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A promotional still for Prey
Film,  Podcast

Hops and Box Office Flops: ‘PREY’

Do Not Kill the Dog

Prey reignites the Predator franchise in the best ways possible. It’s more contained—focusing on the story and characters, rather than feeling the need to go bigger. It’s the hit the series desperately needed.

After a slew of middling to outright mediocre sequels (and sidequels), Prey optimizes the formula for the alien hunter’s antics. It takes the creature back in time—the northwest plains in 1719—and utilizes the incredible landscapes to set a tone and atmosphere the films have been missing.

This is Naru’s journey just as much as it is the Predator’s. She, like the extraterrestrial, is out to prove herself. That is the heartbeat of the movie—one woman’s quest to demonstrate her worth as a hunter in the eyes of her tribe.

Hence why Naru (Amber Midthunder) is the best protagonist we’ve had since cigar-chewing Dutch in the 1987 original.

Yet, a Predator movie cannot be complete without some murderous mayhem. And there is plenty of cannon fodder to be had. Prey gives us gore by the bucket load. The mandible menace has never been more intimidating or dangerous than in this movie. And when it wipes out an entire horde of folks, it does so in incredibly gruesome and satisfying ways.

Simply put, Prey is a must-watch for fans of the franchise. So, sit back, crush a can of Hop Venom from Boneyard Beer, and cheer on the Predator as he massacres some French fur trappers! I, the Thunderous Wizard (@WriterTLK), Capt. CashMayor McCheese, and Chumpzilla are doing our best to avoid getting snared in any of the Predator’s excruciatingly brutal man-traps.

This Week’s Segments:

  • Introduction/Plot Breakdown – It knows how to hunt, but we know how to survive. (00:00)
  • Lingering Questions – After a word from our brothers in beer at Hop Nation USA, we discuss where in time we’d like the Predator to head next. (28:03)
  • The “Kuhtaamia” Trivia Challenge – The Double Turn Podcast loses a “First Blood” match to a bear, and then I challenge the field to trivia about the movie. (45:51)
  • Recommendations – We offer our picks for the week and next up: We begin “Hops and Star Powered Flops” with the excellently casted, but poorly scripted flop Gangster Squad. (56:17)

And, as always, hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to check out all the interesting factoids—the original cast’s love for this movie and more—from this week’s episode!

You can find this episode of Hops and Box Office Flops on Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsStitcherPodbeanSpotifyAcastTuneIniHeartRadioVurbl, and Amazon Music!

Thomas Kelly

Writer, Superman aficionado, lover of odd and underperforming sports teams, and co-host of the film adoring podcast, Hops and Box Office Flops