Prey

A straightforward intimate period survival "from the mud to the puddle and back to the mud again" that would stand on its own, especially when it is functionally, and not just for show, set in the Predator universe. It's not without many "buts" (the atmosphere should have been thicker, it could have done with even more reliance on practical effects instead of digital, at times it feels like an adaptation of a rebooted Tomb Raider, and the English language didn't need to be so overused), but who cares when it works so well. (08/05/2022)

Dan Trachtenberg has revived the Predator brand and even though no one believed in the film after the first trailers, it is a success and I am happy with it too. I appreciate that Prey is set during the Comanche era, it has an Apocalypto feel to it and we don't get many gritty films with Indians, much less in the horror subgenre, so I applaud the period and the setting. I liked that the first half is like survival flick where we watch a bunch of animals hunting each other (cougar, bear, wolf, snake, rabbit). I could easily imagine a whole movie where a bunch of CGI animals eat each other in the jungle accompanied by a dense R-rated action, it would probably drive me crazy (so hopefully I'll get to see it one day). The Predator slowly gets acquainted with a new planet and a lot of time is spent hunting, which I enjoyed. The second half turns into a decent action inferno where the Predator attacks the French colonizers and that is one of the best scenes of the film, the final duel is also good. There are some impressive deaths, though the gore could have been more nutritious, but it's sufficient. Amber Midthunder is likeable and surprisingly skilled in combat, so I had no problem believing her. The music and atmosphere were also good. The only minor issue I have is with the Predator's invisible camouflage, which didn't make a good impression on me, but once the hunk showed up in full glory I was satisfied. For the new generation that probably won't put on the original Predator anymore, I think Prey is a cool notch in the franchise. Story 3/5, Humor 0/5, Violence 4/5, Fun 4/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 4/5, Suspense 4/5, Emotion 2/5, Actors 3/5. 8/10 (08/08/2022)

A bit of a better made-for-TV movie. The few panoramic shots try to give the impression of visual richness and grandeur à la National Geographic, but for the vast majority of the time it's just a visually poorer film that doesn't belong in the cinema and the streaming format suits it. It doesn't lack a few neatly severed heads, what it lacks the oppressive atmosphere of the first one, which is on a completely different level. The Indians lack believability, and when I compare it to the likes of Mel Gibson's Apocalypto, which literally worked wonders with a comparable budget in terms of period authenticity and visual gore, I almost want to cry. A female protagonist in a predator franchise is an interesting idea, unfortunately in a film where only the bear scene stands out from the average. And no, the heroine's final fight, which turns the Predator into an incompetent moron, I really didn't buy that one. Arnold could beat such a naive slob with just his farts. (08/06/2022)

I’m thrilled! Thiis is exactly the kind of story Predator needed. As much as I love Black's last foray, the western concept is a hit, and there are plenty of beautiful parallels between the alien hunter's quest and the lives of the Comanche heroes. The film doesn't rush anywhere and I liked how mysterious and suspenseful it is even for the viewer who knows what's going on, who landed in those woods and what they're after. Everything makes sense (the Predator gradually raises the bar by what he hunts and how he hunts, the protagonist also gains abilities, and she's not alone, although the trailers made it seem so), it's fun, clever, original, imaginative, action-packed and mysterious... It easily keeps up with the original and the second one. And I want the second part, because it's definitely on the cards and the end credits hinted at it. PS: I would like to single out Sarah Schachner's music, which easily made do without the Silvestri theme. (08/06/2022)

Finally a sequel to Predator that is very similar to the legendary first film. It doesn't trump it in the depressing, sometimes even horror atmosphere, and of course not in the originality of the initial creative idea either, but Prey certainly doesn't put it to shame. The plot is relatively coherent (similar to the scheme of the first one), the hunter himself has plenty of space and a couple of scenes are really delicious. There’s the bear scene, already mentioned here, which is OK, but too digital. Paradoxically, the best scene IMHO is not led by the Predator, but by young Amber Midthunder, who at one point dispatches a couple of smirking sleazebags, and she does it nicely without a single cut, in a perfectly clear manner and with the right amount of explicit violence. Overall, the creators are not afraid of brutality, on the contrary. It's still a B movie, but it's ambitious, suspenseful, and for once even the average viewer can enjoy it. (08/08/2022)