Prey (2022) Review: Why It's a Must-Watch — Full Breakdown & Transcript

[00:00] I love that the opening line is in Comanche, and while the majority of the dialogue is in English, this film has a Comanche dub.

[00:15] Let's get this right out of the way, this film is gorgeous. You might think it's easy to capture beauty when it's just, like, there, but it's not, and every establishing shot is stunning. So I assumed her brother did this, but later she gets picked awake again, and he's sleeping in there with her.

[00:29] I think the mom is the jerk. The slow pushing on the door, a 15 second wonder introducing us to Nadu's life with the score picking up a little, this movie knows the way to my heart.

[00:46] Shona, she's got that accuracy. Also, brain skeptics with practice, it really can get super accurate with a tomahawk or hatchet. First lesson, it's not all in the wrist. That's a good dog.

[00:59] Well, this entire case scene, letting Naaru show us some of her skills and quick thinking, which might come in handy later. This is when Julia and I checked doesthedogguy.com because I'll watch awful human friends be skinned and gutted or whatever, but this is about as much puffer pain as I can handle.

[01:14] I love that Saria's so pissed at the traps. And now my history buff fans know that Comanche aren't gonna be the only human because they didn't use metal traps like this, and based on the way she's examining it, I assume the

[01:26] rest of Dude Buffs figured it out too. Also feels like a good moment for a classic clinking scene. That's a good dog.

[01:41] What an awesome title card and transition. You thought you were just watching a little slice of life movie? No, here comes business. The horse train got ruined.

[01:54] How they drop in the hawk so fast. just to stick it to his little sister proves he's both an older brother, but is also genuinely skilled, even if... I was waiting for it to circle back. Now you're going to have to cross the river to get it. Yeah, not who proves to be smarter at tactics.

[02:07] Also, I'm surprised, so I looked it up, and they might be hunting the hawk just for its tail feathers, but it's perfectly in line with this story for hunters to be hunting a bird of prey, especially one that they outmatch in every conceivable way, even though red tails are like no slouches, but you get it.

[02:22] It's predator shadowing. You really think you're ready? You want to hunt something, it's hunting you. Well, I mean, also that. Don't get your bowstring wet. The sass of the bowstring breaks shadowing.

[02:37] Goodness, Sarah Schaffner's incredible score. In this perfectly paced, minute-long wonder with Naru coming back to camp? Fucked. This film involved indigenous people at pretty much every level, including being shot primarily on Stony Nakoda First Nation land in Alberta, Canada.

[02:51] I think Dabe let her keep the fish the hawk was carrying. Good things come to dogs who wait. And no, the dog does not die. Yet another reason this movie rules. You are good. So many other things. Why do you want to hunt?

[03:03] Because you all think that I can't. Fair. Love the cut here that makes it feel like the echo of her grinding grew louder because of the valley between the mountains.

[03:15] There is something special about the first Jungle Predators camo, but dang, we've come a long way. Even from 2010's Predators, this cloaking is an upgrade. Like, you can see each little mirroring device. She should stay. She tracks well.

[03:27] If we find Pooey alive, she'll have medicine. All right. Sometimes big bros are all right.

[03:41] This is a terrible sequence, simply showing the progression of Predators, each becoming prey, up the food chain. And if you didn't previously know that Gaucha is looking for the greatest warrior or apex predator, that means you probably haven't seen the AVPs, which is a travesty.

[03:53] And you know, classy, I just rewatched Predator for this, and the first thing we see skinned are humans, and it's not blurred through the cloaking. Sabin said Nadu's a good tracker, so it makes sense that she's leading with Sari, even if dogs track by scent and humans by sight, meaning they can accidentally trample sign we need,

[04:08] but Nadu clearly knows how to use her dog without losing the trail. And even though they're clearly proficient at treating his wounds, making the stretcher, creating torches, setting up a defensive perimeter, it still all realistically takes a lot of time, and it's dark by the time they're ready to leave.

[04:21] The cold is good. The medicine slows his blood. If he gets warm, he'll bleed out. Do you want him to become your lover? Check off the acetaminophen. Maybe it's more of an enzyme. Check off the fever reducer.

[04:36] Jump scares that happen in real life get a win. The thing about killing animals is that many times the muscles, blood, and nerves are still firing long after the animal is dead. Sarah the Parade is the way to get that final laugh by scaring the poop out of the skillet.

[04:49] Relying entirely on Torchlight gives this scene a raw, terrifying realism. It's like the night itself is hunting them. Whatever it was, we're in the cat's den now. We have to do with it first. Love that Tabe doesn't dismiss Naru or say he doesn't believe her.

[05:03] He knows she knows her stuff. They're just very neat. You're a mountain lion and those are, as far as they know, the most dangerous things out there. Lions don't think that we're hunting in here. They don't think it's hunting. We'll use some bait and come up and wait for it.

[05:15] A hunter doesn't eat. He hunts. If you too afraid to hunt go back to camp We have the law We try in Nodder way We bait it then we eat the cat to you And it so edifying to have Taube constantly stick up for Naru in front of the others especially given that she always right

[05:30] If you want a reason why, she hasn't been trained and indoctrinated the same way the hunters have, so she'll be able to think outside the box of, this is how you hunt. So far, my favorite thing that Dan Trachtenberg and his DP Jeff Cutter do

[05:44] is use this almost awkward and slow focus pull to alert us to things. Is it the wind? The lion? Grimace? We'll never know. I mean, it feels pretty straightforward. He was talking smack, now he's a snack. Also, mountain lions notoriously like to attack their prey from behind.

[05:58] It's part of the reason you're supposed to make eye contact with them if you encounter one. Just a badass shot. As soon as Mountain's distracted, it breaks eye contact, the lion attacks. Yep, badass good guy. And uses the inky darkness like he's emerging from a black hole.

[06:13] And again, holding back on the gorge, he's giving us a silhouette of the lion's head. also establishing spreading the blood of their prey on their face. The silent ceremony, only some traditional sounding score,

[06:25] setting the mood as a solid setup for the rest of the story. She's not just being pouty because she didn't get the lion, there's more going on here.

[06:37] And like I said earlier, it isn't her brother that kicks her awake, but this morning is almost identical to our first morning with her. The baby crying, it even seems to be the same tribe's people. But the first time, Nadu had a look of disappointment that this was her life. This time, she chooses something different and literally walks in the opposite direction from the rest of the women going to forage.

[06:57] And the score takes a stick. Goodness gracious, the new score is about to take the top spot on my record pile. You shouldn't stack your records. Records, shush. Nah, see, easy tap out for me. Second I see Aryan blood, I'm moving.

[07:10] Resourcefulness. For one, she can compare it to the other tracks around and make sure it's an accurate size and not a smear. She can compare it to known bear or lion tracks and attempt to guess its relative size. Also, if she comes across similar tracks, she can compare its size to see if there are more than one of whatever it is,

[07:23] and finally, she can use it for its intended purpose for her to fetch stick. It's quick, but you can see the invisible predator coming in from the right and loss the wolf. A predator's green blood on the wolf teeth? This shot is fantastic because we have just barely enough time to find the predator.

[07:39] First things first, yes, awesome. Rope-a-Hawk is awesome. This is so awesome, and the second she started making the cordage, I thought, please tell me this is going where I think it's going. Second thing's second, you don't know what's impossible.

[07:51] This is a movie about an invisible alien species comprised entirely of sport hunters. Learning to make cordages is an underrated skill that is so important in survival, and it rarely ever gets shown in films. Proof of concept. Look, I know that I have a pretty covetable job sitting in a chair and watching movies all day,

[08:05] but whenever I see something like this, falling asleep next to a fire after some rabbit with my best butt on the edge of the world like this, I have to question every decision I've ever made in my life. I mean, sometimes I think the same thing about long-haul truckers. How is this score so good?

[08:17] A few pieces have really given me a lot of the Mohican vibes, which feels like mistaking random people of color for literally any famous person of color, but you hear it, right? It's the drums, but it's also the strings and slow build. And that's one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, so it's generally on my mind.

[08:31] And I find out I'm not alone. Farrah Shatner even said it was an inspiration. I appreciate that the bottom jaw didn't stay attached. More realism.

[08:43] Seeing this, my gut reaction is, no way they actually did this. It's just so insane. And yet I know for a fact that they did. The waste is just mind-boggling.

[08:58] Interestingly, when you turn on the Comanche captions, there's an English translation. But the truth is that sometimes there just isn't a perfect one-to-one translation. And so I appreciate that even though I think we're supposed to assume they're always speaking Comanche, sometimes we hear the actual Comanche.

[09:10] English-only speakers know what she's doing and the importance of what she's saying comes through. Aw, man, Dutch did this? Love the way anything he touches sort of makes the invisibility blink out for a second like he's trying to readjust.

[09:23] Getting some real Artax vibes here and I don't care for it. Getting this bird's-eye view makes her predicament even creepier. Hey, it's the thing I was talking about before. Neat. I actually love how quickly she realizes she's about to get winded.

[09:35] Hey, it's the thing Tom was talking about before. Neat. That's a good jump. That jump kick off the tree to immediately have her bow drawn is sick.

[09:50] I mean, sorry I warned you. I think it's so interesting that the predators always pick humans as the apex species to kill, and they're not wrong, but so far in this movie, and realistically, His cloak hasn't worked on a single animal.

[10:02] Whether it's because they're smelling them or using one of their other highly attuned senses, the only animal the cloaking seems to work on is us. And so, was he toying with the bear a little? Maybe he just didn't know how hard he had to go, because Revenant was not ready for that Mike Tyson one-punch knockout.

[10:20] The Predator's new musical trill, like the bow being scraped across the strings while she looks at the pure insanity and terror. This whole scene is perfection. The oner of the bear being dragged away and then her escape

[10:35] reminds me of those dreams where you need to run away from something but your legs won't move or you're stuck in slow motion. Pure anxiety and dread. And of course he wouldn't bother following her she shown no aggression yet The irony is that if Naaru had the knowledge she gains later of the predator whole thing this might have been the best moment to try to take him on After that fight he barely standing Getting smacked in the schnoz probably would have done it for me but if not this would

[10:57] be the moment that I might think, huh, maybe Naru is serious about this monster thing. And even though Asape is kind of arrogant and dismissive of Naru, it doesn't mean he's incompetent. They still can all sense when S is F'd, so to speak. Brilliant shot. We

[11:10] know what's coming, Naru doesn't. So hearing it is enough as we see Naru's reaction. I mean, we have to see the body too, but still, great job. Cordage, bro, good cordage is tough, bro. Cordage.

[11:22] Also, I had a guess at what fell first since Wasape had his hand up, but I love that we spend no time on it. We're moving right along. And I love that even though we knew the three dots meant death, I think this is the first time the laser-guided weapon hasn't been plasma.

[11:34] I know they've used bolts and projectiles before, but it was a surprise to me and totally fits with Feral Predator and the 300-year gap. It still has so many longer shots, and it absolutely helps build the tone. A 16-second shot where we have the moment the arrow hits, a pull around to see the search party's view,

[11:47] and then finally the real reveal of the Predator all in one shot. Once again, it focuses on Na'ru, which makes this awful and disturbing moment a little easier to watch. This dude is tough. Got tossed so hard he will helm screen, and he still came back for a jumping attack.

[12:01] Yeah, that was a thick bindings cut. John Wick would have been proud. You know, three centuries, give or take. But yeah, this is a smart move. Really, this dude is the smartest. He was squatting when the Predator showed up and just peaced the couch. That's off. This scene is just so expertly executed, slow-paced but somehow so intense,

[12:15] and the lasers are just barely visible, but the grass and dust and dirt in the air catches them. No, he has a... But the lion, they weren't hunting him, he was hunting them. Dang, that quick shot of how much faster he is.

[12:28] The invisible predator leaving the blood trail is gnarly. Say what you will about the tenets of predators only going after other apex predators, but at least it's an ethos. I'll do it to me. As someone with French and French-Canadian heritage, I can only assume these guys are the heroes and are here to save the day, right?

[12:43] Right? Right? Also totally off topic, but does anyone ever wonder how many people have been straight-up murdered because they were slammed with the butt of a gun just to knock them out and they got a brain bleed? Just me?

[12:56] Yeah, you're the buffalo. Nothing like thinking the monster you saw take a shower with bear innards and absolutely wreck four of your friends, also slaughtered a herd of buffalo only to find out it was just a bunch of gross humans. That's it, you see?

[13:09] I speak a lot of languages. I recommend you. I enjoy that there are no subtitles for their French, because Maru doesn't speak French, but when the trapper speaks a little Comanche, we hear it as English. I think this creature is a hunter

[13:22] looking for the strongest beast. Us non-French speakers are finding out what the French speakers already knew. I hope you can raise the question at me. That they were already hunting the predator. No, they thought that the thing is a wolf.

[13:36] Duh. I think the white men are trying to catch it. That's what you went out after? Yes. And that's what you chose to get done. Not everyone goes hard. Catch up, bro. That's rarely a good sign. I know.

[13:48] Heh. I know that one. Excuse me, Orson. Such a nonchalant little side-thought as he's being used as monster bait. Nice little twist that the ash in the air is making his cloak more of a liability when all the sparking.

[14:03] He blends into the landscape here way more without it. I didn't think I was a pet. The entire story hinges on that line and I love both the English version and the translated Canansi version which is I didn't frighten them.

[14:16] I don't know but this thing can be killed. If it breathes, we can kill it. A plus and appropriate call back to the OG. Honestly pretty dope plan, it almost worked.

[14:28] Almost, that ride is pretty epic and scary. It's never a good time when you get necked up. The second he picks up the bear trap, you know, you can't believe it, but you know that's the one on that guy's head. The what's-your-plane-with-that look?

[14:40] Oh, shield capitation. I saw a beaver that had its eyes painted with jewels. It knew it was going to die. So it chewed off its own leg. Wait. Not herself!

[14:52] I'm smarter than a beaver. One of my favorite moments, the way she's leading us and both of them to the badass sacrifice, but then she was just messing with him, proving again that her intelligence is her greatest weapon. He's definitely a jerk for not saying anything, but I'm glad that at least one of them thought,

[15:05] Huh, that seems like alien stuff, probably from the monster. I'mma back up. Hey, Lucius? Lucius. Same, brother. We've seen that Nariu is smart and that she can fight, but even her fight with the leader of her search party was with someone who is ostensibly a friendlier.

[15:19] So it's not until now that we see her not holding back at all, slicing and stabbing and wrecking all these jumps. Not to mention, I'd like to thank the Andractan birds for following through with the Ropeahawk. This was so awesome. And while I have no idea how much is actually Amber Midthunder and how much is a stunt double,

[15:34] when it clearly is Midthunder, she is selling the heck out of it. Badass good girl. Classic juxtaposition of the two warriors using their own techniques to heal. Hey, see? And I'm actually not the only one. Huh.

[15:46] That people looks familiar. And they're just gonna hold right onto that cute little limite raider. Watch this. Oh. Incredible bedside manner. Oh, so close. The predator doesn't seem to step on him intentionally.

[15:59] He was just walking away. That's a good dog. Kame just saves Nadu life because this is how she figures out what the helmet actually does Oh yes

[16:22] Heck yeah, Tabe. I know it's on that Yu-Show, but he ain't no slouch. I'm sure we all made the safe assumption that Tabe wasn't gonna make it out alive, but I'm so excited it gave him this pretty dope hero moment. He's not my guy!

[16:34] Yeah, that's fair. We do think of the guy Ucha as being honorable, but act of cloaking is, like, pretty cheaterific. This is for a single. Heartbreaking callback. Self-sacrifice.

[16:46] This is a surprisingly emotionally resonant scene in the middle of the buff alien tries to kill everyone movie, and unfortunately, Tabe's death is really the only way this movie comes to a satisfying conclusion for us. If Tabe and Naru had walked away together, I don't think Naru would have cared to hunt him down.

[17:02] See, we've all just learned incorrect lessons about what happens to brains during blunt porch drama. Yes, I know Archer constantly addresses it, but if you go unconscious, your brain hit the inside of your skull. It's not good for you.

[17:15] Yikes. Brutal. Oh, that's amazing. We can still see her standing there, but Feral Boy cannot.

[17:28] There's a lot about Old Boy that she didn't expect the skull blast to kill him and was planning to grab the mask. We know that he knows he just walked into a trap. They're never the smartest, but they're also never dumb-dumbs. Yup-a-dee-yup-yup-yup.

[17:40] This is one of those tests about enjoying things. It's ruled. You don't have to love it, but your wife would be happier if you did. I think my initial reaction was, oh, we did. And this is really showing us what a leg up that helmet gives us.

[17:54] That's a good dog. Too big that you realize that the predator actually cuts his own arm off to protect the vital stuff. Just like that beaver. Medu's still smarter. If Tabe was right, she'd see stuff that others missed. Sorry, did she just rip off one of his mandible fangs and stab him with it?

[18:13] That didn't work.

[18:25] And his motif one more time to really spell the terror of seeing him stand when Aru almost drowned earlier. The little head nod is perfect.

[18:38] Also, comeuppance. You did the same thing everyone else did to Naru her entire life. Underestimated her. It's brief, but the look on Naru's face is perfect.

[18:50] She's happy Naru is alive, even prideful that she clearly won, but I feel like that little moment of sadness is the realization that Tabe is definitely dead. Goodness, she looks badass. I know it's the poster, but heck yes, fluorescent green blood face paint.

[19:02] And yes, that is the pistol gifted to Danny Glover at the end of the second film. It's all coming around. I'm just going to once again mention how absolutely incredible this score is.

[19:17] And that's good doc. You know, we'll have some rock art credits for you telling the story. Also how ginormous the Predator is depicted. Ha, just when you think it's safe to go in the woods again. And I guess that answers how the Predators got the pistol back.

[19:29] Hey, headcanon is that they traded it for something dope. What an absolutely gorgeous horror action film and score, with the interactive break at the helm for both the pre-anthology movie, Killer of Killers, which is awesome, just watched it,

[19:42] and the next film, Badlands, for the first time in a while. I'm pretty stoked about the direction of this franchise. This movie shows how important and valuable the involvement of actual Native folks in the production can be. The portrayal of the Comanche feels authentic and never devolves into stereotypes or othering of past representations.

[19:56] And because of that, Comanche Life becomes the film's norm in a way that feels real and lived in. That said, what really works for Prey is that at its core, it never tries to be anything more than what it is, a Predator movie. And a Predator movie it is.

[20:08] While I didn't notice it when it was released, there's that very contingent of... let's say, people confused and upset that a woman beat the Predator this time. And here's the truth, I agree. No human should ever be able to beat a Yelucha.

[20:21] And they don't. At least physically, Dutch, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, considered the peak of masculinity at the time, was manhandled like a newborn puppy by Jungle Predator. Vega Ucha was winning so easily, he took off all his armor and taunted Dutch.

[20:34] Ultimately, Dutch beat him the same way that Naru did, a boatload of luck in exploiting Predator's one weakness, heat blocking, and by eventually outsmarting him. I know that addressing this stuff is like spitting into a hurricane, but hey, sometimes I feel like getting wet.

[20:46] I'm excited for Badlands, especially since I didn't expect to enjoy Killer of Killers as much as I did. watch it if you want to see the most tipped scale predators like it confirms some stuff I said in this video and also proves some other stuff I said wrong. That's all I'll say.

[20:58] You can watch it on Hulu. But still, it feels like new life has been breathed into the franchise. And I know I usually do these things in order, but we'll be going all the way back to the beginning in November when Badlands hits theaters. Although technically, chronologically, this one was first, so hey.

[21:10] Next week, uh, possibly this one that I promised two weeks ago the reason for that one has passed, but I still want to do it, so we'll see. Thank you.