Plot
Dek, is a young training Predator on the planet Yautja. He is the runt of his clan, and his father Njohrr is disgusted by him, and orders his brother Kwei to terminate him.
Kwei believes Dek to be allowed to have his chance to prove himself, and while assisting Dek to carry out his “test” (by killing a Kalisk on the planet Genna), he is murdered by his father, while Dek watches in horror.
When Dek does land on Genna, he finds the planet inhabited by all manner which want to do harm. But there is one shining light. The damaged Weyland Yutani Synthetic Thia – who has been separtated from her team.
Thia agrees to assist Dek in his mission, but little does she know her team – along with her ‘twin’ Tessa – are out to find the Kalisk too… but for different reasons!
Direction
Prey director Dan Trachtenberg returns to direct, and gives a solid effort.
I really enjoyed the fact that the film follows the Predator’s Point of View and makes him the protagonist instead.
The film is quite serious in the themes of family, honour etc – and has some good break in tension with some light comedy from Fanning’s Thia (especially when she gets broken in half again ‘just’ as she is almost repaired.
A bit of a down, is the film is slightly too reliant on CGI – but in a world of plants and monsters that want to kill you, it is a little hard not too.
Cast
Elle Fanning plays Thia and Tessa – both characters are polar opposites of each other. She plays both roles very well, and convincingly.
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi plays Dek, under heavy prosthetics. Because of this it is hard to really gauge what was practical and what was enhanced with computer imagery, but you really do empathise with Dek throughout, and it was fascinating to have this level of connection with a being that up until now has mostly been the antagonist.
Breakdown
Unlike all the other films in the franchise (both Predator and Alien) this film is entirely from the point of view of one of the Predators. I really liked this take in the narrative, as up until now the Predators have always been just that… a Predator. We never really understood its mission, or objective.
We meet Dek, who is the youngest in his clan. He is unpopular, and hasn’t proven himself yet with a mission. He wants desperately to win his fathers approval (even if his father wishes him dead), and wants to head to the “death planet” Genna to kill a Kalisk (a believed unkillable creature, even his father is scared of.
His older brother Kwei believes he deserves his chance to prove himself, and in a rather emotional moment (that works) Kwei sacrifices himself to allow Dek his chance – and their father murders him – as Dek’s ship takes off to Genna. The idea that a Predator heads off to these missions to honour their clan is fascinating, and really does change the way you see them.
Dek crash lands on Genna, and quickly discovers just how dangerous it is.
Thankfully soon after arriving he pairs up with Thia – who is a Weyland Yutani synthetic (and who has been ripped in half at the middle, with only her top half remaining). Her arrival not only breaks a length of screen time with no dialogue, but also is the first English we hear, as up until now we have had only subtitles from the Yautja tribes language. I was actually taken aback when I heard it, as it was so jarring after hearing only the Yautja language for so long.
I hated the title card that is put up after this, as it isn’t really necessary. We already know what movie we are watching, and have never really understood why filmmakers do this so far into proceedings.
The pair then strike up a friendship of sorts, with Thia doing most of the talking. This is obviously due to her programming being so “human”. The idea of family, loyalty etc is spoken about regularly – with Thia hopeful to get back to her “sister” Tessa.
We soon get to meet Tessa (also played by Fanning), who is far more robotic than Thia. She is more ‘mission focused’ for the company – and we soon discover that the Weyland Yutani mission, is also to find the Kalisk.
This sets a great arc where Tessa’s team become the antagonists, and Thia/Dek (along with a cute creature they find Thia nicknames Bud) must actually help the Kalisk. The reveal that Bud is the Kalisk’s kid is predictable, but this obviously allows the Kalisk to side with the good guys.
There is some good throw backs to other films in the franchise, like when Tessa is in the large Work Loader. This is very similar to the one that Ripley uses in Aliens.
The final arc, in which Dek returns to his home is a little disappointing – I would have loved to see his dad to actually see what was coming for him, rather than what actually happens. IYKYK.
Overall
I really enjoyed this, and found the idea of The Predator being the protagonist executed well.
Fanning is terrific as the dual characters Thia and Tessa, who are each programmed for their different objections for the company.
Very high recommend, with only some slight downs throughout.
4/5
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