Aside from the very first one, the “Predator” movie series is poorly written, uninspired, and filled with ridiculous scenes that made no sense. There was a complete lack of direction, with Fox releasing movies without a clear plan or continuity. “Prey” feels like a new beginning because it is basically an origin story that can be developed in future entries with more detail. I liked the more mature tone and the slow-paced plot that reminded me in a way of the original 1987 flick.
The story is at times very tense, and the action sequences are well-directed. The cinematography was on point, and I was surprised to see such beautiful photography in a “Predator” movie. I am so happy that creators decided to use an actual actor playing the alien; the design is beautiful and faithful, the CGI is well made, and most of all, it looks real with a nice balance between practical and special effects. Ending the story without giving hints for future movies was a great choice.
Slow pacing leads to frustration
There are, however, a few things that do not make “Prey” quite as good as the original. First of all, it takes too much time to get to the action, making the beginning a bit boring while waiting to see the alien and the real hunt. The main character is at times really frustrating to watch, as for the majority of the film she takes a series of extremely bad decisions that worsen her situation.
Then, in the last 40 minutes, she suddenly wakes up and achieves something. Amber Midthunder was not a particularly memorable protagonist, delivering a pretty mediocre performance. There is certainly room for improvement, but as a franchise enthusiast, I truly enjoyed it and hope they continue down this path.