Prey

"OK"

Prey Review


It's lions, lions, and lions (oh my!) in this overwrought and only vaguely insulting woman-and-children-in-jeopardy thriller. Here's the gist: Engineer dad (Peter Weller) and his new, impossibly young wife (Bridget Moynahan) split for Africa with dad's kids in tow. He's there for work, so during the day, kids and stepmom decide to go on safari. Well, they quickly decide to go off the "main road," and junior decides he needs to go potty. He hasn't even unzipped before he's promptly consumed by a den of lions.

Kids and mom end up holed up in the car as the lions prowl outside, still hungry. To make matters worse, grating and bratty teenage sis (Carly Schroeder) hates the stepmom and blames her for everything when she isn't listening to her iPod. Gosh! Why can't the lions just leave her alone!? Finally they spot the keys outside, and mom makes a run for it. Five seconds later she's wrecked the car completely. Eventually natives wander by and help them. Meanwhile dad has hired a ranger to search for the missing car.

Essentially what we have here is Cujo but with hungry lions instead of a dog. That's fine, but do these characters have to be so outright stupid? Lions are scary enough when you aren't contributing to them eating your family and friends.

Moynahan carries the picture when the lions aren't on camera, but it's some amazing animal training (I assume) that makes the film come alive to the extent it does. The lions are deeply impressive, and it's clear from the budget of the film they are not CGI.

Still, I had a major nagging issue with the film, which I guess I'll mark with a big spoiler warning: In Prey, the entire family survives while everyone who comes along to help them is eaten by the lions. Here we have a bunch of suburban nitwits surviving while four experts on living in the wilderness are eaten in rather short order. Hollywood can reach all the way around the world, it seems.



Prey

Facts and Figures

In Theaters: Thursday 12th April 2007

Production compaines: Anant Singh Production, Videovision Entertainment, Distant Horizons, Ingenious Film Partners

Reviews

Contactmusic.com: 2.5 / 5

IMDB: 4.6 / 10

Cast & Crew

Director:

Starring: as Amy Newman, as Tom Newman, as Jessica Newman, as Crawford, Conner Dowds as David Newman (as Connor Dowds)

Contactmusic


Links


New Movies

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Movie Review

After the thunderous reception for J.J. Abrams' Episode VII: The Force Awakens two years ago,...

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Daddy's Home 2 Movie Review

Like the 2015 original, this comedy plays merrily with cliches to tell a silly story...

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

The Man Who Invented Christmas Movie Review

There's a somewhat contrived jauntiness to this blending of fact and fiction that may leave...

Ferdinand Movie Review

Ferdinand Movie Review

This animated comedy adventure is based on the beloved children's book, which was published in...

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Brigsby Bear Movie Review

Director Dave McCary makes a superb feature debut with this offbeat black comedy, which explores...

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

Battle of the Sexes Movie Review

A dramatisation of the real-life clash between tennis icons Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs,...

Shot Caller Movie Review

Shot Caller Movie Review

There isn't much subtlety to this prison thriller, but it's edgy enough to hold the...

Advertisement
The Disaster Artist Movie Review

The Disaster Artist Movie Review

A hilariously outrageous story based on real events, this film recounts the making of the...

Stronger Movie Review

Stronger Movie Review

Based on a true story about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, this looks like one...

Only the Brave Movie Review

Only the Brave Movie Review

Based on a genuinely moving true story, this film undercuts the realism by pushing its...

Wonder Movie Review

Wonder Movie Review

This film may be based on RJ Palacio's fictional bestseller, but it approaches its story...

Happy End  Movie Review

Happy End Movie Review

Austrian auteur Michael Haneke isn't known for his light touch, but rather for hard-hitting, award-winning...

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Patti Cake$ Movie Review

Seemingly from out of nowhere, this film generates perhaps the biggest smile of any movie...

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

The Limehouse Golem Movie Review

A Victorian thriller with rather heavy echoes of Jack the Ripper, this film struggles to...

Advertisement
Artists
Actors
    Filmmakers
      Artists
      Bands
        Musicians
          Artists
          Celebrities
             
              Artists
              Interviews