Prey rejuvenates the series.

Predator as a series is one of those films that defines the era it was released. It truly is a movie that is good for the time period it was released in. Now what Prey, the latest in the series, is trying to do is add modern visuals and a new premise to a series that has somewhat lost its way over the years.

Prey does just that. Set in the early 1700s and featuring the Comanches as they hunt and learn medicine we see that time period as the first time a Predator made an appearance on earth. From a visual stand point this film is absolutely stunning. The natural landscapes allow the simplistic story to add the necessary tension as the film progresses. Clocking in at a cool breezy 99 minutes, Prey does two things right. It tells a story that makes sense and adds character development along the way.

Naru, played Amber Midthunder, is desperate to prove she is as good a hunter as her older brother. She chooses the Predator as a means to show this. Amber is a great young actress poised to be a star if she continues to choose scripts wisely. Amber is the heart and soul of this film as we witness Naru's determination and intellect grow as she gets closer to finding the Predator. She uses nature and the elements to her advantage.

Prey is one of the most intense action films that I have seen in recent years. The tense moments are almost scary as a viewer, unsure of what will come next. It makes you hope for the best but with a Predator lurking there are no guarantees. It is phenomenal in the way it builds the tension through the various action sequences that lead to a final showdown between Naru and the Predator. We get to see her full learnings on display and it beautifully captures the native culture of that time.

This is the type of film we need more of. It adds to the lore and it does not mess with any of the pre-established plot lines. It just gives long term fans of the franchise more of what they love about it and that is a reflection of good storytelling and planning. The idea is a simple one. What if Predators came earlier than expected? How would a culture without guns and modern technology handle this happening? We get those answers and so much more during this film.

Some of my friends have told me they won't entertain the idea of watching any film that does not hit close to the two hour mark. Prey proves that length of a film does not matter if you execute story properly and have a detailed idea of what your concept looks like. If anything Prey proves that bulking your film up with extra runtime may be detrimental to telling a more streamlined story. It just adds filler and sometimes as we see here filler does not make a film better. Everything that was in this film felt like progression in some way. There felt like a purpose for every scene. Most films don't end up feeling like this. Even in some of my favorite films I end up thinking what was the purpose of some of the smaller scenes.

This movie was great in every way. It immediately established what it was going to be and never let up. It featured a powerhouse lead performance and some very cool action sequences that prove you don't need big explosions and crazy gunfire sequences to tell a linear and cohesive story. All you need is a good story and a love for the genre you are exploring.