Disney+ has been smashing it as of late in terms of offering its subscribers more mature content, and now its latest R-rated movie, Prey, which is on Disney Plus in the UK and Hulu in the US, has just blown both critics and streamers away.
That's because Prey now boasts a supremely impressive 92% critic review score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Prey, for those not in the loop, is the brand new Disney Plus movie in the Predator series of films. Set 300 years ago, Prey tells the story of a young Comanche Nation warrior called Naru who ends up having to defend her people from the terrifying Predator, a highly evolved alien hunter.
And, unlike the more recent entries in the Predator series, Prey not only delivers on the action and blood, but also on great cinematography, story telling and character development.
Wendy Ide, critic for the Observer, says that Prey is "a prequel to the Predator series that stays true to the essence of the original – stylishly violent, stickily graphic, impossibly tense – while also working satisfyingly as a self-contained entity."
While Christy Lemire of FilmWeek confirms that, "you may think you don't need another Predator movie in your life, but you need this one – it is awesome."
And David Fear of Rolling Stone describes the Disney Plus hit as a prequel that, "manages to capture the spirit of that Schwarzenegger original while completely rejiggering and deepening the Most Dangerous Game notion at the center of it all. It instantly establishes itself as a series highlight."
Streamers seem to agree with the critics, too, with Prey racking up a quality 80% score from over 1,000 audience reviews.
Streamer Steve C gave Prey a maximum score of 5 stars and said the movie is, "a must watch for any Predator fan. Second best Predator film of the series. I can't wait for a sequel to this one!"
Prey opinion: Finally another good Predator movie
I've watched all the Predator movies including the simply atrocious Aliens vs Predator - Requiem, and I've got to admit that I'm thrilled to see the series essentially brought back from the dead with Prey.
What enthuses me also, as a fan of action movies, is that Prey really leans into the genre properly. It keeps things short and simple, but then shows that that doesn't mean you have to accept 2D characters and bad film making.
The original Predator remains one of the best action movies of all time, so it's great that director Dan Trachtenberg has given us another slice of that in a entertaining and stylish way.
The tight focus on Naru, as played by Amber Midthunder, also feels really smart. The best parts of the original Predator film was when a character would go toe-to-toe alone with the alien hunter, so having Naru front and center in the battle is great.
Predator 2 lost sight of this simplistic premise of hunter vs hunted and suffered for it, while Predators felt too unfocussed and the pair of AVP films let down in numerous other areas.
Prey on Disney Plus, though, nails the original Predator formula while also expanding its horizon.
Prey can be streamed now. Want more gore? Check out three R-rated movies you won't believe are on Disney Plus.
