Streaming 20th Century Studios presents: Prey (Disney + and Hulu)

[peternorth]

​

A worthy addition to the Predator Movie Universe (PMU), sees a prequel of sorts pitching predator against "PREY".

1987 brought us the quintessential muscle power, man vs beast in Predator. Arnie, Ventura, Billy, Apollo Creed taking on the first of its kind.......

Until now. Prey scoops you up and plants you into Comanche Nation, the home of historys fiercest and bravest warriors. A simple life living on the land, being at one with the surroundings, circle of life with other inhabitants. So it is no surprise that when a foreigner arrives, the best warriors and sent into battle. Only this time, it's rustic, hand to hand. The viewer knows they are no match, but the brave soldiers do not. Naru, the heroine in waiting is told by the men and tradition she is to cook, and her attempts to learn to hunt are scoffed at by the males. But Naru is no ordinary person. She has honed the art of tracking....

The Predator we learn is

Spoiler

here to hunt, and learn. It seeks the apex predator, something worthy. Is Naru that person?

We learn

Spoiler

nature throwing her best at Preator. A wolf, a bear present a challenge and are able to take blood. But as Dimma Hardwick always says "we'll take learnings from this". That is what old mate Pred is here for.

Dan Trachtenberg pays homage to the Predator ancestors cleverly though not too subtlely. The realisation that the Predator is attracted to heat? Yep admiring nod as Haru wades through a mud pool. But rather copy and paste, Trachtenberg delves into the Comanche lore utilising mother Earths gifts.

As is with contemporary films and shows prequel wise, weaponry seems more advanced compared to it's original predecessor. This is no different, although one could surmise that every Predator that tries us out have different weapons of choice. This edition certainly will leave fans and hoplologists giddy with excitement.

Criticism.

Spoiler

If Predy wants to take on the worlds apex, why not head to the depths of the seas and take on a great white shark? Or wait....an Orca!

Foreshadowing:

Spoiler

STRONG! the weapons and reciting memories allow Trachtenberg to show you how might scenes play out.

Final words: by the credits you'll be wondering, who's hunting who?

IMDB rates this most recent chapter at 72%. Rotten tomatoes an exceptional 92% at time of posting.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Watched it last week. Really enjoyed it.

 

[peternorth]

Watched it last week. Really enjoyed it.

Did you like the fact that there was not a typical film in that there's not much dialog? They utilised the beauty of the wild to fill the aural senses

 

[Nostradumbass]

Did you like the fact that there was not a typical film in that there's not much dialog? They utilised the beauty of the wild to fill the aural senses

It was well made I thought. It's very violent, I mean predator movies are but this one was vicious.

 

[Lethality]

I thought it was pretty good.

Disagree with the OP about the weaponry seeming more advanced. It doesn't even have a plasma caster.

Although I thought it would have been cool if it didn't have camouflage either or maybe an early more primitive version of it.

There were some missed opportunities imo it would have been interesting if the colonisers thought the Predator was indigenous to North America. That seems like it would make sense to people in unexplored territory.

These are probably the ancestors of the lady in the first film, she talked a bit about myths around a creature that hunts men for sport.

The only negatives I thought were some characters were basic and I didn't really like the setting.

Compare that to P1 and P2 which had very colourful and contrasting human characters.

7.5/10

 

[Keith Ape]

I reckon it was the best Predator film since the original. Solid!

Interesting setting with the Comanche tribe. Good to see Preddy tearing through numerous people and animals.

 

[peternorth]

I thought it was pretty good.

Disagree with the OP about the weaponry seeming more advanced. It doesn't even have a plasma caster.

Although I thought it would have been cool if it didn't have camouflage either or maybe an early more primitive version of it.

There were some missed opportunities imo it would have been interesting if the colonisers thought the Predator was indigenous to North America. That seems like it would make sense to people in unexplored territory.

These are probably the ancestors of the lady in the first film, she talked a bit about myths around a creature that hunts men for sport.

The only negatives I thought were some characters were basic and I didn't really like the setting.

Compare that to P1 and P2 which had very colourful and contrasting human characters.

7.5/10

Respect for your post and your thoughts!

Though I disagree about your disagreement re weapons. In P1 Predda had the shoulder gun and wristblades, Prey Predda had more, and IMHO the shield was quite technologically advanced. Of course it doesnt mean that P1 Predda didnt have many more weapons on him. But we can agree to disagree.

Interesting point re colonisers/fur trappers thinking predda was a native. they werent scared of him thats for sure. lol

i think the setting and basic characters was perfect for this movie. It let the killing and predator do the talking. i liked the nature aspect which couldnt be done in a city.

i like how you linked Anna to the Commanche. It'd be a good nod to the past. although hang on, Anna is Guatemalan.


Next up would be Predda in say ancient China, or maybe facing up to king arthur and the knights of the round table

 

[Lethality]

Someone said the helmet looked like a queen skull.

 

[Lethality]

A good idea for an AVP film is to focus less on the Predator actually fighting the Xenomorph, and instead the Predator is drawn to hunting the Marines who are hunting Xenomorphs. So its more a Predator film, set in the future.

 

[peternorth]

something NQR about the headpiece.

 

[peternorth]

BIG JESSE!!
LOVE IT!

Usually whenever there's a lead female all we hear is "PC", "WOKE".

Amber knocks it out of the park

 

[peternorth]

A good idea for an AVP film is to focus less on the Predator actually fighting the Xenomorph, and instead the Predator is drawn to hunting the Marines who are hunting Xenomorphs. So its more a Predator film, set in the future.

then realising the marines arent the apex, so after finishing the marines, go the big dog!

 

[Frank Bunn]

I don't know if it deserves a thread of its own. But anyway.

It's very predictable. It's another girl power movie that transplants 21st century values into another time. The Comanche Nation, the home of history's fiercest and bravest warriors - apparently their best warrior/hunter is a young female.

You know the downtrodden female main character is going to kill the Predator. Along the way this skinny woman outfights several large men before single handedly defeating one of the deadliest warriors in the universe.

The dialog is sparse which is a good thing as it varies between bland and inappropriately contemporary, with a bit of fan service thrown in. The acting was poor which is fine as all the characters apart from the main were one dimensional cardboard cut outs.

Despite all that, it's an enjoyable action movie that is well made and watchable.

5/10

 

[glenferry23]

Really enjoyed it, much more than I expected. Perhaps a bit jaded from the other Predator films over the years. This was exceptional though.

Particularly enjoyed the Comanche setting. Minor gripe with that though, why were they so affluent in English. A setting in the 1700s, surely they’d be speaking Comanche to each other. Perhaps filmmakers didn’t want subtitles for the majority of the film, I don’t know.

Predator vs the bear, * that was brutal.

 

[peternorth]

Really enjoyed it, much more than I expected. Perhaps a bit jaded from the other Predator films over the years. This was exceptional though.

Particularly enjoyed the Comanche setting. Minor gripe with that though, why were they so affluent in English. A setting in the 1700s, surely they’d be speaking Comanche to each other. Perhaps filmmakers didn’t want subtitles for the majority of the film, I don’t know.

Predator vs the bear, * that was brutal.

Apparently it is available in Comanche.

But one wonders why American accents are prevalent in movies Also.

 

[jackn]

Really enjoyed it, much more than I expected. Perhaps a bit jaded from the other Predator films over the years. This was exceptional though.

Particularly enjoyed the Comanche setting. Minor gripe with that though, why were they so affluent in English. A setting in the 1700s, surely they’d be speaking Comanche to each other. Perhaps filmmakers didn’t want subtitles for the majority of the film, I don’t know.

Predator vs the bear, * that was brutal.

100% they're speaking Comanche, just it's not Mel making passion of the Christ so we don't have to actually read through it.

 

[glenferry23]

Apparently it is available in Comanche.

But one wonders why American accents are prevalent in movies Also.

Ok thanks for that, wasn't aware it was available in Comanche. I just played it through Disney+ and the default was English. For me I don't mind subtitles, I felt it would've been better/more authentic with their native language. Regardless, very enjoyable film and hopefully more of these types of films can be explored in different settings/time periods.

 

[WCErevival]

Predator vs the bear, * that was brutal.

Not sure how the Predator survived that so well. The bear basically ragdolled him.

 

[peternorth]

Ok thanks for that, wasn't aware it was available in Comanche. I just played it through Disney+ and the default was English. For me I don't mind subtitles, I felt it would've been better/more authentic with their native language. Regardless, very enjoyable film and hopefully more of these types of films can be explored in different settings/time periods.

the dub is only available on Hulu apparently. no WAIT....its on disney + too!! Simply click on PREY, then on the next page go to EXTRAS

 

[peternorth]

How about the circle of life education that they put front and centre?

Rat/Rodent creature eating an ant.
Rat/Rodent eaten by snake (well bitten)
Snake killed by Predda
Later Narus dog has the rat in its mount (i think its the same one)

Deer eaten by bear
Bear killed by Predda

and as glenferry alluded to, bear v predda was frazier vs ali like

 

[peternorth]

Anyone pick up on the Raphael Adolini 1715 pistol given the Naru?

 

[glenferry23]

Not sure how the Predator survived that so well. The bear basically ragdolled him.

Yes I thought so too, the bear was more than holding their own but then a moment later and a shitload of blood, it’s all over.

Anyone pick up on the Raphael Adolini 1715 pistol given the Naru?

I think so, the one that was handed to Danny Glover as a “trophy” in predator 2?

 

[peternorth]

Yes I thought so too, the bear was more than holding their own but then a moment later and a shitload of blood, it’s all over.

i think Predda was surprised with how strong the bear was. Then he got knocked down and stomped. Next minute he gets up, Bear turns around and thinks okwut, BANG, slice and dice.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Rock solid film and a nice twist on the original concept without doing anything ridiculous or canon killing.

Hope they can achieve something similar with Alien.

 

[GROTTO]

I reckon it was the best Predator film since the original. Solid!

Interesting setting with the Comanche tribe. Good to see Preddy tearing through numerous people and animals.

Whoever come with this concept for a Predator movie deserves a lot of credit.

I vaguely remember that this setting was discussed years ago.

100% best Predator movie since the original and almost at its level it was that good I felt. Great prequel.

I watched only less than 30mins of the scifi that was released a few years ago and got bored. Interesting how a movie with this "primitive" backdrop made the 2022 Predator movie just as engaging.

My only criticism was that I felt it should have had the major scenes at night or in a darker setting. Would have added more "fear" to the movie. But really thats just nitpicking to say the least.

I was worried this would be some woke garbage, pleasantly surprised.