MOVIE NEWS – Prey star Amber Midthunder has no time for the haters who branded the film “super woke” and a “f****-the-patriarchy” story before the film was released.

 

Prey has done wonders for Hulu (Disney Plus in Europe) and the Predator franchise. The film, which was released earlier this month, registered the biggest premiere on Hulu/Disney Plus, ahead of all other original movies and TV shows on the streaming platform. Prey also successfully revived the Predator franchise, which was in ruins after the disastrously weak 2018’s The Predator, and made Amber Midthunder a star in the process.

However, Preda was not without controversy. Since its announcement, Préda has faced backlash and ridicule due to its cast and 18th-century setting. How can the “primitive” Comanche tribe fight against a technologically advanced alien hunter, or how can a woman defeat a two-meter monster – just a few questions from doubters who apparently forgot that Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) also used a bow in the original 1987 film and defeated the Predator with an arrow and some improvised traps. Here’s what Midthunder told PEOPLE in a recent interview:

“People will always say things, but it’s just noise. Honestly, those people have no idea what they are talking about. First of all, I’m very proud of our film and I think [director] Dan [Trachtenberg] is an incredible filmmaker. He created something that people could absorb what they said.”

Prey currently holds the franchise’s best fresh Rotten Tomatoes rating of 93%, and has been positively received by virtually everyone who has seen it without prejudice. Not all stories with diverse casts and female leads are “woke,” and according to Midthunder, Prey is simply about an individual determined to prove her mettle.

“I think a lot of people thought our film was going to be some super-woke, ‘forget the patriarchy’ kind of story, but that’s not what it’s about at all. It’s not about a girl defying what men think she can and can’t do. It’s literally an individual who feels challenged to do something and people who know him don’t think it’s his calling. It’s a lot more personal and I think it’s a lot harder for my character to process,” Midthunder stated.

“They [the Comanches] were famous for being some of the fiercest warriors,” Midthunder said of critical reservations about the Indians’ ability to fight. “And they really had a female warrior society, so there were women who fought and hunted. So yeah, I think when we look at that, we just [say to ourselves], ‘Okay, whatever, people are always going to say things.’ I’m proud of what we did,” the actress added.

Prey has a predominantly Indian cast, a rarity in a big-budget Hollywood film, and the move was applauded by the entire industry. Prey has also been praised for avoiding stereotypes and portraying indigenous peoples in a nuanced and sensitive manner. Amber Midthunder, who is a member of the Assiniboine and Sioux tribes at Fort Peck, was especially committed to making sure Prey didn’t skimp on the portrayal.

“There isn’t a moment when I don’t think about the national team or what we can achieve with it. Especially with a film like this, how it represents Aboriginal people and what that might mean, or how people respond to that, or how they feel about being represented. For me, this was the most important part of making the film.”

Predator, and especially Amber Midthunder’s starring role, has been praised by several Predator cast members, including Bill Duke and Jesse Ventura. Fans are already clamouring for a sequel, but Midthunder’s return as Naru is unlikely, as Prey’s ending foreshadows a tragic end for the character and his clan if Predator 2 is considered canonical. However, director Dan Trachtenberg promised more experimental stories similar to Prey, set in the Predator universe.

Source: People.com