Since Arnold Schwarzenegger faced that “Predator” in 1987, many years have passed. And the saga has changed accordingly, generally with far worse results. Even so, the alien hunter franchise is still alive and ready to return to the screen with “Predator: Prey”. It will be the first episode to be released directly in streaming without first going to the cinema. The tape will land on Hulu in countries that have said service and on Disney + in the rest of the world, including Spain. Also, for the first time, it will be a prequel and not a sequel to the original film.
‘Predator: La Presa’ travels to the end of the 18th century, set in the Great Plains of North America. There, a tribe of Comanche natives live peacefully every day. Naru, a young woman of the tribe, wishes to prove her courage and cunning to become a huntress. While trying in vain to convince the rest of the hunters, a Predator arrives in the vicinity of the place. The monster, thirsty for blood and eager to hunt, will wreak havoc in the forests and meadows, with Naru trying to find out exactly what danger awaits them.
The consolidation of a rookie
The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, one of today’s most promising directors. At 41, ‘Predator: La Presa’ becomes his second film after the acclaimed ‘Calle Cloverfield 10’. And thanks to this new installment of “Predator”, in addition to some works on television in renowned series such as “Black Mirror” or “The Boys”, Trachtenberg consolidates his signature among the big names of the current action scene, science fiction and fantastic / horror
It does this because, despite being a film for the small screen, ‘Predator: La Presa’ is a very well done job in most of its facets. Far from the futuristic and excessive accessories that have accompanied most of the sequels to the saga, the film simplifies everything that has not worked in these decades. Go back to a time when weapons were bows, arrows, and most importantly, brains. This is what Naru has and it is what the Predator has to adapt to in order for it to be a fair fight, the one these beings really enjoy.
The fun of blood
This simplification in the plot allows the whole film to go much more to the point than normal. Come to “Predator” to have fun and see a lot of blood. This is what Trachtenberg offers us. The beginning is too long, it presents characters and situations that really matter soon and nothing and that are easily lost in oblivion. But the moment he leaves, ‘Predator: La Presa’ goes unrestrained. The action sequences festival is resounding, all with the tension building in just the right measure so that everything escalates as the minutes go by.
They are also very explicit violence scenes. Blood and dismemberment are not lacking in the film, which by the end of its central part has already become a hunting show worthy of the 1987 film. worked so well and they had never been able to replicate afterwards. That fighting spirit, of a duel to the death in which the human, rather than the hand-to-hand, must make use of his intelligence if he wants to stay alive. Nothing more was needed, but we had to wait many years to see it again. Fortunately, Trachtenberg likes it and enjoys it with the delight of the viewer.
A bridge to inclusion
This hunt also has the incentive to be carried on by a culture like that of the Comanche. Beyond the visual appeal offered on the screen by a culture so attached to the earth, with its rituals and traditions, Trachtenberg himself defines it as “the best hunters on Earth at that time”. This adds a welcome touch of extra epicity to the Predator duel. And to ensure that they give a faithful representation of said people and not the classic fictional caricature we are used to, the team of “Predator: The Prey” was made up of numerous members of indigenous tribes … One of the big names was Jhane Myers, producer of the film and in charge of overseeing everything related to the Naru tribe, since she herself is both Comanche and Blackfoot.
Something similar happens with the lead actress, Amber Midthunder. The young woman belongs to the Assiniboie Sioux tribe of Fort Peck, so she contributed several ideas to complete Naru. All with a magnificent result, because ‘Predator: La Presa’ offers the necessary character development, without exceeding or missing too much. There is an interesting and archetypal conflict, that of proving (and proving) that he is also capable of hunting. But this doesn’t necessarily have to overlap with hunting predators. Midthunder gives Naru a very solid performance, an amazing unwavering action heroine which carries the weight of the plot far more than the alien, which we barely see due to its invisible suit.
In short, ‘Predator: La Presa’ is the film that fans of the saga have been asking for for years. A show of extreme action and violence that in just over an hour and a half manages to fulfill in all respects. Have fun, scare and like. The main character of her is interesting enough that the plot never falls to the prolonged and brutal climax that everyone expects. It is, without a doubt, the best installment of the saga from the original.
Note: 8
The best: Naru as a heroine of action, explicit violence and a return to the simple and functional spirit of the saga.
Worse: Until the action begins, the onset is rather slow.
“Predator: the prey” will debut on Disney + on August 5th.
Source: E Cartelera
