7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago, “Prey” is the story of a young woman, Naru, a fierce and highly skilled warrior. She has been raised in the shadow of some of the most legendary hunters who roam the Great Plains, so when danger threatens her camp, she sets out to protect her people. The prey she stalks, and ultimately confronts, turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal, resulting in a vicious and terrifying showdown between the two adversaries.
Starring: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp, Michelle ThrushSci-Fi | 100% |
Action | 74% |
Horror | 67% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It's commendably becoming more commonplace for recognition to be granted to Native American tribes whose lands were displaced by interlopers, and it's actually fairly standard, for instance, to see overt mention of some of those tribes in programs here in the Pacific Northwest where I live where theater companies and the like pay homage to the peoples whose land the theater now sits on. Those aforementioned interlopers are typically human, not to be too cheeky about it, but Prey, the latest installment in the Predator franchise, suggests that around the time that (in this instance) Comanche tribes were dealing with those pesky human types from across several ponds, there was another invader who travelled a considerably longer distance. As absolutely absurd as it sounds, yes, Prey is a prequel of sorts, set in an early 18th century timeframe where a fierce but underestimated young woman warrior named Naru (Amber Midthunder) mistakes the contrail of a crashing spaceship for a sort of (film title pun warning) Vision Quest, assuming it's a message from beyond in the form of a Thunderbird (not a Ford sports car, just to be clear), and that she has achieved warrior status, even if none of the rest of her tribe is ready to accept that designation as a given fact.
Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 disc included in this package.
Prey is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Disney / Buena Vista and 20th Century Studios with an HEVC / H.265 encoded 2160p transfer in
2.39:1.
Captured with Arri Alexa cameras and finished at 4K, this is the "exception" to my self recreated "rule" that Arri captures don't always offer the
crispness and palette nuance of some other cameras. This film is full of some absolutely jaw dropping scenes of wild vistas, and depth of field in this 4K
UHD version only improves on already excellent levels seen in the 1080 version. Detail levels are noticeably improved from (again already excellent)
1080 levels across the board, including everything from practical items like props and costumes to even some of the CGI, where the semi-opaque
Predator's weird scaliness has new precision in this version. It's a little surprising to hear in the commentary track how much imagery was actually
composited, because even the 4K UHD version doesn't really give away any of the computer aided "seams", so to speak, resulting in a really ingenious
looking presentation especially when the Predator starts taking out actual humans. The palette also attains some new luster courtesy of HDR, and any
hints of what I've often called "Alexa murk", especially in a couple of scenes pretty heavily graded toward yellows, are actually mitigated here. Some of
the deeper blue tones in particular have real resonance and nuance in this version which they don't quite display in the 1080 version.
Prey features a nicely immersive Dolby Atmos track, though as with some other recent releases from Disney I've reviewed, I frankly wouldn't want to argue that there's a huge difference between this track and the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track included on Disney's 1080 release. Yes, you can definitely hear discrete emanations from the Atmos speakers, noticeably when that nasty Predator is traipsing about and making his bizarre clicking sounds, but without implying any deficits here, otherwise things sound largely the same. There's still really solid engagement of all of the surround channels for the glut of ambient environmental effects, and the evocative score also wafts through the side and rear channels regularly. Dialogue (some of which is in Comanche with forced subtitles) is always rendered cleanly and clearly. Speaking of Comanche, this actually offers a Comanche Dolby Digital 5.1 dub which is really interesting to at least sample. Optional English, French and Spanish subtitles are available.
The 4K UHD disc sports no bonus material. The 1080 disc in this package offers the following supplements:
I'll admit it: I was kind of in a pre-eye rolling reactive mode as I got ready to watch Prey, but I was almost instantly drawn into a viscerally exciting story with a really distinctive framework. Technical merits are first rate and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.
40th Anniversary Edition
1979
Ultimate Collector's Edition
1986
3-Disc Set
2010
1987
2023
2004
Special Edition
2000
1990
1992
1997
2011
2009
バイオハザード:ディジェネレーション / Biohazard: Degeneration
2008
2016
2021
2018
2008
2017
2002
2010