The bestPredatormovie since the original film wasPrey, which perfectly flipped the set-up of the former on its head. ThePredatormovies are home to amazing scenes, but overall the reception of the franchise has varied. The original movie remains one of thebest-rankedPredatormovies,with 2022’sPreyquickly joining it after the reinvention of the series and thetitular Predator creature.
This reinvention was one of the primary reasons behindPrey’s success. In many ways, the new entry flipped the entire premise of the franchise on its head, as typified by thePredatormovie’s genre crossoversand the name of the movie being the opposite word of the 1987 original. Above all else, there was one key wayPreyreversed the premise ofPredator, somehow simultaneously taking the franchise in a new direction as a result while still maintaining what made the latter so special.
Prey’s Premise Is The Exact Opposite Of The Original Predator’s Story
The Onset Of Prey’s Story Flips That Of The Original
In the firstPredator, the movie was so compelling due to the battle it sets up between Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, his team, and the titular Yautja. The film wastes no time in introducing Dutch and his team as huge, burly men who coexist as an elite team. This team fears nothing, and there is nothing they cannot handle. This is showcased even more so by the focus on the heavy weapons and ammunition the team is carrying. After all this,the reveal that the only thing they cannot handle is the Predator itself makes the film’s story set-up incredibly intriguing.
Prey Proves That Humans Are Officially Smarter Than Predators In The Most Brutal Way
One of the most brutal moments in Prey reveals a truth behind humans in the Predator universe: humans are undoubtedly much smarter than the creatures.
This sets up the Predator’s overwhelming threat, andPreymanages to do the exact same thing only by completely reversing this setup. With the premise ofPredatorin mind,Preyopens with the audience having the subconscious knowledge that there is nothing Naru or anyone else from the 18th century can do against a Yautja that proved such a threat to the heavily armed, technologically advanced men of Dutch’s team.The contrast between Naru’s setting and that of Dutch raises the threat level of the Predator even more, makingPreythat much more exciting when the former manages to outwit the creature.
It Took 35 Years For Predator To Replicate The First Movie’s Magic
Prey Quickly Became The Best Predator Movie Since The Original
Thanks to this setup,Preyeasily recaptured the magic of 1987’sPredator. After decades of attempts to continue the franchise,Preyproved the most successful due to the way it could take the series back to basics while introducing a compelling new character, a fresh time setting, and thus, a unique story that combined the best elements ofPredatorwith something original.Prey’s reception from audiences and critics alike proved this, as it became the best-reviewed installment in the franchise.
80%
46
30%
65%
51
34%
48
94%
71
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The other entries in the franchise betweenPredatorandPreydid not try hard enough to differentiate themselves from the original. When they did, such as 2018’sThe Predatorintroducing the concept that autism is integral to understanding Yautja languages and the alien’s plan, they were too outlandish to be received well. This is wherePreystands apart; it managed to recapture the simplicity of the first movie’s story while providing fresh updates that worked, thus combining to make the bestPredatormovie in over 30 years.
Prey Was The Movie Predator Needed After Multiple Failures
Thanks To Prey, The Franchises Future Looks Brighter Than Ever
Not only wasPreyresponsible for recapturing the critical and commercial love for thePredatorfranchise, but it was also likely the series' last chance at redemption. IfPreyhad failed to recapture that magic, it is highly unlikely that another movie in the franchise would be crafted, as has since become the case with another 80s franchise likeThe Terminator. Thankfully though,Preybecame exactly the movie thePredatorfranchise needed in order to have a future.
Preyintroduced the idea that the Predator creature could be dropped into different eras of human history, giving each different protagonist the task of discovering how to defeat the ultimate hunter…
Aside from the obvious positive reception to the movie, it wasPrey’s unique story set-up that gave thePredatorfranchise a new lease of life.Preyintroduced the idea that the Predator creature could be dropped into different eras of human history, giving each different protagonist the task of discovering how to defeat the ultimate hunter. This led to many theories about which time period the Predator could show up in next, which would not have been possible withoutPrey’s premise.
Although it is unclear if this roadmap for the franchise will be utilized,Preynonetheless reignited interest in a series that had struggled after several failures.This is evident by a sequel toPreybeing placed in development, as well as another standalone entry into the franchisetitledPredator: Badlands.The latter is being developed byPreyfilmmaker Dan Trachtenberg, proving above all else that the 2022 movie was exactly what thePredatorfranchise needed.
Prey
Cast
Serving as a prequel to the entire Predator series, Prey is set in the world of the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. The action-thriller follows Naru, the skilled warrior who fiercely protects her tribe against a highly evolved alien predator. The film will also reveal the origin of the Predator warrior race’s descent to Earth for the first time. Naru will have to utilize the tools of her time to combat a threat with skills and weapons that exist far beyond her time.
