Review: Prey

Prey is thrilling and electrifying from the first to the final frame. Dan Trachtenberg’s (10 Cloverfield Lane) film will pump your veins with a rush of adrenaline, while Amber Midthunder gives us a tour de force performance as Naru. Prey captures the spirit of the original. In the end, this film rules.

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"If it bleeds, we can kill it."

Actress Amber Midthunder as Naru.

Trachtenberg’s Prey is a prequel done right: gifting us with a tense, blood-flowing, and perfectly crafted science fiction film. Without losing sight of the Predator franchise's elements of horror and action, Prey uses its surroundings to its benefit. Prey is the fifth installment of the Predator franchise (Predator, Predator 2, Predators, The Predator). Seventh, if you include the two Alien vs. Predator spin-offs. Personally, I think this is the best film to come out of this franchise. It's definitely the best film since Arnie's 1987 original classic. Our film travels back to the Comanche Nation 300 years ago as we follow a young woman, Naru (a superb Midthunder), who is a trained healer and hungers to become a great hunter like her brother, Taabe (a strong Dakota Beavers). Set in the Northern Great Plains in North America — Prey goes back to the franchise basics and is grounded in strong execution and character development.

Naru is a fierce and highly skilled warrior and is given the opportunity to help protect her people from a highly evolved alien predator. The story is simple but it is also impeccably crafted from the first to the final frame. Full of suspense, thrills, and stellar action sequences, Prey grabs ahold of you and doesn't let go. You will be on the edge of your couch throughout its entire 100-minute runtime. This film should have been released in theaters. However, Prey did become the most viewed premiere ever on Hulu within the first three days of being released. Trachtenberg knows how to craft a picture; while Midthunder muscles her way through, delivering one of the best performances of the year. Midthunder's performance is fierce, compelling, and superb. Prey's representation is also important: an action blockbuster that showcases an Indigenous female warrior and her Comanche culture.

A picture that is rooted in tradition while also kicking ass. Not to mention Naru's trusting sidekick Sarii, her dog. Prey was shot in English and later dubbed in Comanche, with the entire cast performing an alternate all-Comanche dubbed version of the film. Both language versions are available on Hulu (domestically) and Disney+ (internationally). Trachtenberg's picture is the first film in history with a full dub in Comanche. It is also the first film to premiere in a Native language alongside the English version. In addition, the movie's cinematography and landscapes of the Northern Great Plains are stunning. While the action sequences are cunning, Prey does not lose sight of its quieter moments as we grow with Naru and her story. In the end, Prey was a film that completely took me by surprise in the best of ways. A picture that is rooted in its franchise, yet never forgets to tell Naru's own personal story.

Yes, there will be blood. Prey is rated R (restricted) For Strong Bloody Violence.

Streaming now on Hulu (domestically) and Disney+ (internationally).

Here's my personal ranking of the Predator franchise: Click here.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg

Starring Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Michelle Thrush, Stormee Kipp, Julian Black Antelope, Bennett Taylor, and Dane DiLiegro.