sol_bad
Member
https://letterboxd.com/film/prey-2022/
3.7 out of 5 on Letterboxd after 80,000+ reviews. The audience reaction to Prey is far more than "so-so".
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
https://letterboxd.com/film/prey-2022/
3.7 out of 5 on Letterboxd after 80,000+ reviews. The audience reaction to Prey is far more than "so-so".
Ironbunny
Member
Just watched this and it was certainly much better then I expected. Cast was ok but nobody stood out as a new Dutch and were fairly forgettable. It was well shot but biggest problem was the CGI which was all over the place. Cant understand the reason for reimaging of the Predator itself. He/she just looked stupid. But with all the gripes it was an actually watchable Predator movie. I'd rate this being third or fourth best Predator film. Pretty much a tie with Predators. Also liked the tone of the movie and how there is no jokes running wild. It was a serious movie from start to finish.
FunkMiller
Gold Member
Dude. People like this movie. It's not a classic. It's not being hailed as anything other than a decent flick, but it's doing well. You might not like that, but it's the case.
Spaceman292
Banned
Nooo! People aren't allowed to like it! Look at the numbersss!
Hari Seldon
Member
Yeah you can tell this movie didn't have a large budget, but what they did with the budget limitations is far more than what other properties do with massive budgets. The CGI animals were crap visually but the actual scenes with them were awesome tension and story wise. The hunting lion scene was tense as fuck in the pitch black.
Bragr
Banned
No, it's not "far" more. It's so-so, ok, middle-of-the-road.
Bragr
Banned
"Dude". I reacted to this guy that said critics and audiences are praising it and that the people disliking the movie are misogynistic. Which is fucking stupid, it's a middle-of-the-road action flick with varied responses. You are the one who started inserting this rotten tomatoes/imdb nonsense. I have nothing against this movie, but there is no universal praise for Prey. It's a campy b-movie that's somewhat fun to watch because it's native-americans vs an alien. You might not like that, but it's the case.
FunkMiller
Gold Member
Nobody claimed its been getting universal praise. But
sol_bad
was right to say it is getting praise from lots of different sources. You claimed people are so-so on it. They’re not. It’s getting more positive feedback than negative.
Last edited:
jabberwookie
Banned
It wasn't bad but not my second or third favorite Predator related flick either.
It's like the native Americans spoke their language in short bursts but spoke perfect English to each other, and it was even translated in English by the interpreter which was almost funny. I was waiting for the predator to start reciting Shakespeare to put the cherry on top. I think it could have benefited by subtitles Dances with Wolves style.
Kind of decent fight scenes and unique premise for this type of film though. It kept me entertained mostly.
It's like the native Americans spoke their language in short bursts but spoke perfect English to each other, and it was even translated in English by the interpreter which was almost funny. I was waiting for the predator to start reciting Shakespeare to put the cherry on top. I think it could have benefited by subtitles Dances with Wolves style.
Kind of decent fight scenes and unique premise for this type of film though. It kept me entertained mostly.
Bragr
Banned
Yes, he claimed it was getting universal praise, he said the only people who didn't like it were women-haters, which is childish and absurd.Nobody claimed its been getting universal praise. But
FunkMiller
Gold Member
No he didn’t. You brought up ‘universal’ praise.
I only interrupted because you were underplaying its relative success by saying it’s had a so-so reaction.
Last edited:
MacReady13
Member
I watched it yesterday evening and quite enjoyed it. Falls below the 1st 2 films but definitely happy to have it in the cannon of Predator films.
Bragr
Banned
Which it had. Even a lot of the good reviews aren't that hyped on the movie.No he didn’t. You brought up ‘universal’ praise.
I only interrupted because you were underplaying its relative success by saying it’s had a so-so reaction.
Universal means that it's getting praised from all sides, which is exactly what he said. What do you think universal means?
FunkMiller
Gold Member
Been watching the original Predator (which of course still stands head and shoulders above this sequel and every other one) and I’ve nailed down one thing that I think Prey gets right:
Economy of storytelling.
OG Predator is frankly a fucking masterpiece of economic story telling and character set up, that shits all over modern cinema‘s bloated, overblown, patronising and ‘tell don’t show‘ method of film making.
Trachtenburg understands this, and that’s why Prey works as well as it manages to, despite its shortcomings. It’s free of modern bloat.
Economy of storytelling.
OG Predator is frankly a fucking masterpiece of economic story telling and character set up, that shits all over modern cinema‘s bloated, overblown, patronising and ‘tell don’t show‘ method of film making.
Trachtenburg understands this, and that’s why Prey works as well as it manages to, despite its shortcomings. It’s free of modern bloat.
Last edited:
Revolutionary
Member
Has any Hulu movie/show received a Blu-ray release? I'd love to own a physical copy of the movie someday.
Also, RedLetterMedia reviewed the movie:
Also, RedLetterMedia reviewed the movie:
Last edited:
sol_bad
Member
Romulus
Member
I remember looking forward to the future of cinema and scifi around that time. If I had only known it was the pinnacle.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I like how Tractenberg essentially took the crux of the final act of the first film and used it as a blueprint for the entirety of this movie. He only interrupts the pacing and tension to interject moments of character development for Naru, the drama between Naru and her brother and her mother to provoke sympathy and investment, and moments with the random Comanche warriors and French trappers to add depth to the story and world. His final act is begins with her brother's sacrifice, and races breakneck towards a conclusion involving Naru using everything she has learned about the alien up to that moment in the film, along with her own machinations, to take it down. Just great economy in writing for an action thriller.
And he did it all without returning to the well constantly like all of the other films in the franchise sans Predator 2 did. There were some homages here and there, sure, but it was nothing like the deluge of fan service and 'member berries that something like Predators and AVP: Requiem were.
BennyBlanco
aka IMurRIVAL69
sol_bad
Member
Predator was an extremely unique film and can't really be aped, it's similar to From Dusk Till Dawn in a way as in if you hadn't seen the advertising you'd have no idea about the twist.
In terms of scifi movies about monsters, I'd rather watch A Quiet Place, Life, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Super 8, Cloverfield, The Descent and maybe even The Tomorrow War over the original Predator film. Primarily due to the advances in modern cinema technology and editing. Predator is still one of my favorite films but the modern films are just more fun to watch these days.
MightySquirrel
Banned
ChorizoPicozo
Banned
I like it. 7/10 = Good.
sol_bad
Member
It's expected that Predator won't play as well to younger audiences, modern critics will probably be younger than a fair amount of us who saw the film when we were young.
nkarafo
Member
That and they have shitty tastes and/or anti-patriarchy.
MightySquirrel
Banned
I may be missing the point of your post, but the "critic" low scores are from the '80s for original Predator . And the higher recent reviews 'save' the overall score bizarrely, so originally this classic must have been rated in the 30's .
Last edited:
Romulus
Member
GnomeChimpsky
Member
The Core had three scientific advisors...
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Gold Member
The Core is a great film! Don't diss it!
DETACA
Banned
what is the meaning of saying same thing in hundred ways ? this movie prey and all predator movies are like that. hahaha!
some fight scenes, and than they will treat themselves with some alien raidium tooth pastes, and than die in the end.
always repeating same things and earning there money and audiance kept barking.
some fight scenes, and than they will treat themselves with some alien raidium tooth pastes, and than die in the end.
always repeating same things and earning there money and audiance kept barking.
TonyK
Member
I think people that like the movie don't have problems believing a teen with few real combat experience (irrelevant if it's a boy or a girl) can defeat a Predator in melee combat. And the people, I include myself here, that don't enjoy the movie it's because it's impossible for us to believe that confrontation. For me it was like seeing a mouse fighting a lion, impossible to take seriously. And the problem is the movie takes too seriously itself to allow that disbelief margin.
But as I said before, I understand people like the movie because I love Prometheus even if I agree it has a lot of plot holes.
About people reducing some criticism to "you don't like Prey because main character is a girl", I would say problem is not gender but how character has been portrayed. Everyone loves Furiosa from Mad Max Fury Road, and you can believe that woman could be a challenger for a Predator. The teen from Prey is like the kids in Narnia, when Peter (the older brother) stops a blow from a minotaur, it's simply impossible to believe, but that was a child's movie, so you try to forget and continue watching. Prey is too serious to make me believe a person can pull out a tooth without effort.
But as I said before, I understand people like the movie because I love Prometheus even if I agree it has a lot of plot holes.
About people reducing some criticism to "you don't like Prey because main character is a girl", I would say problem is not gender but how character has been portrayed. Everyone loves Furiosa from Mad Max Fury Road, and you can believe that woman could be a challenger for a Predator. The teen from Prey is like the kids in Narnia, when Peter (the older brother) stops a blow from a minotaur, it's simply impossible to believe, but that was a child's movie, so you try to forget and continue watching. Prey is too serious to make me believe a person can pull out a tooth without effort.
bender
What time is it?
Maybe you haven't watched Predator in a while but the opening scene of the movie is the Predator's spaceship breaking the Earth's atmosphere. If I recall correctly this was a studio decision as to not confuse the audience. Wish there was a director's cut without that scene as it ruins a would-be twist. They give hints along the way to the firefight with finding the skinned bodies of the Green Berets ("that's not human") and a quick glimpse of predator vision which could be seen as vague if not for the intro.
My brother, Flexo, and I went into Form Dusk Till Dawn blind. I still remember the car ride home and just going "what the fuck".
Disagree with your take on modern movies. The overreliance on CGI and dwindling use of practical effects makes older movies far more enjoyable. Prey's actually a good example this. I really want to love the John Wick movies but using CGI blood instead of squibs just hamstrings the experience.
Last edited:
Alex11
Member
Yeah, pretty much what I was thinking, although I didn`t have a problem with the end fight, but rather with how she killed those French dudes in that camp, there were like 5 or 6 of them, that just got me out of the movie.
Funny about Prometheus, I also really like that movie and watch it about every year or so, but I realise it has some dumb as f*** decisions and plot holes.
JordoftheDead
Member
It was decent with some cool scenes but not much more than that. Anyone praising it has a low bar.
sol_bad
Member
I do totally forget the opening scene with the spaceship.
Arozay
Member
I liked it, though the final fight scene was kinda stars-aligning multiple-times all according to keikaku bullshit. I remember not minding Predators until the final fight aswell, so they're consistent there.
I'd say Prey is 2nd best to the original, haven't seen The Predator but I heard it's shit.
I'd say Prey is 2nd best to the original, haven't seen The Predator but I heard it's shit.
STARSBarry
Gold Member
Fortunately Disny+ already has the sequel available to.
Spaceman292
Banned
Another piece of evidence to show that movie review scores are bullshit and should be ignored
FunkMiller
Gold Member
Yeah. I don't think we should be paying that much attention to an aggregate score derived from only 16 reviews. RT has it at 80% on 55 reviews, which is a little better. Some of the negative ones are hilarious though
Last edited:
drganon
Member
Professional movie critics usually have shitty opinions.
mansoor1980
Gold Member
AJUMP23
Gold Member
that was awful.
Watched it last night. It was decent, had some nice visceral combat moments and I liked that the trappers at least had some sort of plan. The comanche element was ok, not sure those guys patrolled the woods covering alternate fields of fire like a swat team with bows half drawn but whatever. The Feral Pred or whatever this guy is called was cool. I liked the bone helmet thing and most of his little weapon gadgets. The cloaking effect was pretty well done except the few times the pred, covered in glowing blood, 'poofed" out of existence.
My only real bone of contention was the lead actress. The actress didn't have the charisma necessary to make her character stand out and she didn't have the physical presence to sell her action scenes. If she had any muscle tone you'd never know because she remained covered in 5 layers of deer hide. Her CHARACTER was also a bit problematic for me. She's apparently a bit of a slacker and a drag on the tribe, seeing as how she has to be kicked awake every morning and was always last to the fields. Yet (of course) she is also a gifted medicine woman yet COMPLETELY DEVALUES that role in her tribe, despite the fact that she is probably the only other person those skills were passed on to and if that old lady dies she is the sole repository for that knowledge, there is no "Comanche Medical School" to send someone to. So her dogged insistence in hunting, a job that all the youths can do as well or better than she, compromises her ability to meaningfully contribute to her tribe.
I wish this had been explored more and not pushed aside for, YAWN, yet another "get in your place, woman!" plot beat, though I almost wonder if the role was originally written for a male youth instead of a woman, because most of the issues with her seemed to stem more from her lack of proven ability to complete the manhood ritual rather than her sex. So an adolescent boy could step in to that role almost as easily, you'd just have to handwave a little herbal knowledge just like she handwaves her jiu-jitsu, knife fighting, and martial axe skills. CLEARLY she is getting to wrestle and train with the boys to gain these skills, so there isn't a "woman can't do this" vide so much as a "you are the GODDAMN MEDICINE WOMAN, STAY IN YOUR LANE CAN CARE FOR THE WOUNDED!" vibe. Geneva convention card revoked
Anyway, it was enjoyable enough for what it is, a bit eye rolling at parts like her having 2-3 moments of SEVERE brain injury and being KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT with no lasting damage, but thats just Hollywood. It stands out because the film as a whole is fairly humorless so the action film tropes of injury recovery don't gel with the tone. Common issue with film making today, they want that grit but don't want to pay the narrative price for it. More banter, a machismo tone, a more athletic and dominating lead, and it would have been for the better I think.
I did like how quickly she adapted to alien tech, though a flintlock stumps her for a bit. The english speaking as a common language was odd as well, where did she learn that? I'd have expected French/spanish or the trapper to know some Comanche. Always nice to see a 'hawk in action, though that is the toughest flint axe EVER The predator weapons were cool, added gore to the constricting net and a nice appreciation for what a razor shape blade being swung by a 7 foot tall gorilla would do to a man is appreciated. Punching a girl in the face twice with no damage....eh
Also, is it just me or is her tribe FUCKED. That girl led EVERY young male in the village to their death. Had she followed her brothers sage advice and stayed put, only the cat mauled guy would have been a casualty. The pred seemed to be moving AWAY from the tribe (took her over a day to find it later on when before it was pretty close to their village) but by running off it causes all the men to get smoked in the recovery effort. F' pathetic. By the end all that's left are kids, a few women, and old folks. Good luck during winter! Not to mention the trappers would probably come seeking revenge. Curious if they intend to imply the preds come down and exterminate them all anyway or what. Maybe that pistol is how she tricks them into going after the French and we jump forward 40 years and a young George Washington tangles with the preds
My only real bone of contention was the lead actress. The actress didn't have the charisma necessary to make her character stand out and she didn't have the physical presence to sell her action scenes. If she had any muscle tone you'd never know because she remained covered in 5 layers of deer hide. Her CHARACTER was also a bit problematic for me. She's apparently a bit of a slacker and a drag on the tribe, seeing as how she has to be kicked awake every morning and was always last to the fields. Yet (of course) she is also a gifted medicine woman yet COMPLETELY DEVALUES that role in her tribe, despite the fact that she is probably the only other person those skills were passed on to and if that old lady dies she is the sole repository for that knowledge, there is no "Comanche Medical School" to send someone to. So her dogged insistence in hunting, a job that all the youths can do as well or better than she, compromises her ability to meaningfully contribute to her tribe.
I wish this had been explored more and not pushed aside for, YAWN, yet another "get in your place, woman!" plot beat, though I almost wonder if the role was originally written for a male youth instead of a woman, because most of the issues with her seemed to stem more from her lack of proven ability to complete the manhood ritual rather than her sex. So an adolescent boy could step in to that role almost as easily, you'd just have to handwave a little herbal knowledge just like she handwaves her jiu-jitsu, knife fighting, and martial axe skills. CLEARLY she is getting to wrestle and train with the boys to gain these skills, so there isn't a "woman can't do this" vide so much as a "you are the GODDAMN MEDICINE WOMAN, STAY IN YOUR LANE CAN CARE FOR THE WOUNDED!" vibe. Geneva convention card revoked
Anyway, it was enjoyable enough for what it is, a bit eye rolling at parts like her having 2-3 moments of SEVERE brain injury and being KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT with no lasting damage, but thats just Hollywood. It stands out because the film as a whole is fairly humorless so the action film tropes of injury recovery don't gel with the tone. Common issue with film making today, they want that grit but don't want to pay the narrative price for it. More banter, a machismo tone, a more athletic and dominating lead, and it would have been for the better I think.
I did like how quickly she adapted to alien tech, though a flintlock stumps her for a bit. The english speaking as a common language was odd as well, where did she learn that? I'd have expected French/spanish or the trapper to know some Comanche. Always nice to see a 'hawk in action, though that is the toughest flint axe EVER
The predator weapons were cool, added gore to the constricting net and a nice appreciation for what a razor shape blade being swung by a 7 foot tall gorilla would do to a man is appreciated. Punching a girl in the face twice with no damage....eh Also, is it just me or is her tribe FUCKED. That girl led EVERY young male in the village to their death. Had she followed her brothers sage advice and stayed put, only the cat mauled guy would have been a casualty. The pred seemed to be moving AWAY from the tribe (took her over a day to find it later on when before it was pretty close to their village) but by running off it causes all the men to get smoked in the recovery effort. F' pathetic. By the end all that's left are kids, a few women, and old folks. Good luck during winter! Not to mention the trappers would probably come seeking revenge. Curious if they intend to imply the preds come down and exterminate them all anyway or what. Maybe that pistol is how she tricks them into going after the French and we jump forward 40 years and a young George Washington tangles with the preds
poppabk
Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
You just praised it.
sol_bad
Member
J
jason10mm
The characters in the film don't speak English.
As for the rest of your complaints, you sound like a "woman, go collect plants like you should be doing" kind of guy, what with you not liking her aspirations. You're complaining about the entire point of the film.
Maybe avoid films in the future with women that are doing more than they "should".
As for the rest of your complaints, you sound like a "woman, go collect plants like you should be doing" kind of guy, what with you not liking her aspirations. You're complaining about the entire point of the film.
Maybe avoid films in the future with women that are doing more than they "should".
Then what language are her and the trapper speaking in common? The subtitles say "English". It isn't French, 'cause then any of them can speak it. Was it Spanish? Was he speaking Comanche? Doesn't really matter.
This woman was a MEDICINE WOMAN. Like, literally, THE MOST VALUABLE PERSON IN THE TRIBE. I don't think you appreciate the status she would have held in that role. It's not "bitch make me a sandwich", it's "We need you healing us because ANY OF US can do the hunting, but ONLY YOU have access to the medicine lore".
This is just modern feminism being forced into a culture where it had no place. If the foraging doesn't happen and the hunters fail, then guess what, folks starve and babies die. EVERYONE contributed and she was well on her way to being a vital component of the tribe that she seems to resist. So her being lazy, having to be constantly woken up, failing to listen to the group appointed leader, etc ACTIVELY MURDER her entire tribe.
Contemplate this on the tree of woe and GTFOtta here with your misogynistic straw man bullshit.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Prey Is Hulu's Biggest Premiere Ever - IGN
Prey is now Hulu's biggest premiere of all-time according to 20th Century Fox and Disney.
Looks like the movie is off to a great digital start.
And well deserved. For a streamer it's pretty good. Hopefully we'll get a disc release so there might be more scenes or at least a good "making of" because I feel like there was A LOT left on the cutting room floor that probably mitigate most of my issues with the film. Someone wanted this thing edited to the bone and while that was probably the correct choice for the initial release, I'd be down for an extended cut with more time spend between the brother or in the village.Prey Is Hulu's Biggest Premiere Ever - IGN
Prey is now Hulu's biggest premiere of all-time according to 20th Century Fox and Disney.www.ign.com
Looks like the movie is off to a great digital start.