20th Century Studios
Movies
With all due respect to the numerous enjoyable (and not so enjoyable) Predator movies that have come out thus far, Fox’s newest entry in the long-beloved alien/monster/horror/sci-fi franchise is a breath of fresh air, a massive jump in Indigenous representation and, frankly, so damn awesome it’s kind of out of control.
The year is 1719, and a young Comanche woman named Naru (a positively electric Amber Midthunder) finds herself at odds with her place within her community. She’d like to hunt and has the chops to do so, but everyone else in her tribe, including her brother Taabe (newcomer Dakota Beavers), underestimates her ability and pressures her to stick with medicine and food prep and such. And then the Predator appears with its futuristic weapons and cloaking tech and bloodlust. Not entirely sure what’s roaming the woods outside her village melting wolves and scaring mountain lions, Naru seizes an opportunity to prove herself, but with French colonizers in the area, ferocious animals at every turn and, if you’ll recall, the freaking Predator skulking around invisibly, she might have taken on a little too much.
Prey excels in its subtler efforts every bit as much as it does in its powerful depictions of violence. Yes, you’ll find gore and lasers and a fantastically badass tomahawk on a rope, but with producer Jhane Myers (Comanche and Blackfeet) playing a role in getting the Native content right, you’ll find a love letter to tribal fortitude and elegance.
For every bear fight or gross French trapper who gets got, find a compelling lesson on hunting tactics, familial dynamics and land-use savvy. Even seemingly small elements—such as how Naru wields her bow, how the village operates in the background or, brilliantly, how the French language doesn’t get subtitled—has a stirring effect. It’s also weirdly satisfying that every Native character has a name, while all the white folks are credited like “Frenchman 1.”
Midthunder dominates in the role of Naru and creates a sympathetic character whose motivations might include badassery and survival, but who never loses her humanity. Beavers is a revelation as well, a particularly notable achievement given that he’s never acted in a film before. Together they convey a loving sense of competition common to siblings, together they do some of the craziest stuff we’ve seen on film in some time. It’s a testament to Myers’ dedication, but also to director Dan Tractenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) for wanting authenticity and getting it the right way. If you want to catch all the Predator easter eggs and all the nods to Indigenous culture, Prey screams for multiple viewings. Luckily it’s big on the feels and the cultural cache. It’s just an incredibly fun film to watch.
9
+Representation; stirring cast; bonkers action
-CGI is sometimes goofy
Prey
Directed by Trachtenberg
With Midthunder and Beavers
Hulu, R, 99 min.
