'Prey' Is The Best Predator Movie We've Seen Since The Original With Arnold Schwarzenegger

Fun fact about me, I'm a big fan of Predator. Not the Jerry Sandusky type predator, but more this kind. 

Everything about the Yautja (what the species is actually called) from its weapons, technology, skills, to its M.O. are fascinating. These monsters solely pride themselves in hunting the best prey in the universe. It's beneath them to kill the weak/defensless. If you show you are worthy of a battle they aim to rip you to shreds as part of sport. 

Unfortunately since the original there have been very few moments where the franchise has held its own. Hulu's 'Prey,' which came out on Friday, may very well be the best Predator movie we've seen since the OG. 

As a quick recap for how bad these movies have been, The Predator was hands down one of the worst films I've ever seen. Had a bad feeling that was gonna happen when Olivia Munn joined the cast, but I still gave it a shot. A Joey Gallo-esque swing and a miss. I think that movie single handedly tried to end the franchise right then and there. If you paid to see that in theaters you deserve a refund along with a personal apology. 

Predator 2 where we see the alien visit a modern city, was terrible and slapped the original squarely in the face. Hey you made this awesome original movie, so because that was successful let's ruin it! The Alien vs. Predator movies were good in theory and that's about it. AVP: Requiem is BAD. I actually liked what they did with Predators where the monsters abducted a bunch of terrible criminals and put them on an alien planet to be hunted. Decent enough plot, good enough action, solid cast. I'm really not asking for much here, but a lot of the post-OG films barely tried. 

Which brings us to 'Prey.' The concept? A feral Predator invades a Native American region filled with hunters and trappers back in the 1700s to prove itself worthy. Maybe it's because there have been so many bad movies made after the original, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It focuses on a female member of the tribe named Naru who wants to be recognized as a hunter amongst her people. Similarly to her, the Predator seems to be on a prove-it trial, dropped off on Earth to see what he can do in a forest full of threats. While it's prone to being tricked and attacked, the beast still has the skill and weapons to kill you in many ways. 

Naru knows there's something going on in the woods that's more serious than your average bear, but obviously no one believes her. Naturally the Predator begins to pick off the hunters one by one in spectacular fashion. One thing a good Predator movie needs is good kills and buddy does this deliver with that. Here's the big guy eviscerating a group of French trappers. This was so bad ass. 

For some reason there were no subtitles anytime these French guys spoke, but luckily that didn't take away from them being brutally murdered when the time came. Getting lacerated by Predator's rope gadget has to be up there with the worst deaths imaginable.  

There was also this sick fight with an 8,000 pound bear. 

I'm sure you're going to get the hardos out there saying it's lame a female lead finds a way to take on a Predator alien and that the movie is too woke. I think that's all bullshit. The fight scenes are fun and the way she out-smarts him in the end is genuinely creative. Throughout the whole movie she's observing how he operates and fights with the other hunters only to eventually devise a plan to take him down based on his weaknesses. She's intelligent, determined, and creative and I think it all works pretty well in a crisp hour and 39 minutes. Plus, her trusty sidekick dog Sarii is the best. 

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At the very end you realize the gun Naru used to help take down the Pred is the same one given to Danny Glover at the end of Predator 2. So that either means after this movie ended the Predators came back to pick up their pal, realized he was killed, and decided to eviscerate that entire tribe while also retrieving that gun….or they came back and to give her a high five for her work, but also managed to nab the gun at the end. The post credits kinda imply it's the former, let's just hope they let the dog be. Hey wouldn't it be cool if we got a movie where for once the Predator ends up killing all the humans in the end? I kinda wanna see what the winning ritual would look like. 

Is the new winning formula for these movies just to have Predators invade Earth during different eras? Vikings, pirates, Egypt, cavemen? I'm in. 

P.S. They have to be furious there was no theatrical release here right? Based on the early reviews here it's been accepted as a pretty solid success, but the straight to Hulu is definitely leaving money on the table.