Prey (2007 film)

For other films as well as other uses, see Prey (disambiguation) § Film.

Prey is a 2007 South African adventure thriller horror film written by Jeff Wadlow, Beau Bauman, and Darrell Roodt. The film was directed by Roodt.^[1] At a South African game reserve, a woman and her two stepchildren are trapped inside a car by a pride of hungry lions. Prey stars Bridget Moynahan, Peter Weller and Carly Schroeder.^[2][3]

Prey
Official teaser poster
Directed by	Darrell Roodt
Written by	Jeff Wadlow Beau Bauman Darrell Roodt
Produced by	Bernice Spring Anant Singh
Starring	Carly Schroeder Peter Weller Bridget Moynahan
Cinematography	Michael Brierley
Edited by	Avril Beukes Ryan Kushner
Music by	Tony Humecke
Production companies	Anant Singh Production Videovision Entertainment Distant Horizon Ingenious Film Partners
Distributed by	The Weinstein Company
Release date	30 January 2007 (2007-01-30) (United States)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	South Africa
Languages	English, Afrikaans
Budget	South African budget

Plot

Tom Newman and his family arrive at a resort in South Africa. Tom is a hydro-electrical engineer who has been hired to help build a nearby dam. He hopes that this trip will give his daughter, Jessica, and new wife, Amy, the chance to get closer. Jessica blames Amy for her parents' divorce.

The next morning, Amy, Jessica and her brother David go on a game drive with Brian, a ranger, while Tom works on the dam. While taking a bathroom break, Brian and David encounter a pride of lions. David runs back to the car, but Brian is killed. Amy, Jessica, and David realize they are stuck as Brian had the keys to the car. The pride attempt to break into the car and crack the windshield, but are unsuccessful. That night back at the lodge, Tom is informed of his family's disappearance and at the suggestion of the park rangers contacts Crawford, a professional hunter and guide.

The next morning, David spots the reflection from Brian's keys. Amy is able to retrieve them but is chased back to the car by a lioness. Amy panics while driving further into the brush and wrecks the car.

The park rangers begin their search by helicopter and Tom goes to Crawford and hires him to help as well. When the rangers fly over the car without noticing them, Jessica gets out and tries to draw their attention. Amy goes to bring her back, but both are charged by a lioness before it is killed by two native hunters.

Amy is suspicious of the newcomers and gets back in the car, believing they may be poachers. Jessica convinces one of the hunters via signs to lead her to a nearby watering hole and help her fill some gourds with water. They rush back to the car after hearing a gunshot and find that the other hunter is missing. The remaining hunter leaves to search for him and Jessica gets back in the car. Tom and Crawford are unable to find any tracks from the car due to the previous night's rain and setup camp on the veld.

That night Amy, at Jessica's request, shares how she met Tom, assuring her that her parents were already separated by the time they met and the two reconcile. The remaining hunter returns and gets in the car, but is dragged out and killed when a lion smashes through the weakened windshield. They cover the hole by moving the front seat of the car forward and the next morning use the hunter's machete to remove other parts of the car and block it further.

Amy hears Tom and Crawford's car and successfully gets their attention. Tom rushes ahead and is confronted by a lioness. As it leaps, Tom ducks and Crawford shoots the lioness. Crawford is killed by the male lion and Tom crawls under the car to get away. Amy breaks open the gas tank and sets a trap with a cloth fuse, telling everyone to run to a nearby tree. Amy lures the lion into the car and lights the fuse, killing it when the truck explodes. Amy survives the explosion and the family walks back to Crawford's car together.

Cast

• Bridget Moynahan as Amy Newman
• Peter Weller as Tom Newman
• Carly Schroeder as Jessica Newman
• Jamie Bartlett as Crawford
• Conner Dowds as David Newman
• Marius Roberts as Brian, A Ranger
• Muso Sefatsa as Nephew
• Tumisho K. Masha as Ranger At Airport
• Jacob Makgoba as Local Hunter

Production

The film was inspired by the true story of the Tsavo Man-Eaters during the colonial era. It was filmed on location in Gauteng and Limpopo in South Africa.^[4]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack includes Ron Brettel with "Awaken" and "Zulu Jive" by Urban Rhythm Factory. American synth-pop artist Tony Humecke composed the official score.^{[citation needed]}

Reception

Critical response

Paul A. Newman of PNselling wrote in his review: "A bad, bad movie with a cool concept. 'Really' bad. In fact I'm debating recutting the movie and changing the dialog and renaming it as "Prey, Pray, Pway" and releasing it as a comedy because this movie is really, really close to being unsuccessful and/or hilarious."^[5]

Release

Prey premiered on 3 November 2006 as part of the American Film Market. The film was released on DVD on 30 January 2007, by The Weinstein Company.^[6][7] Prey was released on DVD in Europe on 10 November 2007, by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.^[8]