Ranking Arnold Schwarzenegger movies is hardly akin to examining fine art. Forgive me if that sounds condescending. It’s not meant to. I’m actually a fan of his movies. I was a teen during the 1980s and ate up every Arnie film that came down the pipeline. For that reason, his movies (even the bad ones) hold a special place in my heart. But that doesn’t permit me as a critic to overlook the obvious – Schwarzenegger movies (much like the ones from Stallone, Norris, and the second tier guys who came after them) are very much movies of their time. Undeniably fun for people like me, but admittedly silly, formulaic, and sometimes off the rails.
That being said, there are some standouts from Schwarzenegger’s action-heavy filmography. You have the obvious ones – 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian”, 1984’s “The Terminator”, it’s highly-acclaimed sequel 1991’s “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”. But my very favorite movie from the former California Governor and one that still holds up incredibly well today is his 1987 sci-fi action mashup “Predator”.
For years 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) has tried and mostly failed to replicate what made “Predator” such a beloved fan favorite. That is until now. “Prey”, the much anticipated prequel to the ‘87 film, is not only a worthy franchise entry. It’s also the best “Predator” movie since the original (by far). And it’s the companion piece many of us have spent years waiting for.
Now I don’t want to oversell it. “Prey” is very much a straightforward genre movie that happens to be very proud of its roots. Fans of the original film will find several smile-inducing callbacks, from simple lines of dialogue to how it gets back to the primal man-versus-beast basics. But while “Prey” has an undeniably cool nostalgic kick, it also manages to put its own original spin on the franchise in large part thanks to its period, its setting, and one lights-out lead performance from Amber Midthunder.
Set in 1719 along the Northern Great Plains, “Prey” follows a young Comanche woman named Naru (Midthunder) who seeks to prove to her tribe that she is a capable hunter. Armed with a hatchet left to her by her late father, Naru trains herself in combat, in tracking, and in survival. She’s more than ready for her trial, but there’s one problem – hunting is reserved for the men. The women stay close to the camp, going out early in the morning to gather herbs, roots, and berries for food and medicines.
The headstrong and determined Naru would much rather sling her hatchet than carry a basket. So she tags along with her big brother, Taabe (Dakota Beavers), who is the tribe’s best warrior. Taabe tries to discourage his little sister from hunting, but he also defends Naru from the other male hunters who give her a hard time and are quick to brush her off.
Disgruntled, Naru begins venturing further away from the camp where she starts seeing signs of a giant animal of some sort. Maybe it’s a bear; maybe it’s a cat. She warns her brother and the other hunters, but they immediately blow off her claims. So Naru decides to track down and kill the beast herself and in the process prove to her tribe that she’s a worthy hunter. But her prey is no bear or cat. It’s a bigger and more deadly predator. It’s not of this world and it’s here to hunt.
From the very beginning, there’s one thing the film has working against it. Because of the previous movies, we pretty much know everything about the predator. We already know it’s from outer space. We know it has retractable wrist-blades, active camouflage, thermal vision, and a penchant for skinning its prey and collecting their skulls. All of that inescapably removes an element of suspense that was so vital to the 1987 film. But director Dan Trachtenberg clears that hurdle by immersing us into his world and creating a steady palpable tension. He smartly keeps things simple, developing a protagonist we genuinely care about and giving the alien antagonist plenty of moments to shine.
Visually, “Prey” is a stunner. While the CGI wildlife can occasionally look a tad off, overall the movie is an eye-popping collage of images both beautiful and bloody. As far as the setting, Trachtenberg and DP Jeff Cutter surround us with jaw-dropping skies, cascading streams, lush forest canopies, and gorgeous mountain backdrops. And then there’s the dazzling action sequences which are fueled by some fierce combat and plenty of gnarly kills. Trachtenberg knows what fans are looking for, and he delivers it through some remarkably inventive framing and deliciously brutal encounters.
To my surprise, “Prey” was everything I hoped it would be plus a little more. Going back in time to show our planet’s first encounter with the alien predators turned out to be a great move. And while it offers a cool twist on the franchise, the period setting isn’t just a gimmick. There’s a bevy of themes (both cultural and historical) that seep from the story, and we get a hero (played by the superb Midthunder) we’re excited to root for. But fear not fans. The alien predator is as brutal and calculated as ever, and there are moments where you’ll actually find yourself rooting for him. It’s one of several wicked twists that make this such a welcomed surprise. “Prey” premieres this Friday (August 5th) exclusively on Hulu.
VERDICT – 4.5 STARS
Keith & the Movies 
Bloody Hulu! Which we don’t have. Grrrrr! I really want to see this.
OH NO! That stinks because this is in 100% must-see territory. Is it not available at all or are you just not subscribed?
Hulu not available in the U.K. And have no intention to be. Could access it through a VPN whatever that is but I can’t be arsed fannying on. If it comes out on bluray, which everything does in the end, I’ll pick it up then.
I may be mistaken, but I think this will be available on Disney + in the U.K. One of my buddies who lives overseas says most Hulu content is on Disney +.
I was just telling someone that. I think you’re right. I really hope you are. It would be a shame for people to miss it just because it’s restricted to a service not available everywhere.
Oh good thanks!
I wonder if it will be on Disney+ there? It seems that several things that are Hulu here come to Disney+ overseas.
I do have Disney and forget I have so I’ll check it out!
Awesome. Let me know what you think.
I read up to here: “It’s not of this world and it’s here to hunt.” And also that it’s going to be on HULU this week. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh man, can’t wait to see this.
It’s a blast! So much fun. I’m really looking forward to watching it again Friday.
Great review, and I’m looking forward to watching this on Friday when it drops. I hope this can revive the franchise after the low point that was “The Predator” a few years back. I”m curious, do you think this would’ve worked as a theatrical release? I understand Disney/Fox’s hesitation to go theatrical since there are no stars, and it’s a period film. But from the previews, it looks like it could’ve worked for the big screen.
I really think it would have landed well in theaters. It’s a really good movie with the visuals being a key reason why. I think the strong reviews mixed with an almost inevitable and stronger word of mouth would have made this a surprise hit.
This sounds as good as the advertising for it was! I remain puzzled why there is no theatrical release, but maybe that simply has to do with questions about whether or not people wanted another Predator movie…after the last theatrical misfire in the franchise. What will really be interesting is if this movie is a hit…will they produce another “prequel” from say the 1800’s? If this movie hits big, that may be the way to go rather than trying to set one in the present day or the future.
Yep. There is a ton of potential here. But it has to be more than just visits down the timeline. Hopefully other installments can capture what this one manages to. I loved it.
Ok this is pretty exciting to read. I’m looking forward to catching this this weekend. I’ll need to GET TO THA CHOPPA first, though 😉
I see whatcha did there. This was a ton of fun and I’m excited to check it out again tonight with the fam. So much more than I expected.
The trailer definitely looked cool as I’m glad this might be worth my time once I get Hulu in my smart TV.
BTW, I read your Twitter scroll on that upcoming remake of Roadhouse with Jake Gyllenhaal as Dalton. Sorry but that’s not going to work for me brother. Jake is an awesome actor but I don’t buy him as Dalton. Swayze was PERFECT for that role. He was that great mixture of Bruce Lee and Mikhail Baryshnikov in that role.
Man, fuck Warner Brothers for what they did to Batgirl. They can a $90 million movie and yet are still considering release a $200 million film that stars an already problematic actor that is likely going to lose a lot more money.
I think you’re really going to like Prey. And I’m so with you on the Roadhouse remake. Nothing about that casting works for me. Swayze and Elliott were such a great pair. It’s one of those movies that simply doesn’t need to be remade.
As for Warner/Discovery. I have no idea what’s going on but it’s one terrible look. Have you heard what they’re doing to HBOMAX. It’s such a solid streaming option, but there’s stripping it bare. Terrible.
I just read that and I was hoping to subscribe HBOMAX but now… I’m not so sure. I don’t like this shit and I don’t give a fuck about Discovery.
Watched it late last night and wow what an excellent ride. It had a solid cast , great visuals and stunning scenery . I liked how it was the story of Naru proving herself as a worthy hunter and the journey of her emerging from the shadow of her brother to be the true predator, if you will , The predator itself was a cool take and it had the cool weapons and kills you want. Lots of solid action and some great fighting sequences . We finally get the predator movie we have deserved since the original .
YES! I loved it too (obviously). I had high hopes but medium expectations. I’m so glad it turned out so well. I’m watching it again tonight, this time with the family and I can’t wait. I can see myself watching this one quite often. I just hope it gets a physical release.
Yeah I can see myself watching this quite often. Hopefully it does get a physical release . As I finished it and the credits where scrolling I thought , man this would have looked amazing on the big screen ! With the stunning scenery and fight scenes , it would have really popped .
Oh for sure. I would’ve love to see it on the big screen. Instead it was on a critics screener. But I’ve heard from others who went to premieres and they said it was amazing in the theater.