After 35 years and six increasingly mediocre films, the “Predator” franchise has long since exhausted its ideas and perhaps its audience.Nonetheless, Dan Trachtenberg’s “Prey” is a prequel of sorts, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempt on a monster still sporting the familiar dreadlocks, though its flared mouth almost makes for lingering flesh. Denied A close-up we came to loveMaybe this time the studio suit hesitated at the blatant invocation of a vaginal tooth opening.
Either way, this Predator (played happily by former professional basketball player Dane Dilliegro) remains a crystal clear blur for frustratingly long. Dropped from his spaceship on the Northern Great Plains in 1719, the Beast continues his research of the local wildlife. Noticing the bloody corpses, Nall (Amber Midthunder), a young Comanche woman, and her brother (Dakota Beavers) decide to track down the assailant. wants nothing more than to become a respected warrior. Hunting is everything for Naru.
But despite its female empowerment themes and its rather flamboyant weaponry on its foes, “Prey” never gains momentum. Jeff Cutter’s gorgeous lush scenery slips by leisurely, and Midthunder (whose stellar performance too often gets buried in forgettable projects) is brave and game. But pitting Naru against a series of pop-up threats (an enraged bear, deadly quicksand, and a lascivious French fur trapper) is little plot. Even including the 7 foot alien.
Boasting a cast drawn almost entirely from Native American and Indigenous actors, ‘Prey’ pays close attention to the authenticity of its Indigenous settings. A similar note to the script could not be overlooked.
prey
Carnivorous rats, greedy Frenchmen, and beings from outer space are rated R. Running time: 1 hour 39 minutes. Watch on Hulu.
