Prey (2022)

The latest film in the Predator film series has arrived and the first under Disney ownership since their purchase of 20th Century Fox. “Prey” takes a look back in order to move the franchise forward and it does this by setting in amongst the Comanche community roughly three hundred years in the past. The film follows a young girl named Naru (Amber Midthunder) who looks to become a warrior but in a male-dominated setting, only her brother is relatively supportive of her ambition and talks about when she will face a trial which she must endure to show her worth. At the same time, a Predator has arrived and begins to hunt the local wildlife. Naru sees evidence of his work and tries to convince the tribe that the carnage they are finding is not the work of a bear or a mountain lion as the community believes. When the nature of the threat manifests itself, Naru must find the courage and skills to track and face the enemy who threatens to destroy her tribe. The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg and he mixes a good amount of action along with a very interesting setting and characters to create an engaging tale. There are some moments that the FX was not as sharp as one might expect but the sequences with the Predator are filled with action and suspense and should make fans of the franchise very happy. The film at times does require some leaps of faith from the audience but in the end, “Prey” is a satisfying film that is superior to “The Predator” and rates as one of the stronger entries in the series and that the franchise is in good hands for the future. It will be interesting to see where the franchise goes next as there is lots of material for the franchise to explore, but for now, “Prey” is a refreshing take on the series and one fans should enjoy. 4 stars out of 5