Lifetime Review: 'A Predator Returns'

Having survived his last attempt to fill the void left by his late girlfriend, Bruce Kane (Houston Stevenson) has now set up shop in an isolated lighthouse under the name David Burke. While he initially wants to avoid making the same mistakes again, fate has him crossing paths with Courtney Shayne (Leigha Sinnott). Saving her from a shark attack during a late-night swim with her friends, Bruce tries to ignore Courtney as she praises "David" for his heroism. But temptation proves too strong for Bruce as he becomes convinced Courtney is "the one."

Posing as a researcher, Bruce begins to romance Courtney and things are smooth sailing at first. But once Courtney and her family see Bruce for what he is, she shows him the door and hopes to never see him again. Little does Courtney know that Bruce is infatuated and determined to get her back--whether she likes it or not. And just like before, he has brutal plans in mind for anyone who gets in his way...

The latest entry in the Stalker's Prey saga, A Predator Returns continues the series' habit of alluding to classic media. In addition to Bruce's Jaws-inspired name and affinity for vintage music, he takes on some unnerving Norman Bates vibes after the reveal that Bruce's mother died sometime after the events of A Predator's Obsession. The green-lighted lighthouse even brought to mind The Great Gatsby, what with both this movie and the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel centering around tales of obsession. Admittedly, though, Fitzgerald's story is considerably less violent than the one John Doolan wrote. With Bruce being as dangerous as ever and continuing his penchant for using sharks to get rid of pesky "obstacles," A Predator Returns is a ravenous good time. It starts as a slow-boiling obsession drama and ends as an intense cat-and-mouse thriller that knows how to crank up the suspense.

Now going by a new alias, Bruce Kane is as deliciously deranged as he was in A Predator's Obsession. Apart from some clunky deliveries and bouts of overly on-the-nose dialogue, Houston Stevenson gives a performance that's equal parts entertaining and scary. While the man was plenty despicable in his last two movies, A Predator Returns show just how ruthless and disturbed Bruce has gotten after two defeats. For all his claims of loving Courtney, Bruce has no qualms about threatening to harm her and her loved ones if she doesn't do as he says. There's even a bit of campy zaniness in Bruce's moments of love-struck lunacy and sadistically flippant quips. So despite the hiccups, Bruce is the ideal Lifetime villain: one you'll revile at the same time you're reveling in his psychotic deeds.

Stevenson's leading lady this time around is Leigha Sinnott as the college-bound Courtney Shayne. Making her feature-length debut with A Predator Returns, Sinnott gives an authentic performance as a flawed but likable teen. Courtney may have her bratty moments when arguing with her stern mother, but she's not a bratty person by any means. She's an ambitious student, she loves her parents and friends, and is even worried about how her mother will feel about her leaving the state for university. And when Bruce begins to wreak havoc on Courtney's life and Erica is caught in the crossfire, Sinnott will have your heart aching as the young woman is continuously terrorized by her evil ex-boyfriend. This makes Courtney's subsequent transformation from average teen to badass Action Survivor awesome to watch unfold. The slasher movie-esque climax is a breath-taking thrill ride thanks to the combined efforts of Sinnott, Stevenson, and Hannah Jane McMurray. Even before that, the extended sequence of Bruce cruelly toying with Courtney while she desperately tries to find a way to stop him gets tension building up for the big finish.

McMurray plays Courtney's mother Erica, who mercifully has none of the qualities that made Sandy Wilcox (the Heroine's Mother character from Stalker's Prey) so infuriating. While stern and mildly overprotective, Erica is never as nasty as Sandy and her strictness comes from a place of genuine concern. McMurray gives a likable performance that allows you to feel for Erica, even when she's fighting with Courtney. SPOILER ALERT That's why it's so frustrating when the second half of the movie has Erica become an unwitting pawn in Bruce's implausible scheme against Courtney. Bruce's Lolita gambit is already hard to buy into, but it's so weird that Courtney never tries to directly warn Erica when "Jack" is out of the house. Sure, we know Bruce has her phone tapped, but Courtney doesn't. At least it doesn't take long before Erica figures out what's going on, and after some time spent as a damsel in distress, she's able to give her daughter a bit of assistance during Courtney's final showdown with Bruce. Spoilers Over

Courtney's father Branden acts as the more relaxed but nonetheless proactive alternative to Erica, with Matthew Crawley giving his character all the necessary heart and strength. Courtney's friends are all just as charmingly portrayed by their actors, with Amber Janea's Kat adding a bit of casual LGBTQ+ representation with her mini-subplot about asking a girl to the school dance. The only snag related to Courtney's friends is the brief conflict that emerges between her and Kat--a random development that only happens for narrative convenience. Outside of that, the supporting cast is every bit as good as the main players. Between that and a story that remains enthralling from beginning to end, A Predator Returns has all the same qualities that made A Predator's Obsession a worthy sequel and an improvement over Stalker's Prey. With A Predator Returns (possibly) being the final chapter of the Bruce Kane chronicle, it acts as a rousing shark swan song for a series that gets better with each installment.

Score: 8 out of 10 Spongebob locker doors.