The review embargo for Prey lifted yesterday (you can check out a roundup of verdicts by clicking here), and the response to the Hulu movie has, thus far, been overwhelmingly positive.
The franchise has always struggled to live up to the lofty heights set by that 1987 classic starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Dan Trachtenberg's approach to this entry appears to be exactly what it needed. With a female lead and a unique 1700s setting in The Comanche Nation, the Predator finally feels relevant again.
That's evident from Prey's Rotten Tomatoes score as it's hit the review aggregator with an impressive 95%!
It's now the highest-rated instalment in the entire franchise, even beating Predator's 80%. That and Prey are the only "Certified Fresh" movies from this series, though 2010's Predators has a Fresh 65% rating. Every other movie has been deemed Rotten, so this latest chapter has definitely put the property back on the right track critically speaking.
"The rare action thriller that spikes adrenaline without skimping on character development, Prey is a Predator sequel done right," reads the Critics Consensus for Prey.
In our review, we concluded by saying, "Prey delivers pure Predator pandemonium, and is the Predator franchise at its best. It's also a much-needed fresh start for the series that allows Amber Midthunder to shine in a role that promises to put her on the map."
Prey is debuting on Hulu this Friday, and the hope is streaming numbers will be high enough to warrant a sequel. There's lots that can be explored in this time period, and while we'd like to see the Predator in the present day again, giving that a rest for a while might be a better idea after the last few efforts.
Are you excited to watch Prey?