‘Prey’ sends the ‘Predator’ franchise back in time to chase cheaper thrills on Hulu



Landing straight on Hulu (a choice that seems to speak to the film’s perceived theatrical prospects), this latest entry in a series that hasn’t been particularly memorable since the first film proved small by genre standards, leaving dropping the towering killer in Comanche territory 300 years ago, where his trophies initially included much of the local wildlife.

The thrills don’t seem cheap, exactly, but the whole thing feels a little cheaper, like it’s the pilot of an anthology series called “Tales of the Predator,” chronicling periodic visits through the story.

“A long time ago, they say, a monster came here,” the film says at the start, before introducing Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young warrior who wants to be taken seriously as a hunter because, she says , “You all think I can’t.”

Naru soon passes the test of many lifetimes, recognizing that the alien (played by Dane DiLiegro, a 6’9″ former basketball player) is not an animal but something different, while learning his strengths, weaknesses and the particular game he plays in terms of who and what he chooses to kill.

When it comes to battling predators, brains tend to trump brawn. Nonetheless, using spears and (thanks to French traders) the occasional musket in this fight seems like an even more gargantuan task than the mano-a-alien fight that Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutchman orchestrated 35 years ago, and it had the advantage of explosives and being able to hoist tree trunks.

There’s a history of acting out sci-fi stories in the past — the 2011 movie “Cowboys & Aliens” comes to mind — and basing that story on Native Americans provides a window into that culture. Yet these elements are by necessity treated too lightly given the macabre affair at hand.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg (“10 Cloverfield Lane”), the novelty of “Prey’s” backdrop therefore wears off pretty quickly, and even at a brisk 90-minute pacing, the film elicits a sense of anticipation about what Naru can conceive. to even the playing field. Until that climactic showdown, the next best thing is Midthunder, whose recent roles include The CW’s “The Ice Road” and “Roswell, New Mexico,” making the most of what physically demanding star vehicle.

“Prey” works best in the context of an old-school B-horror movie, dropping a monster in a (very) remote location, where hardly anyone can hear you scream.

Thematically, it’s an interesting addition to a franchise that returns every few years, whether needed or not. Compared to recent predecessors, this straight-streamed specimen isn’t bad, but it’s only worth adding to the “to watch” list for those truly determined to collect them all.

“Prey” premieres August 5 on Hulu. It is rated R.