Prey is just a African version of "Cujo" with lions instead of a dog. The protagonists, a pretty young woman, recently married to an older man who has two children, one in her teens with an attitude and one boy of about 12 years. The "mom" and her charges take a tour in a jeep with a tour guide to see some wildlife. While under way, young boy has to take a dump and wishes privacy, so he and guide walk to a nearby tree where two lions appear, apparently ready for lunch. Boy and guide rush back to car. Boy makes it, guide doesn't. The rest of the film involves woman and children trying to survive until rescued.
This film was absolutely pitiful. How these three clueless people (two children and an "adult") could have survived this is only possible in low budget direct-to-video "B" movies. Even though you know that the protagonists will get out none the worse for wear, you have to wonder how many plot devices will it take to save these idiots from themselves.
Just an example of some that made my head itch:
-Adult woman gets out of the car to fetch keys and manages to outrun a lion in full gallop when she is only yards away. -Adult woman drives car at high rate of speed in no particular direction until she wrecks it. Never mind trying to find the highest peak so that she could be spotted. -Woman and girl confront poachers at a lion kill to ask for help. Do poachers normally want white witnesses to their crimes? -Poacher shoots a lion in full charge one second before it attacks adult woman lying on the ground. Seems it would make more sense to wait until the lion STOPS running to avoid wasting bullets? -Experienced poachers with weapons are both killed while clueless tourists escape unharmed. -Experienced master hunter is killed by a lion when he was armed and prepared. -Husband crawls under car to avoid lion who could easily reach him with 4 foot paws -Adult woman lures lion into car and fiddles with lighter while lion just sits and watches -Adult woman lights gasoline in car, immolating lion, but miraculously escapes when the explosion burns everything within 50 feet of the car, and this with a sprained ankle.
All of this becomes part and parcel of a CONTRIVED PLOT that fails to thrill or satisfy. Stupidity should be rewarded with death when faced with hazardous situations.
Am I alone in expressing disappointment for the lack of imagination of writers and producers these days? Is it really so hard to create a story where things happen as they would in real life. Isn't the "just in the nick of time" rescue getting a little bit overused?
If I were writing this movie, all three of them would have been killed by the poachers or the woman would have died with the lion. Does that strike a chord with anyone else?
This film was absolutely pitiful. How these three clueless people (two children and an "adult") could have survived this is only possible in low budget direct-to-video "B" movies. Even though you know that the protagonists will get out none the worse for wear, you have to wonder how many plot devices will it take to save these idiots from themselves.
Just an example of some that made my head itch:
-Adult woman gets out of the car to fetch keys and manages to outrun a lion in full gallop when she is only yards away. -Adult woman drives car at high rate of speed in no particular direction until she wrecks it. Never mind trying to find the highest peak so that she could be spotted. -Woman and girl confront poachers at a lion kill to ask for help. Do poachers normally want white witnesses to their crimes? -Poacher shoots a lion in full charge one second before it attacks adult woman lying on the ground. Seems it would make more sense to wait until the lion STOPS running to avoid wasting bullets? -Experienced poachers with weapons are both killed while clueless tourists escape unharmed. -Experienced master hunter is killed by a lion when he was armed and prepared. -Husband crawls under car to avoid lion who could easily reach him with 4 foot paws -Adult woman lures lion into car and fiddles with lighter while lion just sits and watches -Adult woman lights gasoline in car, immolating lion, but miraculously escapes when the explosion burns everything within 50 feet of the car, and this with a sprained ankle.
All of this becomes part and parcel of a CONTRIVED PLOT that fails to thrill or satisfy. Stupidity should be rewarded with death when faced with hazardous situations.
Am I alone in expressing disappointment for the lack of imagination of writers and producers these days? Is it really so hard to create a story where things happen as they would in real life. Isn't the "just in the nick of time" rescue getting a little bit overused?
If I were writing this movie, all three of them would have been killed by the poachers or the woman would have died with the lion. Does that strike a chord with anyone else?
