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Do you remember Predator? The beloved action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as a muscle-teed gun-slinger versus an alien? It spawned an entire franchise of sequels, so you might not be surprised it also got a prequel to boot.
Prey was Dan Trachtenberg’s 2022 reworking of what was, by that point, a tired franchise. The result was a real revitalisation, with a film that still holds a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
With this prequel, we are taken back in time to 1719, to the Comanche Nation living in the Northern Great Plains on the US.
The film – which is now available to stream for free on Channel 4 – stars healer Naru (Amber Midthunder) as a proto-feminist who wants to hunt and fight like the men in her tribe.
When a mysterious being (if you’ve watched any of the Predator films, you might be able to guess what it is) leaves strange tracks in the wilderness, Naru thinks this could be her chance to prove herself.
But while the Native American tribe are at home in the woodland, so too is this invisible extraterrestrial entity they now face. Plus, they also have to reckon with the more earthbound dangers of French colonialists… As if they don’t have enough on their plates.
We get a very different predator in this prequel, which is brought to life by Dane DiLiegro. Without spoiling anything, director Trachtenberg has teased he’s ‘changed it more than it’s ever been changed’
But even if it is a prequel, you can go into this without any prior knowledge of the hit-and-miss rest of the Predator franchise – although there are a few surprises in there for die-hard fans.
The film, which runs close enough to 100 minutes for us to be happy, currently holds a 94% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on hundreds of reviews.
Those who have already watched Prey have gushed about it too, with a swathe of positive five-star reviews on Google.
David Nulty wrote: ‘Navajo approved! Brutal/savage, excellent pacing, relentless, unapologetic.
‘The lead actress Amber Midthunder is literally captivating. Outstanding, actually!’
With even more praise, Steven Brand wrote: ‘I don’t know where to begin how to express how much I like this movie. It’s well written, well-acted and beautifully filmed. Every aspect of this film is perfect.’
Prey is available to stream on Channel 4 and Disney Plus.
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