Prey

I've watched Prey twice over the weekend, once in English and the second time in full on Comanche. I know that might turn off a lot of English speaking people (myself included) but the dialogue really shines through in the all Comanche version. Amber Midthunder did an amazing job point blank, and also a big shoutout to Dakota Beavers who was probably my favorite character in the entire movie. I wish they would have developed some of the other characters more even if they're just there to be slaughtered by Predator. The director manages the film at a fast yet reasonable pace, even for the 1 hour 40 minute run time I was never bored. Stunning visuals, great cinematography, and some pretty solid action scenes (even if it is just the predator beating down on whatever is in front of him). Fans of the franchise will appreciate the nods to the original, the variety of weapons, and the gruesome kills. The CGI is mediocre at best, and I can really do without it. I get the animals had to be CGI for obvious reasons, but some of it is so Video Game-like it's laughable. And also wtf was that ending? Did the Predator forget he wasn't wearing his mask? Is there not a manual aim option for his weapons? Seriously flawed ending but all in all this is one of the better streaming exclusive movies I've seen and wish I could have seen it in theaters!

I think Prey did an excellent job at crafting a fresh new story. Let's face it, predictor sequels and spin-offs have felt more like a money grab. But here there's a real story that cleverly weaves a number of story lines together to spin up this intriguing edition.

Amber Midthunder more than holds her own and keeps the pace moving. And the movie does a great job at leveraging the historical context for maximum effect.

Big thumbs up from me.

Confession: I'm the guy who watched the original Predator way too many times thanks to the magic of VHS...but then never watched a single sequel afterwards. As far as I'm concerned "Predator" = jungles and body butter. So I fully admit that I have limited context here. That said, this movie kicked butt. I cared way more about Naru and her brother (not to mention her dog) than I did about anybody in the original. I found the cinematagrophy breathtaking, I found the characters compelling, and I'm kind of all in on seeing what happens when we transport modern franchises into different historical/cultural contexts. Plus, the callbacks were delightful. Nobody's going to give this movie an Oscar, but I'd rather watch a story like this than most movies with capes and poorly staged action sequences. I was sucked in from moment one, and Amber Midthunder completely captivated me for the whole runtime. It's nice to know that movies like this can still surprise me, not to mention make me stand up and cheer.

-Great visuals and music -Very atmospheric feel...the wilderness feels like a character of its own which makes it the most immersive movie of the franchise -I could be very critical of the script and the fact that there are not much memorable characters/not much nuance but this is a predator movie not call me by your name 2 ... -Very satisfying action (some of my favourite in the series ) apart from one scene with bad cuts (Naru vs the other comanche guys) -Also good pacing and length..doesn't overstay its welcome and I'd watch a sequel... I recommend.

Criticisms first: The most unbelievable thing about this movie is the yo-yo tomahawk, not the 7 foot alien. This is something an 8 year old thinks of, tries it, then realizes that their imagination wrote a check that reality can't cash.

A trend in sequels lately is frequent and in your face callbacks to the original, like in Top Gun: Maverick (great movie, but too much in my opinion). There's a few in this movie that could've been done without. I just like a sequel to stand on its own more. Some people will disagree, just my preference.

Aside from that, it's probably the best Predator sequel to date. The bar is pretty low, but I really enjoyed it. It's not the woke movie early reviews says it is, just don't expect oiled body builders wielding machine guns. The Predator in this movie is big fan service and not the big headed clunky versions in previous sequels, but a deadly, agile, killing machine.

Great soundtrack too, it's got hints of Last of the Mohicans vibes.

For a period piece too, it's pretty accurate...except for the yo-yo tomahawk. I'd love to see a follow up!