If there’s one big disappointment to be listed concerning Prey, the next entry into the Predator franchise, it’s that the next movie, Prey, will be making its way to Hulu eventually, meaning that there won’t be any chance to see it on the big screen. But to be fair, some folks aren’t that put out by this since they actually want to see the movie as soon as possible, and heading off to the theater isn’t always as easy for some folks while signing on to a streaming service is quick and allows them to watch the movie for a simple monthly charge that also allows them to watch a lot of other great content. And it’s fair to point out that a lot of streaming channels have decided to skip the free trial and convince people to sign on since as one can imagine, the allure of taking that free 7 to 30 days might have lost the streaming sites a good chunk of change. But getting back to the subject at hand, Prey already looks as though it’s going to be something that will be touting the strength and resourcefulness of women, which is all well and good so long as it remains a balanced story.
The reason for saying this is that one has to remember that even with this story being set 300 years before the events of the original story, the Predators are fierce creatures that are equipped with technology the likes of which people in the current era haven’t seen, so it’s likely that indigenous folks from centuries ago are going to see this thing as a dark spirit of some sort that hunts human beings. One can only imagine how much myth and lore is going to be revealed about the Predators, and possibly how long they’ve been visiting our world. It would be a kick to see various callbacks throughout the movie that allude to the other stories that have occurred in this franchise, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.
As to creating a female protagonist, there’s nothing wrong with the idea, but the combination of a female protagonist in a movie franchise where the murderous alien is large enough to smack around trained commandoes like they’re children doesn’t feel like it’s going to care if the heroine is quick, cunning, and intelligent. Sorry ladies, but a creature that can cross the vastness of space and see in the infrared spectrum is going to come down like a ton of bricks on pretty much anyone, and aside from some serious plot armor, the men that have taken on the Predators in the past have been strong, determined, and capable of holding their own in most fights. That’s why this movie already appears ready to fizzle, simply because the protagonist might not be as believable as she needs to be. It has nothing to do with the protagonist being a woman, and everything to do with the deadly nature of the Predator. This is definitely a movie that people need to watch after lowering their expectations, since as much faith as people have in Shane Black and the franchise, it’s likely that this entry might not fare any better than the most recent movie that brought the fans an enhanced Predator that was still killed in the dumbest way.
In a sense, it’s almost as though Hollywood forgot what made this alien great, and over the years they’ve been trying to figure out how to move things forward while changing up the format in a way that has only made things worse. To be completely honest, it is a hope that this movie will deliver something that can wow the fans, but so far it would appear that the fanbase is rather divided if one takes a look at the many forums on the internet that are chatting about this subject. Many people tend to favor the original movie and think that the effects and the overall story have grown stale and even ridiculous over the years, and it’s hard to say that they’re wrong. But with enough faith, it does stand to reason that things could turn around, but it doesn’t really feel as though this movie will do it. I could be wrong, and I hope I am.
The overall look of this movie does feel as though it’s going to be interesting in terms of the landscape and how it’s made to relate to the people who will end up becoming the hunted since it’s already been established that the Predators have been visiting earth for a very long time. But how much of what we’ve seen in canon would be nice to know, since if the AVP movies aren’t canon (even if they should be) then it would be nice to hear it from those in charge.
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