Native American vs Hansen vs Predator
I guess you can’t judge a movie by a trailer. Easily the best entry in the series after Predator and slightly ahead of Predators (I really like Predators, will eventually review it). In fact… there’s so many callbacks and similarities to Predators that it’s hard to be objective, but let me try.
Act 1, establishing the setting. Introduce ragtag group of hunters, show their tools, highlight interpersonal conflicts, tease the Predator. Act 2, formally introduce the Predator by first killing a beast native to the environment. Follow up by killing overzealous hunters. Survivors recover and embrace new tactics. Act 3, big boss battle. Use one of the survivors as bait, fight in mud and overcome the technological advantage.
Did I explain Prey or Predators? Both.
The differences are subtle. The script is devoid of humor, making the movie completely serious while the primitive nature of the film’s weaponry also lower the spectacle, giving it more of a Western feel. Also, thanks to the producers, there appears to be a high amount of respect for the Comanche culture even if it appears to be quite sexist. That’s to be expected for the 1790s.
There’s also a ton of callbacks to past films in the series. These callbacks are not fanservice, but building on the Predator canon. Won’t spoil anything, but pay attention to the end credit sequence.
No technical issues with the movie, nice special effects and CGI. On re-watch I’ll plan to watch in Comanche language instead of English.
First screening August 7, 2022 on Hulu.
