Prey (2022)

One of my all time guilty pleasures is the original 80s action films, PREDATOR. The concept was always solid. An elite team of soldiers goes against an alien who lives to hunt other species. Start with that and just take off the reigns from there. Now imagine the same story but set in a time when then concept of 'hunting' takes on a whole new meaning. In Comanche culture, hunting is life and status and a worthy goal for any young man or woman in the tribe. A good hunter is essential to the life of the entire tribe. The dynamic is changed the moment you realize that hunters with spears and stone axes have a chance against alien tech and physical superiority as much as soldiers with modern weaponry. That is where the excitement lies at the heart of PREY.

Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, "Prey" is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.

I really enjoyed this coming of age story as Naru sets out to prove herself to her tribe and herself and comes up against the most fearsome hunter in the Galaxy. The way that the odds become evened between the two is very well done.. Nothing feels forced and in that there is hope that our girl will come out on top by being smarter and more resourceful. She in essence turns the table on the Predator and turns him into the prey being hunted here.

I also really enjoyed the setting and depiction of North American native life on the Plains. Plus the violent fight choreography is not toned down and lives up to what is expected in a PREDATOR film. Everything is tense and the victory feels real and hard won.

With a strong female protagonist and thrilling action, PREY is a winner and worth your time.