User Reviews

A family of industrialists go on a hunting trip and soon realise the error of using nasty chemicals in their factories.

This Eco terror horror movie treads some old ground and anyone familiar with the mutant bear movie 'Prophecy' will recognise some of this movies key moments.

Although none of the ideas here are original the movie itself is still very enjoyable. From the early rustling in the bushes scenes to the all out chase through the swamp at night this movie does a good job raising the tension levels. You may not fall in love with the characters as none of them are particularly likable but you'll still be rooting for them to escape the angry bores.

The creature effects are great. It's all real physical effects too, none of that terrible looking CG stuff here which really added to the believability of the creatures.

If you watch this and enjoy it like I did I suggest you look up the aforementioned 'Prophecy' movie as it is superior to this, but 'Prey' is still worth seeing.

Nathan (Grégoire Colin) is in the countryside with his girlfriend Claire (Bérénice Bejo) in the house of her family expecting to announce that she is pregnant and will move with him to the city. Claire is the chemical engineer of Lemans, the pesticide factory that belongs to her father, Nicolas (François Levantal), and she lives in the farmhouse of her grandfather Eric (Fred Ulysse) with her father, her mother Marie (Isabelle Renauld) and her uncle David (Joseph Malerba).

When Eric and David find several dead deer in their land, they organize a hunting party with Nicolas and invite Nathan to participate. Nathan initially refuses but then he sees the chance to have a conversation with Nicolas about Claire's situation. Soon they find that the water supply is compromised since the river is contaminated with pesticide. Further, pigs were fed by a sick sow and turned into mutants. When they are attacked by the animals, the tension increases among the family members and they become the prey in the hunting.

"Proie" is not a bad movie but could be better and better with improvements in the screenplay. The characters should have been better developed since the motives for the increasing tension among the family members would be explained. But the worst is the disappointing conclusion, too dark for my taste. It would not be necessary a happy ending, but I found it pointless. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "A Presa" ("The Prey")

Hunters become the hunted when they head out into the woods to track down a beast that has been killing the local deer population. A family who own a once successful pesticide company soon realise that it may very well be the side-effects of one of their chemicals that has led to the emergence of giant mutant wild boars.

Prey is another film which makes up part of the cycle of French horror movies which have invigorated the genre since the new millennium. This one goes down a less expected creature-feature route, with the fairly routine idea of a man-made natural disaster being the root cause of the rampaging monsters. There is a fine balance between the family drama and creature feature horror here, with the characters creating as much threat to one and other as the giant pigs. The result is a fairly standard bit of horror in all honesty. This is a sub-genre which is quite well-worn and there isn't anything particularly new brought to the table with this one. That said, it is still a decent enough entry if you like this sort of thing.

I know this film has received quite a bit of press and discussion on the Wildside forums but for some reason I was at a loss for what this film was about when I first rented it. As it progressed, I got the picture rather quick as Prey doesn't take long at all to jump into the thick of things. It's no surprise (or spoiler) that Prey's killer pigs aren't normal but I probably should warn creature feature fans that these particular piggies aren't of the deformed variety. They do, however, appear to be real deal FX creations (which they reveal sparingly) instead of CG though and that really helped me remain within the film.

The actors all performed admirably but their characters were, in my opinion, rather bland and lacked personality. Not only did they come off flat but their motivations will be disappointingly apparent to astute viewers, leading to a predictability that siphons away some of the impact of the finale. I found myself losing interest in the fates of the characters, even the remotely likable ones, of which there weren't many. There's certainly more than enough tension to hold your attention though and it never lets up, not even for a minute.

Prey is a decent thriller with some gruesome sequences of woodland carnage but it's nothing I could see myself watching again or even purchasing for my personal collection. When it comes to killer pig flicks, it is infinitely superior exercise in suspense than a film like Pig Hunt, which was completely gonzo, but the ecological disaster concept is stale and the entire film lacks replay value for me. Still…not a bad film so give it a shot, you may enjoy it.

Decent enough gore and violence. Its too bad the characters were so unlikable. I might have cared if they got eaten or not.

A man wanders into his yard to find some deer badly mutilated. Is this somehow related to the nearby chemical plant or a coincidence?

I have to say I enjoyed this movie. While not the greatest, it still had plenty of action, rich characters, a unique story, and amazing special effects. Whoever designed those animals did such an impressive job. I also appreciate the use of not showing things rather than showing them on occasion -- the imagination can fill in blanks nicer than CGI can more often than not.

The romantic interest in this film is Claire, plated by Bérénice Bejo. You may recall Bejo as Christiana from "A Knight's Tale" or more recently as Peppy Miller in "The Artist". Her role is, sadly, rather small... but it was nice to see some noteworthy talent in a movie that otherwise had no names to speak of that I (as an American unfamiliar with French cinema) could recognize.

If you wanted to venture into the world of French horror, this is not a bad place to start (and it makes a nice double feature with "The Pack").

Nathan and Claire are over the moon as they're about to announce to her family that she is pregnant. But the joyous occasion doesn't go according to plan. Not only is the family's Pharmaceutical business in trouble, Claire's father is also mysteriously attacked by terrorised deer. Nathan reluctantly joins the heavily armed in-laws to find out what causes the odd behaviour. But as they venture deep into the woods, they soon discover that what started out as a hunting party, has turned into Prey.

When you think of New Wave French Horror, you think of gory insanity. If you go into this film with that expectation, you will be bitterly disappointed. If you go into it expecting a good old fashioned suspense film, then you will be pleasantly surprised! Starting with, the characters are quite self indulgent and unlikeable, so you don't get any sympathy for their cause. This is the biggest downfall of the film. With better characters, a connection with them would have caused the horror scenes to be even more of an impact. Now for the positives. Visually, this is a stunning film. Reminded me of South Korean Cinematography in some instances, with the bright colouring and almost surreal atmosphere. This is a film of "seeing less is best" so there are no CGI creatures in this film, which is great because most of the time, CGI can take the realism out of it. You don't actually get to see the dangers in focus, its all a blur, but by the way its filmed, you know that the threat is very intimidating. Film making of this technique is not common in the world dominated by CGI. So its great to see that some directors still like to let the viewer use their imagination. With great suspense and a surprising ending, this film comes recommended. Its not the greatest French Horror film, but if you are bored one night, this certainly makes entertaining viewing.

This is now already the fifth part of my little review series: Movies that are way better than you expect.

When I bought this movie at a low price a couple of days ago I expected some entertaining gore horror movie and the short length of only seventy-six minutes seemed to underline my expectations. What I discovered is a fast paced diversified thriller with many surprises that I didn't see coming at all.

In only five minutes or so the director introduces a complicate family drama to us: The young main actor that wants to finally start a new life with his pregnant girlfriend in a city, his girlfriend itself who is torn between her family and their enterprise and the love of her life, her egoist father who secretly worked with pesticides and is constantly in search for further power, his ex-wife who helped him with his conspiracies and still takes a big place in his life, the father's grim brother that feels exploited by him, their father who suffers a strange disease and feels the dark shadows coming over the family - they are all part of the following race and when they go out for a hunt, they become not only the prey of some strange boars that have gone wild but also each other's prey. Jealousy, pride and egoism lead to many surprising and radical scenes and the dramatic turns of events all seem to liberate the worst in each of them. A quite simple plot turns into a haunting and surprising story that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

It's incredible that the director had the time to introduce half of a dozen profound and diversified characters to the movie and mix the horror hunt with influences from the drama and psychological suspense genre and that's what makes this movie so unique and worthwhile. You will quickly realize that the movie focuses on the monsters in the human soul and not that much on some pigs gone crazy even if that aspect is also explained in a credible way. The hunting story itself includes a dark atmosphere, some gripping survival horror parts with a couple of good ideas and some gore scenes that are not too exaggerated and fit well to the general atmosphere and the character's extreme changes. The special effects are not outstanding but done in a truly solid and credible way in comparison to many other low or no budget horror flicks that show too many artificial and unreal monsters and quickly turn me off. The good camera work and the well done soundtrack are other positive points that make this movie one of the best of its kind and a little unexpected masterpiece gem.

In the end, you should not expect anything revolutionary but in its genre and for what it is supposed to be, this movie really left a deep and permanent impression and I will surely watch it a few times again. Make sure to check this underestimated French horror flick out in your local video shop.

You made your bed, now lie in it. We mess with Nature at our own risk. Genetically modified fertilizers can cause some nasty problems, as we see in this first feature by French director Antoine Blossier.

While the family heads to the woods to find what is out there, we are treated to tensions caused by one not born into the group. The rest act as if he is also prey and they try to tear him apart.

While in the woods in the darkness, we see snouts and teeth and hear terrifying noises. Will any survive? Do you really care for any of them?

Is there anything new here? Haven't we seen it all before (Prophecy, Razorback, Pig Hunt)? The actors were good, and kept our interest, but I wonder if it would have been worth it to wait for Eric Valette's The Prey. Serial killers are more exciting than razorbacks.

Let's cut right to the chase: following a small first taste at the outset, once the horror earnestly comes into play further in, it's genuinely disturbing. I'm reminded of John Frankenheimer's 1979 film 'Prophecy' in that the discrete instances of raucous, bloody violence are amplified by the implications of other ideas that are far broader and more insidious. Where that latter picture is a monster flick wrapped up in bigger themes, however, Antoine Blossier's 'Prey' ('Proie') is more of a survival thriller, with blood, gore, and carnage so nasty that the more intense genre absolutely comes into play. I truly didn't know what to expect when I sat to watch, and it may be uneven in some small measure, but overall I'm ecstatic about just how nasty this is, and unquestionably satisfying as a viewer. As far as I'm concerned it's fantastic!

The story at large is pretty simple when you get down to it as a peek at tense family dynamics and arguments segue into a hunt, and an investigation into the behavior of local wildlife. Though the early exposition is a bit unclear as it presents, it doesn't take long as the tale progresses before the nature of the previous arguments, and all the answers as to the goings-on, are brightly illuminated. Nor does it take long to get mouthfuls of all the crimson, viscera, and forceful butchery we could possibly ask for; the stunts and effects are utterly terrific from top to bottom - it's not often I'd use the word "sickening" in connection with a movie, but I think it's appropriate in this case - and the creature designs remind of the bear in Alex Garland's 'Annihilation,' which is one of the highest possible compliments in my book. Strong and compelling as the narrative is, it almost feels like more of a vehicle for the scene writing given the severe, forceful, proliferate violence. That relationship in the writing is a little backwards, but in this case, it's perfect, and I can only commend Blossier and co-writer Erich Vogel. While we're at it, kudos to the cast, and chief star Grégoire Colin above all, because they give excellent performances befitting the harsh tone of the proceedings.

I love the original score of Romaric Laurence; while nothing special in the grand scheme of things, the music definitely lends to the tension and suspense of the course of events, and the overarching unnerving atmosphere. I'm pleased that while most of the tale takes place at night, this is an instance where the production is smart enough about use of lighting so that we viewers can actually see what's going on in each scene. To that point, Blossier's direction is outstanding in driving for the most hard-hitting possibilities of each scene, and even as Pierre Aïm's work makes use of "shaky cam" in some measure, by and large the cinematography is gratifyingly sharp in providing us a bounty of detail. And in every other regard this is marvelously well done, from art direction and hair and makeup to editing. There's no mistaking that the bloodshed and horror thrills are foremost, however, and in that capacity 'Prey' plainly excels.

It's not for nothing that I mentioned 'Prophecy,' for I recognize a distinct kinship between the two titles and the space that they play in. Setting aside that the creature designs are far and away superior in this 2010 feature, I don't think there's otherwise any difference in quality between the two. Why, just as the ending of 'Prophecy' felt like a missed opportunity, I'm divided as to the last moments here - decidedly grim on the one hand, though on the other, maybe too much of a fuzzy storytelling fade-out. The primary divergence is in the ultimate thrust: 'Prey' boasts the same dark, underlying themes as an enhancer, but focuses on being "nasty, brutish, and short'; 'Prophecy claims significant violence, but the more thematic facets are what leave a major impression. Anyway, maybe I'm nitpicking, and when all is said and done the comparisons are more as a frame of reference than anything else. No matter how you slice it this flick has a fierce bite, and it is fabulously enjoyable and satisfying in the way we hope horror to be. As a matter of personal preference it won't appeal to all, but in my opinion 'Prey' is a superb genre piece that any fan of the style will appreciate. If you have the chance, these eighty minutes are well worth checking out!

I always liked natural horror/eco terror genre and who doesn't? With entertaining flicks such as The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953), Them! (1954,)Jaws (1975), Prophecy (1979) and more recently Gwoemul (2006), Rogue (2007)etc.

This film also contains a family feud, between generations with a lot of dark undercurrents that is not that common but fuels this thriller and makes it a little less predictable. There are twists and turns that will surprise future viewers and feels more like a play from Eugene O'Neill, Tennesse Williams etc.

When it comes to the genre of pigkiller films, the FX is not bad but could been a little more audience friendly. Even Razorback (1984) gave us better and that movies FX has aged. Compared to Chawu (2009)however, it does not solely rely on CGP(computer generated pork).

The message is common tired old cliché but nevertheless important, profit at any cost even if the environment has to pay a high price. The acting is pretty solid with lots of nice performances from Grégoire Colin, François Levantal, Fred Ulysse, Joseph Malerba etc.

Sometimes it feels like you are watching the disintegration of a family. Add natural horror/eco terror you get a pretty nice mix. But this being a darker, European, genre film don't expect a upbeat, positive tone, this film contains no lighter moments.

While not the greatest effort, it is solid, has some scary moments and is more entertaining then Pig Hunt (2008)and should give any future viewer a good popcorn cinema fest.