Hunter Prey (2010/Maya DVD)
Picture: B- Sound: B- Extras: B Movie: B+
Innovative, slick, and well-made sci-fi movies don’t come along every
day, but Sandy Collora’s Hunter Prey manages to be
all of these things and more. This
spartan film features a limited cast all delivering solid performances. Everything from the make-up and special
effects to the costuming shows that great care and time were put into the
making of this film. Every piece of
gear, every belt and buckle, display a verisimilitude many lesser productions
lack. From the care-worn casing of a
micro-communicator device to the battle-scarred armor worn by the alien
soldiers, the props and action in this movie feel real.
This taut, character-driven story involves a desperate chase on a burned
out desert world. The story opens with a
group of warriors who have just survived the crash of their space ship, and
must how hunt for the escaped prisoner it once carried. In a clever reversal, the armored warriors
and their quarry are not initially what they seem. In the end only two fighters survive, the
hunter and the prey, but which one is truly which? The film’s last thirty minutes feature a
series of stunning reversals, as each character seemingly gains the upper hand
on his foe, only to learn that he has been confounded.
Shot in an actual desert location, Hunter Prey uses its stark
surroundings to its advantage, with script and locale combining to communicate
a true sense of isolation for the principal characters. Special features include director’s
commentary and a short feature documenting the making of the film. Producer/director Collora enjoyed amazing
success with his San Diego Comicon feature Batman: Dead End, and he and his
talented crew took the momentum gained from making that feature and applied it
to the production of Hunter Prey. Perhaps the best complement you can pay to
this film is that although it was produced on a shoestring budget, it does not
look like it. Collora and crew use CGI
only sparingly in the film, and the instances where they do represent its few
weak spots.
Fans of modern sci-fi will find a lot to enjoy in this feature, and
anyone interested in the dynamics of two clashing cultures will also appreciate
the taut interactions between its principle characters. Damion Poitier and Clark Bartram deliver
riveting performances in the roles of the hunter and the hunted, with each
character seemingly taking turns at both!
Hunter Prey deserves a lot more attention than it has
received so far, and its smart, muscular approach to sci-fi leave viewers
wanting more.
- Scott Pyle
