Prey is a smartly crafted film that recontextualizes the relationship between the hunter and the hunted. The decision to set the story in 1700s uncolonized America is a brilliant one; this allows the audience to engage in a familiar story in an unfamiliar setting. Respect is given to First Nation members; at no point are they a cartoonish characterization or exaggeration of themselves. A culture known for having to hunt for survival being pitted against a pop culture icon famous for hunting humans is an idea rife with creative possibilities and Trachtenebrg and Patrick Aison squeeze that potential for every drop. With an outstanding performance from Amber Midthunder, a moody atmosphere set by Trachtenberg, a pulse pounding score, and a slim 100 minute runtime, it’s one of the sleeper hits of the year. Prey is currently streaming on Hulu.

Review by Darryl Mansel