Prey is an American action thriller with science fiction elements that came out in 2022. The movie was written by Patrick Aison and directed by Dan Trachtenberg. The movie is part of the long lasting Predator franchise. Unlike its predecessors, which are focused on high tech soldiers or urban warfare, Prey takes the focus 300 years back to the early 18th century on the Great Plains of North America. This shift in focus provides a refreshing sense of a redesigned lesser known version of the franchise, focused on the bare-bones struggle of a Native American woman.
The movie takes place in 1719 and follows a young Comanche woman named Naru, played by Amber Midthunder. Naru wants to prove herself in the demanding role of a hunter and engrained warrior. She lives in a society which is heavily patriarchal and expects women to gather and act as domestic slaves. Men take the socially approved role of hunters and protectors of the tribe. However, Naru goes against these social norms. She is smart, observant, fierce, and stubborn. Naru wishes to take part in the kühtaamia, an immersive test where one trains against a deadly challenger.
This opportunity comes when Naru sees odd disturbances in the environment — strange tracks, skinned animals, and a mysterious predator stalking the woods. Initially, her tribe suspects a mountain lion or bear. Naru comes to the conclusion much faster than others do, realizing that Earth is under threat from some truly dangerous alien life form, later known to the audience as the Predator, who hunts the planet’s most formidable lifeforms for sport.
To face these animals and humans predator, Naru goes on a dangerous journey, determined to face the creature. With her dog Sarii and her brother Taabe (Dakota Beavers), Naru employs her wits and knowledge of the terrain and alien tech to survive.
In the entire film, Naru is underestimated by everyone. The tribe, the French trappers, and even the Predator. Surpassing everyone’s expectations, she fights for everything that is right. While Naru lacks in physical strength and advanced weaponry, she is intelligent and is a keen observer. In the climactic fight, she uses her surroundings, the alien tech, and creativity to defeat the alien and finally earn the title warrior of her tribe.
Cast & Crew:
Amber Midthunder as Naru
Midthunder gives one of the most captivating breakout performances. Fierce yet vulnerable, Midthunder brings emotional and physical weight to Naru’s part. She epitomizes the heroine fighting for survival and struggling to gain a sense of respect, identity, and acknowledgement in her own society.
Dakota Beavers as Taabe
Taabe, Naru’s older brother, is an established and respected warrior. While he underestimates Naru’s prowess at first, he ultimately comes to respect her as the film unfolds. Beavers gives the sibling relationship charm and emotional depth and turns it into one of the film’s emotional cornerstones.
Dane DiLiegro as The Predator
In Prey, The Predator is a new subtype referred to as “Feral Predator.” Former athlete DiLiegro gives the character a new dimension, in that he makes the creature’s movements slow and savage, contrasting the advanced civilization that preceded it in most of the other films.
Michelle Thrush as Aruka (Naru and Taabe’s mother)
Aruka is only present for a short time, yet her emotional depth is notable. She embodies the burden of women’s expectations in the Comanche society of that period.
Director:
For Prey, Dan Trachtenberg focuses on atmosphere, pacing, and character development, drawing upon his previous work on 10 Cloverfield Lane. He strips the Predator formula to its core of hunter and hunted, reframing it with rich cultural and historical context. Trachtenberg’s decision to restrict his focus to the underrepresented Indigenous communities and simple storytelling results in an absorbing immersive film.
Writer:
Patrick Aison’s Prey script is entertaining, well-balanced, and tight. The story’s visuals and minimalistic, authentic dialogue do the work of exposition. Tension is methodically built before explosive release in fierce clashes. Cultural elements of the Comanche Nation are gracefully woven in, without egregious simplification.
IMDb Ratings and Critical Reception:
Prey has an IMDb rating of 7.1/10, and is cited as one of the most well-received Predator films in decades. Critics and audiences praised the film’s originality, direction, cinematography, as well as the performance Midthunder gave. Most notably, it was praised for bringing the franchise back to its roots; a primal, survival-driven drama laden with fear, a clash of wits, and brute force — this time featuring a protagonist with rich cultural depth.
The dedication to authenticity is a hallmark of reviewer’s praise for the film. It became the first film to have a fully dubbed Commanche language audio version at the same time as the English version. This form of cultural consideration won accolades from Indigenous communities and scholars which helped the film transcend the typical narrative of an action thriller.
The film’s breathtaking landscapes coupled with its natural lighting and minimal CGI gave the film a gritty realism. This setting is enhanced by the Predator’s more primitive bone mask and analog targeting systems, which downscale his technological weaponry, making the alien feel historically ancient also terrifying.
As is evident by the praise, there is consensus that the film’s strength lies in its simplicity, in stark contrast to the more complex, and at times, convoluted storylines of its predator sequel counterparts.
Thematic Composition and Analysis:
Survival as an Empowering Theme:
The evolution of Naru as the film’s main character marks her journey as a lead from an underestimated outcast to a courageous heroine. The narrative is one that her struggles are two-fold, the alien adversary and societal expectations. Her final triumph is physical, yet deeply symbolic in the sense that she shatters self imposed limitations.
Nature vs. Technology
Naru’s triumph illustrates that intelligence and adaptability often best brute force and sophisticated weaponry. Naru’s use of the environment to outsmart her opponent highlights the ingenious ways she learned to leverage her surroundings.
Colonialism and Exploitation
Both the Predator and the French trappers are invasive forces dominantly looking to take control of the land and everything located within it. With the French trappers depicted as violent and exploitative, the film draws a subtle parallel of alien colonization alongside European colonization.
Cultural Representation and Identity
Prey is unique in its representation of Indigenous culture. It respectfully and accurately portrays the Comanche people in their dress, speech, customs, and social structures. Naru’s journey is as much as reclaiming a history as it is about transcending corporeal existence.
Conclusion
Prey is a stunning reimagining of the Predator franchise, reinvigorating a series that had become bloated with sequels and mindless action. The film suspends and subverts the viewers expectations by focusing on a resourceful Indigenous woman. It successfully blends action, suspense, and rich character-driven narrative.
Prey secures its place as one of the finest additions to the Predator franchise and one of the most innovative science fiction thrillers of the last few years, all due to the combination of Amber Midthunder’s acting, the focused direction of Trachtenberg, and the direction of the culturally rich script. It deftly balances tribute and innovation, honoring the franchise’s legacy while boldly redefining its own as fierce, smart, and unforgettable.
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