Dan Trachtenberg's new film Prey is officially the most critically acclaimed movie in the popular Predator franchise.
According to a ranking from Rotten Tomatoes, which takes into account each of the films' critical ratings, Prey comes out on top with a score of 92% fresh. Behind it is John McTiernan's 1987 film Predator, which stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, at 80%, followed by Predators at 65%, The Predator at 33%, Predator 2 at 32%, Alien vs. Predator at 22%, and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem coming in last with a very rotten score of 12%.
Prey is a prequel to the first four films in the Predator franchise, and follows Naru, a young Comanche woman in 1718 played by Amber Midthunder, who is forced to protect her tribe from a terrifying and technically advanced Predator. According to the film's official synopsis, Naru is "a fierce and highly skilled warrior."
Following its August 5 release, Prey was immediately met with positive reviews. A general consensus among audiences is that Midthunder steals the show as Naru. Recently, actor Bill Duke, who played Sergeant Mac Eliot in Predator, tweeted "Have you checked out the #PreyMovie on @hulu, if not, do watch it. It's an amazing film and @AmberMidthunder is phenomenal." He added "This young woman has a bright career ahead of her."
And Duke isn't the only Predator franchise veteran who praised Midthunder's performance. Jesse Ventura, who also appeared in Predator, tweeted "[Midthunder] you definitely ain't got time to bleed. Welcome to the Predator family." He then shouted out Trachtenberg, writing "Thank you for making such a thoughtful, creative, and wonderful film."
Another element of Prey that impressed fans and critics was its historical accuracy. According to Midthunder, Trachtenberg was very concerned with getting the details right. She recalled that he once asked, "Did they brush their teeth [back then]? Like how did it work?" She then explained that Jhane Myers, a Comanche woman and producer of Prey, actually knew how to make a period-accurate toothbrush, which Midthunder uses in the film.
As of now, there is no official news of a Prey sequel. However, some think that Hulu intentionally left things open for a follow-up film, which could focus on a rematch from Naru's tribe or other Predator timelines.
Prey is currently available to stream on Hulu.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes