Prey

Set in 1719 in the Comanche Nation, Prey follows Naru, a fiercely intelligent young woman who aspires to become a revered hunter like her brother, Taabe. Despite the traditional gender roles of her tribe that relegate her to the position of a healer, Naru is determined to prove her worth. Her rite of passage is violently interrupted by the arrival of an invisible, highly advanced alien creature that begins hunting the local apex predators—including humans—for sport.

As the body count rises and the threat of ruthless French fur trappers enters the fray, Naru must use her exceptional tracking skills and deep knowledge of the terrain to protect her people. The film strips the Predator franchise back to its core elements, delivering a tense, atmospheric cat-and-mouse game where primitive ingenuity is pitted against futuristic extraterrestrial weaponry.

The core message of Prey centers on the danger of underestimating others and the triumph of observation over brute strength. Director Dan Trachtenberg utilizes the franchise's iconic hunter-versus-hunted dynamic to explore themes of patriarchy, tradition, and self-actualization. Naru is dismissed by her male peers as merely a healer, and is similarly ignored by the Predator because she does not initially register as a traditional, physical threat. The film posits that true strength lies not in advanced technology or sheer muscle, but in adaptability, intellect, and the unyielding will to survive.

A prevalent alternative interpretation among critics views the Predator as a direct metaphor for European colonizers. Just as the alien arrives with vastly superior technology, slaughters the local wildlife for sport without using their parts, and violently disrupts the natural ecosystem, the impending wave of European settlers will soon do the exact same thing to the Comanche Nation. In this light, the French trappers act as a dark omen of what is to come.

Furthermore, the animated end-credits sequence depicts several more Predator ships arriving at the Comanche camp. This suggests a grim historical parallel: while Naru has won the battle, her people will ultimately face an unwinnable war against foreign invaders. Another interpretation focuses on the nature of the Feral Predator itself; some fans theorize that this specific alien was young, inexperienced, and on its own 'rite of passage' (much like Naru), which explains its reliance on brutal melee combat and its fatal tactical errors.

Prey made a profound cultural impact by delivering one of the most authentic and prominent representations of Indigenous people in mainstream blockbuster cinema. Produced by Comanche Nation citizen Jhane Myers, the film prioritized historical accuracy, utilizing a predominantly Native and First Nation cast and providing a full Comanche language dub. It universally reinvigorated the stagnant Predator franchise, earning the highest Rotten Tomatoes score in the series' history. Critics and audiences praised how it masterfully subverted classic 80s action tropes by replacing muscle-bound machismo with a female protagonist who relies on stealth, observation, and intellect. By shifting the setting to 1719, Prey proved that legacy sci-fi horror franchises can successfully innovate by exploring different historical eras and culturally diverse perspectives.

Audience reception for Prey was overwhelmingly positive, with the film achieving a 93% critical score and an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated Predator film ever. Viewers heavily praised Amber Midthunder's star-making performance, the stunning naturalistic cinematography by Jeff Cutter, and the raw, visceral choreography of the action sequences. Fans of the franchise appreciated how it respected the established lore while stripping away the bloated, convoluted plots of recent sequels. The primary point of criticism was the reliance on CGI for some of the animals (such as the bear and the mountain lion), which some felt looked unnatural. Additionally, many viewers expressed frustration that the film was a Hulu streaming exclusive, arguing that its grand visuals and impeccable sound design deserved a full theatrical release.