Prey
Predator’s fifth installmentPreywas extensively praised for its pace, character development, and story arc, but the release of behind-the-scenes videos of the Predator costume without CGI had many fans complain about it, leading to wonder whether it was really necessary.
Prequel to the iconic 1987’sPredator,Preyis set in 1719, and it follows Naru (Amber Midthunder), a member of the Comanche that wants to prove herself to the community as a hunter.Preyis the firstPredatormovie to feature a female character as the protagonist, to release straight to streaming, and to be set in the past, leading the Yautja warrior Naru meets to operate differently from those met in previousPredatormovies.
Prey’s Predator (Dane DiLiegro) became the object of discussion among fans of the franchise after BTS videos of the Yautja warrior costume without CGI appeared, showing a highly realistic and altogether scary figure.
Contrarily toPredator’s previous installments,Preyrelied on a mix of practical effects and CGI, rather than fully on CGI as 2018’sThe Predatordid or entirely on practical effects exemplified by the Predator suit, as happened with the first threePredatorinstallments.
Yet, many fans felt CGI wasn’t really needed and instead damaged the costume as seen in the BTS videos, as they believed it could be seen it was somewhat fake, making it less easy to be scared by the Predator.
Related:Prey Obeys 1 Screenwriting Rule That 2010’s Predators IgnoresAlthough the Predator costume visible in the behind-the-scenes videos looks stunning and detailed enough that it could pass as a real alien predator warrior,Preyis actually made better by the light use of CGI.
While its predecessorThe Predatorrelied more heavily on it andPredator,Predator 2andPredatorstended to rely on practical effects only,Preyoffers a balanced alternative, where the core of the franchise the use of a costume for the Predator isn’t lost, but only slightly updated.
This way,Preymanages to get the best of both worlds, keeping thePredatortradition intact and also being able to rely on CGI only to get an overall better effect.
Why Prey’s Predator CGI Was The Right Choice
A central complaintPredatorfans had about the use of CGI inPreyfollowing the release of BTS videos revolved around how the Predator’s suit and headpiece were so detailed and well-made that they really didn’t need CGI to make it more realistic.
Instead, the glistening effect on thePredator’s skin actually damagedthe work done on the costume, as it looked worse and less scary post-CGI compared to the BTS videos.
While having such a negative view of CGI, in general, is understandable, especially for movies that heavily rely on it where the effects just make a scene look unrealistic, that really isn’t the case forPrey.
The bulk of the effects are still practical, and the fact that CGI is used only for polishing works in the film’s favor, making it a welcome plus.
If it weren’t there,Preywouldn’t be completely damaged, but by being there, it actually makes the Predator scarier and more authentic thanpreviousPredatorfilmsjust for the small details the CGIadds.
Debates on the use of CGI in films have become more and more prominent through the years, with many viewers opposing the use precisely for how the final product is perceived as not realistic enough.
While in some cases complaints can be warranted, it doesn’t feel that way forPrey, precisely because the final product includes a mix of practical effects and CGI that proved to be the best approach, especially when looking at pastPredatormovies.
Using CGI only to give more authenticity to the Predator’s appearance is commendable and makes a potentialPreysequel even more thrilling, especially if it were to come from the same team that madePreysuch a success.
