Prey aka Predator 5 (Dan Trachtenberg)

Tony EH · 06-08-2022 1:07pm

@thefa I think what is noticeable with the English is the accent is just a generic American accent so it seems a bit odd.

Yeah. There's a certain uneasiness about them using phrases like "bring it home" and "get it done" or whatever in a Californian accent. I was hoping that the Comanche would have been the original language used. But alas.

Slydice · 06-08-2022 1:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119436017#Comment_119436017

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119436043#Comment_119436043

I did find it disorientating at first but yeah it did quickly grow on me.

It probably helped that I was appreciating them having the french speakers there because I had some history in my head about the french having that vast swathe of america around that time.

06-08-2022 2:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119437105#Comment_119437105

I don't waste my time. The English was awful so tried the Commanche but subtitles where closed caption and unwatchable so off it went.

pjcb · 06-08-2022 6:02pm

watched it in American engllish think I would preferred it in comanche.

06-08-2022 6:39pm

So many Comanche language aficionados in Ireland.

Who knew?!

Dial Hard · 06-08-2022 7:24pm

Native Americans speak in what can sound to our ears almost like an exaggerated American accent but that's their real accent. Think Eugene Brave Rock in Wonder Woman and you have it.

Anyway, I thought it was moderately enjoyable jape. Beautifully shot, as others have said. I thought they kept the Predator cloaked a bit too long.

Dial Hard · 06-08-2022 7:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119437418#Comment_119437418

Sure Jan.

There was about as much dialogue in the opening 10 minutes of this as there was in Wall-E.

Agent Coulson · 06-08-2022 8:06pm

It was a grand 6 out 10 action pic with a very good run time of 90 minutes more action movies need to go back to that kind of run time instead to thw 150/180 minutes that seems to be the norm now.

Also why the hell would Predators keep coming back to earth as every time there are here they get killed and even when they take humans to other planets they lose.

Sonics2k · 06-08-2022 9:08pm

Just watched it with my eldest there. Both went in with low expectations but I am pleasantly surprised.

The cinematography alone is fantastic, cgi mostly holds up very well and the plot is good.

Not sure why people are so pressed on accents, feels like an odd thing to focus on.

brianc27 · 06-08-2022 9:58pm

Thought it was just OK, stuck on predator 2 striaght after, much better film :)

SK1979 · 06-08-2022 11:25pm

Just finished this. Enjoyed it a lot. Would definitely have it as second best predator movie (faint praise indeed). Couldn't care less about the accents, was half expecting it dubbed the way people were talking about it.

head82 · 07-08-2022 12:30am

I'm not so sure it was the accent but more the dialogue that let it down. An 18th century Native American teenager talking like a 21st century 'Emo'. She was only short of uttering "OMG!" or "whatevvver" or "like you know.. duh!". It really did take away from an otherwise entertaining action flick.

Just to repeat what others have already mentioned, the cinematography is first rate. Well worth viewing but frustrating as it could have been a real contender if it weren't for the.. like off putting dialogue like.

07-08-2022 5:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119438624#Comment_119438624

If you say so. Enough to turn it off anyway. Too many mentions of a dog grunting

McFly85 · 07-08-2022 7:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119438759#Comment_119438759

I’ve always assumed the predators have been here hundreds of times and we’ve only seen the 5 odd times that they didn’t win!

Sad Professor · 07-08-2022 7:43am

it’s good little movie, like Cloverfield Lane, Trachtenberg does a lot with little.

The actors and their performances are very modern so I don’t think them speaking Comanche would have worked. It’s more than just their accents or dialogue, it’s how they express themselves. It suits the film’s script and story perfectly imo. It’s just a fun little film about a teen girl fighting an alien predator, it’s not trying to be historically accurate to how Native American Indians spoke and behaved.

Girly Gal · 07-08-2022 7:45am

What makes the original Predator so difficult to match is that it introduces the Predator, the bit by bit reveal of its capabilities, the whole buildup to the inevitable Arnie v Predator battle and how Arnie is going to overcome the seemingly impossible odds. All subsequent films suffer in comparison as we already know the Predator and its main capabilities, haven't seen the new one yet, would be interested to see what someone who had never seen any Predator film before thought of it and what they would think of the original if they saw it after Prey?

gameoverdude · 07-08-2022 3:40pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119439733#Comment_119439733

Correcto mundo!

Like alien. Loved the way the alien and face hugger was only seen rarely(still aliens is my favourite).

pixelburp · 07-08-2022 3:53pm

First things first, this not being in the cinema was a total waste. The cinematic brush was there, the canvas of streaming simply not appropriate.

To the film itself? It was a swaggering reminder what we've lost with the extinction of the mid-sized blockbuster: that crowd-pleaser with a modest but confidently executed scope and intent. Not a single beat in the plot was a surprise, nothing new was brought to table, only that the end result had a polish and steady direction that ensured the feature entertained throughout. Dan Trachtenberg is quietly putting together a CV establishing himself as a craftsman, the steady pair of hands. There aren't enough of those in mainstream Hollywood, and far too many Trevorrows.

This was nuts 'n bolts cinema in all the right ways: a straightforward story of the passage from teen to adult; the plot the right curve of mystery, discovery and stakes; the action perhaps lacking a signature flourish but still had the punch and impact of visceral danger; and the period was put to good use as a natural ring-fence around events. The set pieces were simple, nothing showy as said, but all smartly handled to the point the resolution wasn't a cheat, nothing convenient - just a neat bit of organic learning.

I miss this type of Hollywood. I miss the fun of an uncomplicated story, handled by a total pro. Here's a tall tale, told in 90 minutes (even if, ironically, it's a presequel to an existing IP).

Also, golf clap for that R rating being used without ever being gratuitous. The gore and blood was brief, shocking - but never leering either. Heads rolled, but we never stopped to stare.

pixelburp · 07-08-2022 4:01pm

Also also, forgot to add; I love that the bear nearly won. That would have made the move much shorter.🤣

Agent Coulson · 07-08-2022 4:06pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119439702#Comment_119439702

Well since Predators don't actually exist and there has only been 5 films and they have lost to humans in each of those films they really aren't any good at this whole Predator thing.

Maybe the reason they keep going after humans is because the humans are the actual Predators and the aliens want to try and beat them.

johnny_ultimate · 07-08-2022 4:08pm

My favourite insane Metacritic user review of the film I’ve read complained that the film doesn’t show ‘sufficient respect’ to the predator.

Buddy, you’re talking about a fictional man-hunting alien.

Homelander · 07-08-2022 4:22pm

I thought it was very solid. Lean, great cinematography, decent action and doesn't overreach. Thought the actors and accents were fine, it's not exactly putting itself forward as a historical drama piece, at the end of the day it's the latest in a string of movies about advanced aliens hunting humans for sport.

For what it is, it's about as good as it was ever going to be. Big thumbs up from me anyway.

johnny_ultimate · 07-08-2022 7:37pm

(edit: referring to post deleted at user’s request)

Goes to show how utterly meaningless the ‘Mary Sue’ criticism is when the entire film focuses on the main character practicing, failing, learning from her mistakes, training, observing the predator, learning about the environment around her, narrowly escaping on several occasions and finally implementing the lessons she has learned over the entire course of the film to defeat the creature.

Still a ‘Mary Sue’ apparently 🤷🏻‍♂️

Sonics2k · 07-08-2022 8:48pm

Yeah I'm not really seeing the Mary Sue thing.

Naru is a capable hunter and tracker in her own right, and has permitted is just looking to take part in this key hunt. Her mother and brother are both supportive of this, and there's the usual skepticism from others without resorting to old tropes like "Duh woman's job is pick herbs" all the time.

She makes mistakes, comes up with new ideas and manages to take down a weakened Predator. I'd agree with the Mary Sue stuff if she managed to take on the Predator at full strength and win, but the whole situation is very comparable with Arnie in the first movie. Notices the Predator is "blind" towards cold things and sets up traps.

07-08-2022 10:02pm

The last 40 mins or so were cracking. Funny that the star was a meek bank teller in hell or high water a few years back. I knew I recognised her from somewhere and had to google it. 7/10 for me

MisterAnarchy · 07-08-2022 10:51pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119442385#Comment_119442385

Naru metamorphosises into a Mary Sue as the film progresses.

After a shaky start she butchers 5-6 French guys at close combat.

She barely gets a scratch on herself.

How she figures out that the Predator can see in infra red and her flowers will block his vision is tenuous at best.

He doesnt kill a severely wounded man feigning death so she deducing that he cant see him is pretty weak.

Especially after he still kills him.

Then Naru jumps off a branch around 20ft up in an Arya Stark manoeuvre and bests the Predator in hand to hand combat and lasoos him ffs.

How does she figure out his laser aiming system, seriously that is ludicrous.

It was more a Pocahontas coming of age film than a Predator film.

Decently shot and nice cinematography but a clunky preachy script.

The lead is decent enough, but there's a bit of Hollywood "strong female character" nonsense going on here and there, but it isn't as tiresome as it is elsewhere and, over all, it comes off

Wholeheartedly agree

The Predator himself is well handled and was menacing but he was left down badly in the finale.

I'd probably give in 6/10 , its way behind the original and Predators is better too.

omerin · 07-08-2022 11:16pm

If it's raining outside and there's nothing else on, stick it on, it'll pass 90 mins. No real tension or edge of the seat moments, no scares. Had a lot of potential but it's a storyline that's been done to death and predicable 3/10

McDermotX · 07-08-2022 11:20pm

Was ok-ish I suppose in a 5.5 out of 10/over in an hour and a half kind of way..........nothing special, and certainly not one to get worked up about. Better than the last rubbish, which is hardly a difficult task, but no better than the likes of Predator 2 (which I was never crazy about), or Predators (an effort that seriously went down in estimation on a more recent viewing).

Was annoyed with the Comanche dub (more specifically the CC) as the little I'd read about the film a while back suggested there was to be scenes shot in Comanche in addition to English. Sounded fanciful at the time TBH so I think some news sites got the wrong end of the stick, and so it proved to be. Switched over to the English, so perhaps someone who viewed the other can confirm whether or not later scenes were as suggested.

Other than that, it was fairly middle-of-the-road. Decent amount of blood for a modern film, girl in the lead was mostly OK and a little bit more fleshed out than some more derivative material, but eventually falls into a somewhat predictable path, taking on a Predator that's lifting bears and what not whereas everyone else falls by the wayside, taking out the 'evil French trappers' with ease. Stretches the believeability of a film which to its credit was somewhat grounded in spite of the matreial. Still, its hardly unexpected to see her waltzing back home with the head, as that was always going to happen.

Wasn't mad about the Predator design FWIW, plus I get that everyone knows what it is, but still a bit annoying to see it so early and so often. CGI bears and wolves also a bit of a distraction but it's the way of modern films. Liked some of the cinematography all the same, more so in the establishing shots, some of the night shoots could have been used more effectively though. Less impressive is some of the dialogue which comes across too modern, plus they couldn't help themselves with the eyerolling 'if it bleeds, we can kill it'.

I'd argue its a wasted opportunity, given the premise, but in truth it's a franchise that has one great film and middling to very poor for the rest, so is it all that surprising ?

silliussoddius · 08-08-2022 12:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119442385#Comment_119442385

The term Mary Sue mostly says more about the person saying it than who they are saying it about.

pixelburp · 08-08-2022 5:37am

Well, this goddamn sexual tyrannosaurus approved.

https://mobile.twitter.com/GovJVentura/status/1556118433732988928

~Rebel~ · 08-08-2022 6:12am

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Beautifully shot, well built up, great pacing. I'd be another for whom this is just behind the original anyway (though I do love the fun of Predators, but this is a better crafted film).

Some of the complaints are hilarious though, the Mary Sue thing is such a load of wánk. And lads whinging that it's a strong female character, when they'd doubtless have had no complaints if the main character was the exact same, but a young male instead. Think some people were coming into this with their complaints already practically written, regardless what happened on-screen.

pixelburp · 08-08-2022 6:33am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443420#Comment_119443420

Last line is it in a nutshell; read back to the start of the thread when the premise was first known and it's obvious some watched this with their minds made up. By no means was it a revolutionary, or especially memorable film; it was a competent, entertaining midtier B-Grade Movie. Which are such rare pearls I'll always clap for those. But what's that? A GIRRRRRRL is the lead? Mary Sue Mary Sue!! For goodness sake the plot was so rote it literally met my expectations from the last time I replied to you yourself Rebel;

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119238727#Comment_119238727

And even then, she only Did The Thing because:

Her brother softened up the Predator at the end with his desperate Last Stand attack. He weakened him; the Mary Sue thing doesn't track 'cos she'd have had to beaten the Pred herself. Even that was a stock script-writing moment; my wife and I took bets whether the brother was going to live, or sacrifice himself.

08-08-2022 7:01am

Apparently Van Damme was in the suit again, but again uncredited. He won't be happy.

McFly85 · 08-08-2022 8:29am

I liked it! It’s a stunning looking film, maybe not as distinctive as the original but striking nonetheless. The soundtrack is brilliant too.

Thought the 2 Comanche leads were excellent, too.

The Mary Sue thing is completely ridiculous. The film attempted to show that Naru is a skilled and intelligent hunter in her own right, who spent most of the film studying the predator and ended up against it after it was heavily injured from several battles. It was perhaps the most believable battle in the series - after all, the idea that one person can beat an alien whose twice the size of them and has access to futuristic technology that makes them literally invisible is patently ridiculous!

Doesn’t top the original, but at least we got a Predator film that actually understands what a Predator film should be.

breezy1985 · 08-08-2022 8:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119182867#Comment_119182867

Everyone knows the only aliens on Earth at that time were the Goa'uld and those 2 Borg frozen in the Arctic.

johnny_ultimate · 08-08-2022 8:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443183#Comment_119443183

"Naru metamorphosises into a Mary Sue as the film progresses" - You're just proving the flimsiness of your own argument with claims such as this, as this is just a roundabout way of saying 'she develops as a character as the film progresses'.

To put it another way: she grows and develops as a character & hunter over the course of the film, based on the experiences and events depicted on screen.

Not to mention that she's freshly motivated by the death of her brother and fighting a notably weakened foe.

Sounds like pretty much every action film ever written to me? Hell, I'll go as far as argue the film actively goes out of its way to comprehensively show the unique circumstances that allow Naru to overcome the predator.

Sonics2k · 08-08-2022 10:18am

I have to say actually, the death of Taabe was quite sad. While it was always obvious it would happen, those final moments of his where he clearly knows his fate and still encouraging his sister are really good.

I think a lot of people have no clue what a Mary Sue is, and are just trotting it out. Even if you legitimately did not enjoy the film, she takes on the Predator after it gets injured by a bear, some of the guys from her tribe, the French guys and then Taabe at the end.

The use of the flowers is really no different than Arnie covering himself in mud in the first movie, and frankly even the mud requires a massive leap in imagination as that's really not how it works.

MisterAnarchy · 08-08-2022 10:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119443800#Comment_119443800

She literally developed from a novice to super stealth ninja over a week, the film is set over a few days.

It was too quick a progression.

Last line is it in a nutshell; read back to the start of the thread when the premise was first known and it's obvious some watched this with their minds made up. By no means was it a revolutionary, or especially memorable film; it was a competent, entertaining midtier B-Grade Movie. Which are such rare pearls I'll always clap for those. But what's that? A GIRRRRRRL is the lead? Mary Sue Mary Sue!! For goodness sake the plot was so rote it literally met my expectations from the last time I replied to you yourself Rebel;

I tried to keep an open mind and was mostly enjoying it until the finale.

It sagged a bit in the middle but the 2 McGuffins in the finale soured my view.

I liked the dog , he was very cute.

Wanderer78 · 08-08-2022 10:37am

need to watch this again, wasnt bowled over by it, but this has happened me before with other predators

yourdeadwright · 08-08-2022 10:38am

I really enjoyed it , all round good decent movie , but they really could make a proper epic Predator with the right amount of cash,

The missus said to me half way through how good would it be to have basically the movie Apocalypto with Predator in it,

Another option would to make a movie to that standard but don't tell anyone the Predator is in it ye know ,

ohnonotgmail · 08-08-2022 10:41am

Does anybody know if Apocalypto on any streaming sites? have a real yen to watch it after watching Prey.

pixelburp · 08-08-2022 10:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444270#Comment_119444270

IMO it's the natural path for sequels; I hope Prey succeeds so the franchise can go in this direction rather than the constant retreads of the 1987 film's style.

yourdeadwright · 08-08-2022 10:53am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444308#Comment_119444308

As i said i enjoyed the film but why not go all out ,

The Predator could have came across war band of furious Comanche or Apache's out on there raids in north mexico or the oregon trails, fully grown veteran warriors,

2smiggy · 08-08-2022 11:01am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444289#Comment_119444289

it only seems to be available to rent on apple or google.

S.M.B. · 08-08-2022 11:22am

I have yet to watch Prey (hopefully will this week) but I do find it interesting that a lot seem dissatisfied with the fact that the movie appears to be a genre movie but within a historical setting as opposed to a historical drama featuring the predator character (with or without the audience knowing in advance).

It got me thinking and I can't identify too many instances of either of the above. I would expect there to be more examples of franchises using this approach but I can't think of many.

Ginger Snaps III is all I can really think of and that is definitely more along the lines of Prey than Apocalypto but with a Predator.

Theboinkmaster · 08-08-2022 11:25am

Watched it over the weekend and really enjoyed it - easily the best Predator film since the original.

pixelburp · 08-08-2022 1:31pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119444346#Comment_119444346

Not a bad idea though I imagine what we got was entirely informed by the budget. There weren't that many locations, not really, and a very small cast (discounting extras getting smashed by the Predator). No star names whatsoever either.

Now, if this is a success we might see a sequel bigger in scope, perhaps a follow-up based on the cute little mid-credits ~~scene~~ illustration.

BruteStock · 08-08-2022 2:33pm

Lots of white Knight gatekeeping in this thread! The funniest defence of the film is how she studied Predy over a few days and had him all figured out to the point she was able to use its own tech to make it kill itself... 😂😂

Meanwhile 100's of years later Gary Busey fronted a top secret CIA operation that had been studying and observing Predators and their tech for 10 years. These advanced idiots weren't able to last a wet minute when they finally encountered the Yutga in the slaughterhouse. All they had to do was take his mask off , place it somewhere and hope he shots himself dead!!

pixelburp · 08-08-2022 2:34pm

Maybe people just liked the movie, and weren't trying to find buzzwords.

Just a thought.

08-08-2022 2:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119445556#Comment_119445556

boy or girl, man or woman, lining up a laser sight line (that couldn't be seen) in advance purely by guesstimate to a precise point (that wasn't actually a precise point at all either, just a hope where something might be) and somehow also knowing the mask activation range also was "truly astounding"!

1-in-a-million wouldn't do it justice.

Prey aka Predator 5 (Dan Trachtenberg)

Comments