#stormee kipp

There's a tradition among the people of the Comanche Nation. If you want to be acknowledged as a great hunter you ought to bring the body of a large, powerful animal. A predator like a cougar or a bear would do fine, something the young but resourceful healer Naru is trying to achieve for herself as she feels it's time to earn the respect of her people. Failing at the task against a cougar, however, leaves her older brother with the glory as he earns the title of a War Chief.

But the takeaway isn't just disappointment, what made Naru lose concentration that night was a strange lights she's sure belong to a Mupitsl, an ambushing demon who hunts and kills men. Indeed, after seeing a bear being wrecked by this invisible assailant, she decides she's going to hunt it herself. Unfortunately, the French voyageurs on the monster's tail have other plans... so does the creature itself.

One of the problems with horror franchises is that the sequels either become derivative, or to keep things "interesting" they add ridiculous gimmicks and absurd plot developments. Which makes all the more refreshing when a film like this discards that in favor of keeping things simple, but more importantly, meaningful. By not getting caught on the weeds of a fictional alien culture the story can have it's cast have solid narrative arcs that interweave together to a fulfilling whole. It also explores in a more thorough way the nature of hunting: It's not just that the Predator poses a threat, but that all the involved factions hunt each other for different motivations and to different ends which makes them foils to each other.

While taking some significant historical liberties the film does a remarkable job at respectfully and accurately depicting the Comanche nation and it’s people, customs, practices, and so on. It's a pretty brilliant return to form that exchanges the macho for a sincere story of self realization and cultural awareness.

Prey Teaser 

Set in the Predator universe, Prey takes place 300 years ago in the Comanche Nation. Naru, a warrior, “has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.” (20th Century Studios)

20th Century Studios’ Prey is directed by Dan Trachtenberg from a screenplay by Patrick Aison. The film stars Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, and Julian Black Antelope.

Prey (2022)

This is a Movie Health Community evaluation. It is intended to inform people of potential health hazards in movies and does not reflect the quality of the film itself. The information presented here has not been reviewed by any medical professionals.  

Prey has some mild lightning effects, and entire dark scenes lit only by mildly flickering fire.

There is some peril at extreme heights, but all of the camera work is very smooth, even when the cameras are handheld.

Flashing Lights: 4/10. Motion Sickness: 3/10.

TRIGGER WARNING: This film is very bloody and gory, with some of the graphic violence committed against animals that are obviously computer-generated.

Prey. You know, the opposite of Predator. I am kinda disappointed they didn’t use the original theme music.

This is a perfect example of, as long as a story is well-written, it’s possible to forgive its contrivances and conveniences. It scores points for the unique setting and diversity. But it scores more points for great writing and staying true to the original Predator.

The director has stated that there are discussions for additional installments being developed after the release of Prey, saying their intent was to "do things that have not been done before" in the franchise. I am stoked for this!