Overview & Premise
Prey is an American action-packed thriller released in 2022 which Dan Trachtenberg directed and Patrick Aison wrote. This film is a prequel to the long-standing Predator saga. This time however, the alien hunter is taken to 1719, North America on the Great Northern Plains in what is the 18th Century.
An Amber Midthunder character Naru, a young comanche warrior seeks to prove herself as a tribe hunter and gain notoriety among her people. While on a quest for self-discovery and to undergo a personal transformation, Naru encounters an alien hunter, known as the Predator to fans, that goes around the world to stalk and kill anything that poses a threat.
Prey is stripped raw, primal, and visceral from the franchise, concentrating on the core themes of tension and the fight for survival. Such an approach results in a film that has been received as one of the best in the Predator series.
Plot Summary
Prey takes the viewers back 250 years to a time before the 1987 Predator movie, long before modern industrial technology advanced. It introduces the Comanche Nation as a people who have thrived and survived for long owing to their environment prowess, martial skills, and a sense of community.
Despite being an exceptional healer and tracker, Naru struggles to earn respect from her fellow hunters and warriors. Currently, she’s looking into a series of peculiar disturbances in the forest, animal carcasses skinned and left behind as if a meticulous surgeon worked on them, as well as some exotic animal tracks. Over her fellow hunters’ assumptions of a mere bear or mountain lion, she suspects something much more dangerous and ferocious.
The alien hunter is on a way to Earth, prepared to use its primitive weaponry as compared to the later advanced technology in the series. While it equips itself with primitive Earth weaponry, it uses stealth and infrared vision to stalk prey. Naru hunts down creatures such as birds, and other apex prediators on Earth. The predator uses advanced planning as well as assessing threats, hunting apex beings and preforming violent acts on them as he meets extreme resitance.
After some unique encounters with this alien worried, Naru sets out to defend Earth and prove herself as a skilled warrior. As Naru slowly uncovers the mystery, she uncovers its secrets and gains the capability to dismantle it.
In the climax, there is a duel of wit and power between Naru and the Predator. In the end, Naru comes out on top not through brute force, but clever use of timing, the terrain, and the Predator’s own technology. Winning the battle marked her not only a survivor but a warrior recognized by her people.
Characters & Performances
Amber Midthunder as Naru
Amber Midthunder as Naru is a breakout role. She richly and multilayered, compels as a complex, conflicted, and ultimately heroic figure. The film is not only relatable, but inspiring due to her journey. Midthunder has made strides as one of the first Indigenous women to lead genre films, and her role carries tremendous cultural and narrative weight.
Dakota Beavers portray as Taabe
Taabe, Naru’s older brother, is a respected and skillful hunter. Dakota Beavers plays Taabe with quiet charisma and strength. He adds emotional depth to the narrative through his faith in Naru when the rest of the people, including her present doubts.
Dane DiLiegro as The Predator
Even though DiLiegro is covered with armor and makeup, he adds a savage and primal dimension to the Predator. This version of the Predator is more to its feral, experimental, and adaptive version, showing the creature as an earlier evolutionary stage.
French Trappers
The french colonists add a historical dimension to the story. Their savagery is a sharp contrast to the Comanche’s brutal harmony and coexistence with nature. While most of the French serve as the Predator’s cannon fodder, they coexist alongside Comanche with Naru’s world and colonization themes.
Themes & Symbolism
Coming Of Age And Identity
At its heart Prey is centered around self-exploration. Naru’s story follows the typical hero’s journey: misunderstood and underestimated, she rises to embrace her strength through conflict. Her ultimate triumph is not just against the Predator, but against the societal constraints shackled upon her.
Technology vs. Intinct
The Predator’s advanced technology provides a distinct advantage, but Naru demonstrates that knowledge of the environment and flexibility can tip the scale. The film critiques the overreliance on tools, showcasing the instinct, observation, and strategic ingenuity as valuable assets.
Humanity vs Nature vs Predator
In the wilderness, the conflict is simply not one-sided; it is both aliens and humans at odds with the world, and the world with its own contradictions. Naru’s bond with the land and its flora and fauna allow her to endure.
Colonialism and Cultural Resistance
The inclusion of the French trappers also brings in commentary on European colonial advancements and their clash with the Indigenous cultures. Naru’s strength, along with her cultural background, is a means of resistance not just against the Predator but also to a larger system of subjugation.
Direction & Visual Style
Prey is in the hands of a new director, Dan Trachtenberg, who was previously known for 10 Cloverfield Lane. Dan brings a highly focused vision of the film to its advertising. Trachtenberg returns to the suspenseful storytelling that has long been missing from Predator. Unlike the later sequels of the franchise, Trachtenberg’s Prey chooses a deliberately slow pace that allows for built-up tension.
Prey offers stunning visuals at the same time. The cinematography brings the vast American wilderness, including open plains, thick forests, and misty rivers, to stunning life. The film’s choice of framing and use of natural light serve to both showcase the setting, as well as highlight the danger it poses.
The design of the creature is noteworthy. This version of the Predator is less complex than in previous films. Its mask is more primitive, and its weapons are more brutal. These choices reinforce the idea that this is an earlier stage in the alien’s evolution, paralleling Naru’s own development.
Reception & Legacy
Prey received acclaim for revitalizing previously exhausted and stagnant franchises. Film critics and audiences praised the film’s simplistic storytelling, its female lead, and the honoring of Indigenous culture.
Prey was praised for its use of minimalism, straying from complex world-building and additional plotlines. Instead, the film prioritized a single protagonist, a clear antagonist, and an engaging setting, reducing its reliance on over-explanation.
The film is noteworthy for its version in the Comanche language, created simultaneously with the English version. This was a monumental stride for Indigenous representation within mainstream cinema and was lauded for its authenticity.
Conclusion
Prey isn’t simply a prequel to the Predator franchise; it reinvents the franchise altogether. The movie revamps the story by introducing a new cultural and historical setting. It thoughtfully puts the franchise back together in a fresh way while keeping the core elements. A film that is action-packed and full of tension is not new; however, it is new to experience it while watching the powerful journey of a character. The vibrant and unforgettable story complements the bold performance of the lead character.
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