50 Essential Sci-Fi Films of the 21st Century (So Far)

Like most sci-fi horror franchises, the Predator series has had its ups and downs over the years - and mostly downs, if we’re being honest - yet Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey has managed to rejuvenate the franchise, taking it away from the tired Mercs vs. Yautja narratives of previous entries and trying something new.

In this, the series’ most recent live-action instalment, we are transported back to 1719, before any of the other films’ events, and introduced to the franchise’s first female lead, Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young Comanche warrior and native inhabitant of North America’s Great Plains. Seeking to become a great and respected hunter, Naru takes a series of risks that bring her into conflict with the Feral Predator (Dane DiLiegro), a savage version of the monster we all know, which wields primitive Yautja weaponry.

The new setting, new characters, and new Yautja all make Prey an enduring success, forgoing the complex plots, intricate technology, and space escapades we usually associate with the genre, in favour of a down-to-earth outing that expertly balances tension, excitement, and all-timer kills.