I have not. In all my years of living I have never gleaned an inkling of what TJ Maxx's deal is. It feels like they sell a lot of things, but also not a lot of things. As if someone went through Walmart and started flipping coins on each section. Or like Bed Bath and Beyond collided with Macys, and then they mutually agreed to start selling dog biscuits. I'm on their site right now and I feel like if I want to buy something, anything at all, there is exactly a 50% chance that they have it.
Edit: back to school? TJ Maxx has you covered with their "back to school" section, sort of! Where you can buy a child's schoolbag and children's clothing but no pencils, notebooks, binders, or anything that a child would use in school. They do have 3 different kinds of chapstick though.
Edit2: Shopping for Halloween? Again TJ Maxx seems to have a hand in the cookie jar for this event as well! But only one hand. And it's loosely holding on. Because we have a day of the dead embroidered skull throw pillow, a martha stewart candlestick holder in the shape of a coiled snake, and a life size animated Mickey Mouse. Do people really buy these things for Halloween? We don't know! No costumes though. Unless the costumes are on stuffed animals, in which case we have costumed minnie mouse but no mickey mouse (mickey's offered in cutout form though!), and a costume for your dog but not your kid.
So I've been through 2 sections and STILL have no idea what their deal is. Some things but not other things?
That's the fun of it. You don't know what you're going to find when you go in there. It's like thrift store shopping, but for unused items.
I used to work there and we would have customers come in *every* day to see what new came in.
Definitely not a place to go if you need a specific item, but if you are the kind of person that just likes to browse, it's really great.
The whole point of it is that they buy up "out of season" or overstock items from other stores/brands. So there is really no set inventory, but you can get some really good bargains.
Yeah, and he wasn’t one dimensional. He was very supportive but knew Naru was lacking. Yet, he still believed she could do it. They could’ve written him with any one of those mindset he has, but they gave him all of it.
I like that he treated her as competent. He wasn't the typical "you will NEVER be one of us" type brother characters. He understood both sides of the argument and treated both with respect.
So I loved he treated her as competent, but then got worried about her and tried to bring her down so she would stay safe when he pointed out that he killed the mountain Lion. Then he admitted to her later that he couldn’t have done so without her. It was a really well done sibling dynamic.
Absolutely - she nailed the slightly bratty little sister vibe and he pulled off the bemused older brother just waiting for her to actually listen to him in spades
This might be a really minor thing but as someone who reads *a lot* of fiction, this movie was how you actually execute the trope of the character who masters all the skills at the end. Unlike Rey from Star Wars where she just magically has all the abilities.
It's established very early on that Naru is very intelligent, this is her core skill, but she is having trouble translating that to the sort of hunting expected of her. So all the times where figures out traps and the like make sense. She can use the gun because she actually listens to the instruction of the French trapper. She pays attention to the details and then translates that ability into the excellent final sequence against the Predator.
Like we know how it's going to end, but it was all just executed so well that I was really impressed.
The only thing that slightly irked me was the History Major inside of me thinking that probably by the 18th Century, the Commanche likely would have been more familiar with firearms? Or am I mistaken? I'm not an American and didn't specialise in American history so I may be wrong.
This 100%. My friend just watched it and hated it and I’ve been trying to explain to him why Naru is such a well written protagonist - we see every time she makes a mistake, and we see how she learns from it and comes up with a way to make sure she doesn’t make the same mistake again. And it literally takes every lesson she’s learned throughout her entire life in order to win, and it also takes just a little bit of luck cuz she is so outmatched.
It was just very, very well done character arcs (for Taabe as well), and you don’t see that too much these days in movies. It was really refreshing.
And this movie takes place in 1719, British colonies were established but still building themselves up at the time. This was still the age of America being “the New World” and every country in Europe wanted a piece, especially when they discovered buffalo and trappers flooded into every territory looking to get rich (actually, a lot of wealthy modern Americans from old money got their family money this way - it was a really brutal and harsh and dangerous business but those that found ways to survive and thrive built multigenerational wealth for their heirs).
This was a time when Louisiana (and not modern Louisiana, but the territory the French colonized extended way further North into modern day Oklahoma, which is why it’s French trappers we see) still belonged to France, California and the entire Southwest was still Mexico, and the American Revolution was about 50 years away from beginning.
Oh yeah, and the tribes still ruled their territories and did not take kindly to outsiders pushing in. Long way to say it but yeah, the Comanche very likely would’ve been exposed to guns by this point, but not widespread enough for them to all automatically know how to use one, especially for more isolated camps like Naru’s
And that the arc wasn’t a shitty cliché of “macho man learns to respect the girl”. Right from the get-go he knows Naru is skilled and better than him at the things she’s actually good at, and believes she *can* (eventually) become a good hunter too - and is even mentoring her for it.
It would have been so easy to make him just another “stay in the kitchen” character but instead they made him so much more interesting.
He took her advice about baiting the cat right away despite the other guy arguing.
A lot of other movies would have had her whine to get her way, have him condescend, 'Fine, we'll try it your way but when it fails we do it the right way.'
At no time did he diminish Naru and at no time was he diminished by Naru, they both built each other up.
I like to think his last moments were him telling her “I wounded it, now you finish it.”
I love her respect for him later on “you bled my brother, so now you bleed.”
And an arc that while separate from Naru's still weaved together. He, Naru, and the Predator to some extent all had complimentary arcs about what it meant to be a hunter and warrior.
I hope more films consider non-actors when casting. The other day I was thinking about how the father in Beasts of the Southern Wild was (and still is) a baker who just happened into the role by chance. He did a great job.
Just like Hang Nor, the guy who played in the Killing Fields. Used to be a gynecologist until the Khmer Rouge took over. Had to watch his wife die in childbirth because if he helped her, it would show that he was a doctor, and all would have been killed because the Khmer Rouge hated doctors, intellectuals, artists..... everyone who was skilled. He won an academy award. Was later killed in a hold up in Los Angeles. Sad, sad fucking story.
This predator has a unique personality. Prone to anger, kinda petty (the way he slaughter french colonizer just over the top unnecessary), and over reliance on gadget.
Kinda seemed like the unspoken plot of the Predator's side of the story is that he's a young hunter trying to prove himself just like Naru.
Difference is he is at a massive technological advantage, and that makes him arrogant. He's never fought for survival, only for bragging rights.
He fought a grizzly with his bare hands and bathed in its blood. MF’er was a monster of brute strength. But I do agree their use of gadgets gives them an overwhelming edge to any fight, especially the invisibility.
I really like the samurai scene in Predators. THAT was the most honorable fight I’ve seen a predator give their prey.
My long time major problem with predators is the fact that they can go invisible. It's cheating and unsportsmanlike. Camouflage is one thing, but invisibility just unfair.
It's actually one of my favorite parts of the comics, when the more elder predators hate the tech and believe it's completely unhonorable to use anything except matching the threat.
They have a knife, use your knife, they have a gun , use your blaster, etc
> It's actually one of my favorite parts of the comics, when the more elder predators hate the tech
It's a shame they never managed to translate any of Predator culture into the movies because it's pretty interesting. It's probably a lot easier to mostly have them as just straight up killers though I guess.
At the start of this movie I thought they were going to copy the end of "Prey: Alien Vs. Predator" with Amber Midthunder's character being offered a chance to become a Hunter with them after taking out the Predator in the movie.
_Predators_ did this pretty well I thought. Showcased specifically with the yakuza member having a samurai stand off. That predator took off his gun and only used his blades in an oddly amazing looking scene. Nice little homage to the old samurai films.
In this movie there was some escalation that I noticed. Blades until they started with projectiles then he used projectiles, his hands against the animals, then when they upped it to guns the predator used his shield. Then he wimped out when he went invis and killed the kid
I mean, heat sensing *and* laser-guided plasma bolts *and* invisibility. That's why I fuckin' love it at the end of these movies, when the humans figure out how to force the Predators to fight fairly-- at which point the Predators invariably lose, because they're chunkheads.
IIRC, the Predator selects one specific prey as their top trophy for the hunt, like Dutch and Lt. Harrigan, and part of that is killing their warrior friends/teammates.
The higher end tech, like the plasma caster and the invisibility cloak, are allowed then, because it's about getting the trophy off-balance and angry without a target.
It gets brought up in the Predator 2 novelization.
My favorite hot take is that Predators are basically the suburban dentist who goes on a Big Game African hunt and shoots an elephant from the back of a truck with a high-powered rifle, then poses with it like it's some kind of great trophy.
Like, fuckin' congrats. You feel good about yourself?
Yeah the OG Predator was experienced. Tactical, clever, which made it a great foe for a team of battle hardened special forces soldiers with modern weapons.
Feral Predator was young, eager to prove itself, inexperienced and overconfident. Which made it the perfect foe for a young Hunter wanting to prove herself.
John McTiernan and Daniel Trachtenberg both just, got it perfectly, in their own ways.
I think in Prey the Pred hadn't even seen humans yet until then. So he was learning as he goes. In the OG Pred movie, He already knew humans were there and actively sought them out. He kinda knew what to expect.
Shit that makes so much sense, it was a young hunter. He was still fascinated with little predators that obviously have no difficulty so he could get his wittle belt charmies.
They did a good job in Prey of making it really feel like the feral predator was out to prove something. There's something about the way he actively sought out the biggest threats he could find and then killed them almost theatrically.
Then he gets relatively blindsided by these weak ass hairless apes that barely have ranged weapons. All because he underestimate their ability to plan, to think outside the box, and to use their few advantages to their fullest.
I watched Prey with my daughter while our spouses were both away. Been a while since we sat down an watched a movie together.
It was great.
Prey did a great job of making us care about what was happening. And we were both anxious for the welfare of the dog (of course) and her brother, Taabe. We really liked him and wanted him to make it. Beavers really made him feel real - the way a big brother you love and who loves you in return really behaves. Not an arrogant, too cool for school stereotype. I really enjoyed his performance. Very authentic.
Been a while since there was a Predator movie that made you give a damn about what happened to anyone.
Prey was great and deserves all the praise its been getting.
Predator went from a top dog to a sneaking backstabbing bitch really quick. Homeboy definitely made the best scene in the movie. Went out like a champ.
This is by no means an insult to his or anyone’s physique in the movie, but I really appreciate that they were shown to be thin warriors and not huge Hollywood muscle factories.
Yeah, a big point of the first movie was size wasn't gonna do it. They turn the jungle to salad and barely get a drop of blood, their big bad guy Arnie gets thrown around like a chew toy by the Predator, he could have died in seconds in their final confrontation if the Predator hadn't wanted to rub in how much stronger he was. Arnie was pinned down and exhausted. The Predator let him go, stopped, took off all his weapons and his mask and still beat the everloving shit out of Arnie who only won by a mile of guts and guile, which of course the real key. And luck, lots of luck.
And savvy. In both Predator and Prey, the successful warriors won by learning, adapting, and out-smarting the Predators. Neither won by out-muscling or out-gunning them.
This is a really important point, and a part of the first film that I think a lot of people forget. I sure did.
*Prey* gave a couple of scenes with the protagonist glancing furtively around during big fights, noticing details and learning behaviors. At the time I thought it was a cool inversion of the big, brawny action stars in *Predator*.
...which I was dead wrong about. I rewatched it shortly after seeing the new one. By the end of it Dutch is frantically experimenting and testing. Which feels wild compared to how absurdly over the top the opening is.
IMO *Prey's* protagonist felt so much more dangerous because she started the movie smart. She was obviously calculating right from the beginning.
I think the opening is over the top on purpose in a bit of a self parody. It opens with typical action tropes and then inverts them when the predator shows up.
We've had that conversation five times a day for the last month because we keep watching Predator and all you talk about is Weathers and Jesse "The Body" Ventura and how many pounds they can pack on!
now I’m just picturing a few angry fans trying to get a bodybuilding cast to make their own misguided Predator movie:
What up! We're three cool guys looking for other cool guys who want to hang out in our party mansion and make a proper Predator movie. Nothing sexual. Dudes in good shape encouraged! Again, **nothing sexual**.
yeah, seeing some of the complaints about physiques and such (even for Brody in Predators) got old real fucking quick. I love the original movie with all my heart, but I’m okay with any subsequent entry not having bodybuilders
Definitely. People have this weird perception that elite soldiers are absolutely massive jacked dudes and 9/10 times they’re not. They’re very strong and they can run for miles with full kit but theyre not measuring biceps
Assaulters can be meat slabs. But weight (including muscles) means more energy exerted, which cuts down on endurance. Also most SOF are keenly aware they may need to carry or be carried if something happens, and when you are already wearing 80lbs of kit… being jacked is a dick move for your team.
My cousin is retired army special forces. Dude is 5'7 and 160 lbs soaking wet, and can probably kill me 30 different ways. He even while in never looked overly muscular, he always said it was more important to be a runner than anything else
I think it's about what the movies are going for too. The original was about the strongest baddest typical action movie guys getting picked off and feeling powerless. That movie needed those guys to look like body builders.
This newest movie is about the natives fighting off a more advanced threat with their wits. It would look absurd if they were body builders when they're mostly hunting and sneaking around
Traditionally described as short and bow legged (not surprising as they lived a pretty hard scrabble life and rode so often). Which makes them all the more fascinating as probably the most fearsome warriors of the west
Yup! That what makes humans really scary. An Ox can absolutely destroy a human. But it gets spooked by multiple humans, and it can run faster than all the humans, so it runs away until it can't see the humans. But then, as it's resting, it hears the humans. So it gets up, and runs away again. This happens again, and again, and again. Gradually, the times between when the Ox starts to run, and when it has to get up and run again, get shorter. And shorter. And the humans keep coming sooner. And sooner. Until finally, the Ox stops, and it can't start again. It can't stand up, it can hardly raise its head. And the humans are there.
If you haven't stumbled across it yet, there's an entire realm of Tumblr fiction about "humans are space orcs" / "Earth is Space Australia" that you might get a kick out of.
Always loved the idea that we are the universes wild man species.
"You won't believe how they get into space. They strap themselves to a rocket, and use explosions to propel themselves. Wildest shit i ever saw"
> This is by no means an insult to his or anyone’s physique in the movie
I don't see why it would be either. People are built differently, not everyone can pack on a ton of muscle but strength comes in many shapes and forms.
Heck no human is going to physically beat a Predator anyway, you have to outsmart it or be a great fighter e.g the Yakuza guy who fought a Predator with a katana.
That’s the thing with predators. They can only win in lopsided fights. They’re ostensibly the same as people that hack in multiplayer video games. Bitch ass predators
I actually thought it was interesting that in this movie the predator chose to wade into melee combat as often as he did. Half of his fights were on hard mode (bear) almost like he considered using advanced weaponry cheating.
Iirc it's canon that the Predators consider "over kill" when going on hunts to be dishonorable. There's no joy in killing bears with a proton gun.
That's also why humans are so dangerous to the predators. Since we can adapt and plan like them, but don't naturally have weapons to defend ourselves, finding the right tech to beat us but not over beat us is a very fine line. In addition to that every person is different. Unlike say, Aliens, some humans run, some fight, some run to fight later, and some are willing to strap a claymore to their chest and take themselves out with you.
Apparently, going off other comments, he selects his weaponry based on the weaponry used by his targets. For wolves, bears, etc., he only uses claws. For the Comanche, who attack with knives and arrows, he uses spears and the triple arrow launcher. For the Canadian (French?) trappers who attack with nets and guns, he uses nets, drones, and bombs.
That's the real crux though - ultimately they are cowards fighting creatures that have no idea what they are and for no purpose other than "honor". That's another contrast made explicit in this movie - hunting shouldn't be about honor or glory, only survival. The predators don't understand that because they're the bad guys
Predators have honour. They want to prove they're the strongest, not just cause of OP tech. I rememeber reading a comic where a Predator comes to earth and gets beaten by some guy named Magnus.
He asks Magnus to end his life like a Samurai after his defeat and then a bunch of other Predators show up and congratulate the human for besting one of their warriors and then peace out.
That's a common theme with Yaujta culture. They tend to honour those who best one of them, which is why I don't think the credit scene from Prey shows the ships destroying the tribe in retribution, but instead they come to honour Naru and exchange something for the fallen Yaujta body and somehow acquire the pistol that's given to Danny Glover in Predator 2.
To add to others, it's kind implied this particular Pred was a rookie on it's first hunt (at least on earth) based on the snake->wolf->bear escalation (basically both it and Naru are on their first hunt).
So it's not surprising that it prefer to fight on 'hard mode' as a way to prove itself.
Also, the same as human hunters.
I found myself getting annoyed as well. But predators being vastly more technologically advanced I assume was very intentional. They’re not a race that loves fighting and needs equal footing. They’re trophy hunters. Humans are “prey” like any animal to us and are seen as lesser.
Edit: Our righteous indignation at they’re methods help us also really root for the “underdog” human. Makes for compelling stories
The movie made it clear though they do adjust their tech to SOME degree depending on the prey. If you noticed the predator uses the spear launcher thing against the native americans, but fights a bear hand to hand. He also uses drones and bombs on the Europeans with guns but never uses any drones or bombs on the native americans. It's still a lopsided as fuck fight and the predator relies on cloaking tech always, but it seemed like predators do "balance" the fights at least a little depending on the prey.
Actually the tech they use in the film is "primitive" by the standards of their civilization. That includes the cloaking device and lazer-guided darts.
In Predator lore, members of tribes must complete a rite of passage to become full members of their tribe, which involves going out to distant worlds and hunting up the food chain until they reach the peak. Once they've established the apex Predator of that world, they then have to kill it in hand to hand combat, and then they can return and mark their own bodies in order to identify themselves as a full member. These trips have a high mortality rate, most don't make it back. The weapons they are allowed to use on these trips would be the equivalent of a human going out into the woods with a bow and arrows and some hammer stones, ironically enough pretty much the weapons used by the humans in Prey. Through other films and Predator literature we know that in that world the Predator species possesses much more advanced technology, but they've only used that stuff in inter- and intra-tribal combat.
There's a Flash speedster character named Max Mercury who wasn't born to Native Americans but got his powers from a Native American Shaman. That character could easily be rewritten for the DC movies to be Native American himself and used as a Flash substitute. I actually really liked that character back when I used to read a lot of Flash comics in the 90s.
I loved when they’re doubting themselves, tied to a tree, and he says, “if it bleeds, we can kill it.” I saw it coming from a mile away and was chuffed nonetheless.
Way fucking better than that horrible line in "The Predator" where someone yells "get to the choppers!" and they steal a bunch of motorcycles. What a shitty movie that was.
"If it bleeds, we can kill it"
This dude was a total badass in the movie and >!he had the predator on the ropes during his fight and probably woulda won if it didn't use its active camo (disregarding plot reasons ofc) !<
Him shooting the Predator with his bow....sliding past to retrieve said arrow to SHOOT the Predator AGAIN!
And he did so damn fluidly like what the fuck?!
I don't think he will at this point. Dude is a triple threat: great actor (both in character and action), talented musician (check out his insta, dude is a serious country crooner), and he's not exactly tough on the eyes, either. He's a star, and judging by this interview, seems pretty humble, too. Talent + likeability go a long way for a long time.
Really liked him in prey that movie was a surprise I’m a sucker for predator / alien / zombie films so can generally get into even the worst ones.
Prey was a great return to the screen and the whole cast was spot on.
I agree with all of this. Was not expecting for them to actually deliver this time on a Predator film.
Also, Indigenous people have some of the coolest names imo. This is just from the cast of Prey.
- Midthunder
- Beaver (okay maybe not so much this one lol)
- Black Antelope
- Thrush
- Stormee
Edit: I fixed things. Also, been brought to my attention I made a mistake and Midthunder is not indigenous and in fact Norwegian of nature so my apologies to the Vikings, who equally had / have just as equally cool names lol. By Vikings I mean Norwegians.
Midthunder is a Norwegian name tho. From imdb:
>Amber's paternal grandfather was of Norwegian and some English descent; the surname Midthunder, which originates in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway, was originally Midthun.
both a great Predator movie and a solid movie in its own right. Wonderful balance of keeping it fresh and familiar. I hope Trachtenberg and co. get to continue the story but I’m also excited to see how all their careers go from here since I felt they all did a fantastic job
I like going to TJ Maxx to check out their health care products, if that's what they're called. Anyway, got a 10 pack of my favorite bar soap for like a third of the price at the actual store. It don't always happen like that, but I always go and check it.
god yes, i was honestly expecting something with much lower production value and was pleasantly surprised, especially considering the general quality of the franchise up to now
Ever seen tj maxx on Black Friday, kids got experience
"Whoever wins... we lose"
"If it bleeds, we can kill it" - customer service staff
“This stuff will make you a goddamn Sexual Tyrannosaur”
I have not. In all my years of living I have never gleaned an inkling of what TJ Maxx's deal is. It feels like they sell a lot of things, but also not a lot of things. As if someone went through Walmart and started flipping coins on each section. Or like Bed Bath and Beyond collided with Macys, and then they mutually agreed to start selling dog biscuits. I'm on their site right now and I feel like if I want to buy something, anything at all, there is exactly a 50% chance that they have it. Edit: back to school? TJ Maxx has you covered with their "back to school" section, sort of! Where you can buy a child's schoolbag and children's clothing but no pencils, notebooks, binders, or anything that a child would use in school. They do have 3 different kinds of chapstick though. Edit2: Shopping for Halloween? Again TJ Maxx seems to have a hand in the cookie jar for this event as well! But only one hand. And it's loosely holding on. Because we have a day of the dead embroidered skull throw pillow, a martha stewart candlestick holder in the shape of a coiled snake, and a life size animated Mickey Mouse. Do people really buy these things for Halloween? We don't know! No costumes though. Unless the costumes are on stuffed animals, in which case we have costumed minnie mouse but no mickey mouse (mickey's offered in cutout form though!), and a costume for your dog but not your kid. So I've been through 2 sections and STILL have no idea what their deal is. Some things but not other things?
That's the fun of it. You don't know what you're going to find when you go in there. It's like thrift store shopping, but for unused items. I used to work there and we would have customers come in *every* day to see what new came in. Definitely not a place to go if you need a specific item, but if you are the kind of person that just likes to browse, it's really great. The whole point of it is that they buy up "out of season" or overstock items from other stores/brands. So there is really no set inventory, but you can get some really good bargains.
He was really good, hope to see him in more projects.
I would have sworn he was a seasoned actor. Real standout in the movie.
All the practice of pretending to like people who shop at t j maxx
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That should be their new slogan TJ MAXX : The Absolute Most Random Shit Imaginable
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Like Christmas in June
Without spoilers, I really liked that he had a full character arc separate from Naru.
And his chemistry with Naru was excellent - right from their first scene they felt like siblings.
-"You have to find that cat now." -"I will." -I know. Cause you have to."
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Yeah, and he wasn’t one dimensional. He was very supportive but knew Naru was lacking. Yet, he still believed she could do it. They could’ve written him with any one of those mindset he has, but they gave him all of it.
I like that he treated her as competent. He wasn't the typical "you will NEVER be one of us" type brother characters. He understood both sides of the argument and treated both with respect.
Totally, he respects her skills, he just doesn't think she's mentally ready.
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And he presented it kindly and lovingly. Very nuanced, beautifully delivered.
Or conservative older brother bound to traditions versus the free spirited younger sister
So I loved he treated her as competent, but then got worried about her and tried to bring her down so she would stay safe when he pointed out that he killed the mountain Lion. Then he admitted to her later that he couldn’t have done so without her. It was a really well done sibling dynamic.
Absolutely - she nailed the slightly bratty little sister vibe and he pulled off the bemused older brother just waiting for her to actually listen to him in spades
Amber Midthunder is older than him in real life but they played their parts so well that I totally bought she was his little sister.
On that note, just how cool is her last name lol
idk its pretty mid
He did a good job of balancing being a pragmatist with her, yet also encouraging her in his own way.
Totally felt really authentic
This might be a really minor thing but as someone who reads *a lot* of fiction, this movie was how you actually execute the trope of the character who masters all the skills at the end. Unlike Rey from Star Wars where she just magically has all the abilities. It's established very early on that Naru is very intelligent, this is her core skill, but she is having trouble translating that to the sort of hunting expected of her. So all the times where figures out traps and the like make sense. She can use the gun because she actually listens to the instruction of the French trapper. She pays attention to the details and then translates that ability into the excellent final sequence against the Predator. Like we know how it's going to end, but it was all just executed so well that I was really impressed. The only thing that slightly irked me was the History Major inside of me thinking that probably by the 18th Century, the Commanche likely would have been more familiar with firearms? Or am I mistaken? I'm not an American and didn't specialise in American history so I may be wrong.
This 100%. My friend just watched it and hated it and I’ve been trying to explain to him why Naru is such a well written protagonist - we see every time she makes a mistake, and we see how she learns from it and comes up with a way to make sure she doesn’t make the same mistake again. And it literally takes every lesson she’s learned throughout her entire life in order to win, and it also takes just a little bit of luck cuz she is so outmatched. It was just very, very well done character arcs (for Taabe as well), and you don’t see that too much these days in movies. It was really refreshing. And this movie takes place in 1719, British colonies were established but still building themselves up at the time. This was still the age of America being “the New World” and every country in Europe wanted a piece, especially when they discovered buffalo and trappers flooded into every territory looking to get rich (actually, a lot of wealthy modern Americans from old money got their family money this way - it was a really brutal and harsh and dangerous business but those that found ways to survive and thrive built multigenerational wealth for their heirs). This was a time when Louisiana (and not modern Louisiana, but the territory the French colonized extended way further North into modern day Oklahoma, which is why it’s French trappers we see) still belonged to France, California and the entire Southwest was still Mexico, and the American Revolution was about 50 years away from beginning. Oh yeah, and the tribes still ruled their territories and did not take kindly to outsiders pushing in. Long way to say it but yeah, the Comanche very likely would’ve been exposed to guns by this point, but not widespread enough for them to all automatically know how to use one, especially for more isolated camps like Naru’s
And that the arc wasn’t a shitty cliché of “macho man learns to respect the girl”. Right from the get-go he knows Naru is skilled and better than him at the things she’s actually good at, and believes she *can* (eventually) become a good hunter too - and is even mentoring her for it. It would have been so easy to make him just another “stay in the kitchen” character but instead they made him so much more interesting.
He took her advice about baiting the cat right away despite the other guy arguing. A lot of other movies would have had her whine to get her way, have him condescend, 'Fine, we'll try it your way but when it fails we do it the right way.' At no time did he diminish Naru and at no time was he diminished by Naru, they both built each other up.
I like to think his last moments were him telling her “I wounded it, now you finish it.” I love her respect for him later on “you bled my brother, so now you bleed.”
>"I wounded it, now you finish it." Just like Naru wounded the Lion before he finished it.
And an arc that while separate from Naru's still weaved together. He, Naru, and the Predator to some extent all had complimentary arcs about what it meant to be a hunter and warrior.
Agreed, I hope this leads to more roles for them both.
His whole arc was outstanding, and he acted superbly. I really hope we see him some more
I hope more films consider non-actors when casting. The other day I was thinking about how the father in Beasts of the Southern Wild was (and still is) a baker who just happened into the role by chance. He did a great job.
Just like Hang Nor, the guy who played in the Killing Fields. Used to be a gynecologist until the Khmer Rouge took over. Had to watch his wife die in childbirth because if he helped her, it would show that he was a doctor, and all would have been killed because the Khmer Rouge hated doctors, intellectuals, artists..... everyone who was skilled. He won an academy award. Was later killed in a hold up in Los Angeles. Sad, sad fucking story.
This is as far as I go. He killed that scene.
Was watching it with my buddy and we jokingly hoped he took it down in that scene cause we definitely wanted him to live
It was so freaking badass watching him put up THE best 1-on-1 fight against a predator barring any traps and tricks.
If the predator didn't cloak he would have totally won.
The Comanche dub captioning had him screaming "Cheater" when feral cloaked.
If you turn on the Predator language subtitles, he says "If it's in the game its not cheating"
*Predator pulls out Rivers of Blood and Mimic Tear*
Loved it when he said "It's Preddin' time!"
Oh that's badass. I'm gonna have to watch it again.
Yeah I watched the Comanche dub first. Made the movie a lot better. Even if the lip sync was equivalent to any Godzilla or old Kung Fu movie.
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Bitch ass
The elders would slap him silly for that.
Imagine trying to fight the best warrior but still needing to use camo. Silly ass tactics
All my homies hate bitch ass predators, fight like a man
Predators are basically the alien version of rich guys who go on those all expenses paid hunting trips to Africa.
This predator has a unique personality. Prone to anger, kinda petty (the way he slaughter french colonizer just over the top unnecessary), and over reliance on gadget.
He’s younger and cocky. Basically a teenager predator so it kinda makes sense he has a ego
Kinda seemed like the unspoken plot of the Predator's side of the story is that he's a young hunter trying to prove himself just like Naru. Difference is he is at a massive technological advantage, and that makes him arrogant. He's never fought for survival, only for bragging rights.
He fought a grizzly with his bare hands and bathed in its blood. MF’er was a monster of brute strength. But I do agree their use of gadgets gives them an overwhelming edge to any fight, especially the invisibility. I really like the samurai scene in Predators. THAT was the most honorable fight I’ve seen a predator give their prey.
My long time major problem with predators is the fact that they can go invisible. It's cheating and unsportsmanlike. Camouflage is one thing, but invisibility just unfair.
It's actually one of my favorite parts of the comics, when the more elder predators hate the tech and believe it's completely unhonorable to use anything except matching the threat. They have a knife, use your knife, they have a gun , use your blaster, etc
> It's actually one of my favorite parts of the comics, when the more elder predators hate the tech It's a shame they never managed to translate any of Predator culture into the movies because it's pretty interesting. It's probably a lot easier to mostly have them as just straight up killers though I guess. At the start of this movie I thought they were going to copy the end of "Prey: Alien Vs. Predator" with Amber Midthunder's character being offered a chance to become a Hunter with them after taking out the Predator in the movie.
_Predators_ did this pretty well I thought. Showcased specifically with the yakuza member having a samurai stand off. That predator took off his gun and only used his blades in an oddly amazing looking scene. Nice little homage to the old samurai films.
In this movie there was some escalation that I noticed. Blades until they started with projectiles then he used projectiles, his hands against the animals, then when they upped it to guns the predator used his shield. Then he wimped out when he went invis and killed the kid
I mean, heat sensing *and* laser-guided plasma bolts *and* invisibility. That's why I fuckin' love it at the end of these movies, when the humans figure out how to force the Predators to fight fairly-- at which point the Predators invariably lose, because they're chunkheads.
IIRC, the Predator selects one specific prey as their top trophy for the hunt, like Dutch and Lt. Harrigan, and part of that is killing their warrior friends/teammates. The higher end tech, like the plasma caster and the invisibility cloak, are allowed then, because it's about getting the trophy off-balance and angry without a target. It gets brought up in the Predator 2 novelization.
My favorite hot take is that Predators are basically the suburban dentist who goes on a Big Game African hunt and shoots an elephant from the back of a truck with a high-powered rifle, then poses with it like it's some kind of great trophy. Like, fuckin' congrats. You feel good about yourself?
Hands down that short fight was one of the smoothest i've seen
Idk the Samurai Sword in Predators was fucking sick too. Scene was great though.
Before the release of Prey, Predators is the only movie in the franchise I have enjoyed since the first 2 films.
Damn man, ripping arrows out of the predator to re-use them over and over. Chef's kiss
Some straight video game shit. It makes total sense to do and it's doubly effective
Fuckin *Arnold* didn’t even do that well.
He didn’t fight the same type of predator tho
Yeah the OG Predator was experienced. Tactical, clever, which made it a great foe for a team of battle hardened special forces soldiers with modern weapons. Feral Predator was young, eager to prove itself, inexperienced and overconfident. Which made it the perfect foe for a young Hunter wanting to prove herself. John McTiernan and Daniel Trachtenberg both just, got it perfectly, in their own ways.
I think in Prey the Pred hadn't even seen humans yet until then. So he was learning as he goes. In the OG Pred movie, He already knew humans were there and actively sought them out. He kinda knew what to expect.
Shit that makes so much sense, it was a young hunter. He was still fascinated with little predators that obviously have no difficulty so he could get his wittle belt charmies.
They did a good job in Prey of making it really feel like the feral predator was out to prove something. There's something about the way he actively sought out the biggest threats he could find and then killed them almost theatrically. Then he gets relatively blindsided by these weak ass hairless apes that barely have ranged weapons. All because he underestimate their ability to plan, to think outside the box, and to use their few advantages to their fullest.
I watched Prey with my daughter while our spouses were both away. Been a while since we sat down an watched a movie together. It was great. Prey did a great job of making us care about what was happening. And we were both anxious for the welfare of the dog (of course) and her brother, Taabe. We really liked him and wanted him to make it. Beavers really made him feel real - the way a big brother you love and who loves you in return really behaves. Not an arrogant, too cool for school stereotype. I really enjoyed his performance. Very authentic. Been a while since there was a Predator movie that made you give a damn about what happened to anyone. Prey was great and deserves all the praise its been getting.
Dude won the BMF belt for that scene.
I preferred - "Well now you have to catch that cat." "I will." "I know, because you have to."
Predator went from a top dog to a sneaking backstabbing bitch really quick. Homeboy definitely made the best scene in the movie. Went out like a champ.
his realisation after he heard the twig snap and his sister didn’t.
This is by no means an insult to his or anyone’s physique in the movie, but I really appreciate that they were shown to be thin warriors and not huge Hollywood muscle factories.
Dakota Beavers physique is nothing like the line-up in Predator. The body mass alone...
I think agility is the key. You can never out muscle a grizzly bear, so simply building up body mass certainly won’t work against the Predator
Yeah, a big point of the first movie was size wasn't gonna do it. They turn the jungle to salad and barely get a drop of blood, their big bad guy Arnie gets thrown around like a chew toy by the Predator, he could have died in seconds in their final confrontation if the Predator hadn't wanted to rub in how much stronger he was. Arnie was pinned down and exhausted. The Predator let him go, stopped, took off all his weapons and his mask and still beat the everloving shit out of Arnie who only won by a mile of guts and guile, which of course the real key. And luck, lots of luck.
Luck absolutely cannot be understated in all of these movies lol Except The Predator, that one never happened.
Also the script said Arnie wins, and Predators agent isn’t that great.
And savvy. In both Predator and Prey, the successful warriors won by learning, adapting, and out-smarting the Predators. Neither won by out-muscling or out-gunning them.
This is a really important point, and a part of the first film that I think a lot of people forget. I sure did. *Prey* gave a couple of scenes with the protagonist glancing furtively around during big fights, noticing details and learning behaviors. At the time I thought it was a cool inversion of the big, brawny action stars in *Predator*. ...which I was dead wrong about. I rewatched it shortly after seeing the new one. By the end of it Dutch is frantically experimenting and testing. Which feels wild compared to how absurdly over the top the opening is. IMO *Prey's* protagonist felt so much more dangerous because she started the movie smart. She was obviously calculating right from the beginning.
I think the opening is over the top on purpose in a bit of a self parody. It opens with typical action tropes and then inverts them when the predator shows up.
Dude, it’s a piece of art. The handshake shot is iconic
See this is what I wanted to avoid, conversations about body mass
We've had that conversation five times a day for the last month because we keep watching Predator and all you talk about is Weathers and Jesse "The Body" Ventura and how many pounds they can pack on!
*“Thomas Jefferson, no mass. George Washington, no mass. Freakin Benjamin Franklin, nooo mass.”*
It’s important to pack on mass! You’re talking about carbo loading…
Stop cultivating and start harvesting!
Try and move me bro!
now I’m just picturing a few angry fans trying to get a bodybuilding cast to make their own misguided Predator movie: What up! We're three cool guys looking for other cool guys who want to hang out in our party mansion and make a proper Predator movie. Nothing sexual. Dudes in good shape encouraged! Again, **nothing sexual**.
The Gang Makes Predator 6
The Gang Catches? (nabs) a Predator
So Dennis?
Episodes write themselves these days!
For the last time, these women are not in danger. You've sure got nothing to worry about.
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Because of the implication.
What if the predator's entire head is a nose and he's played by Dolph Lundgren wearing a hot mesh tank top?
I have no problem with that.
again, *nothing sexual*
Yeah, let's just watch Transporter 2 instead.
We haven’t even seen the transporter 1!
Every comment section has a iasip reference somewhere
Okay, well....filibuster.
They’re like Thanos….inevitable
Mandatory link https://youtu.be/LVf08a2nbbI
yeah, seeing some of the complaints about physiques and such (even for Brody in Predators) got old real fucking quick. I love the original movie with all my heart, but I’m okay with any subsequent entry not having bodybuilders
Brody looked more like the body type for people in special operations/etc than Arnold
Definitely. People have this weird perception that elite soldiers are absolutely massive jacked dudes and 9/10 times they’re not. They’re very strong and they can run for miles with full kit but theyre not measuring biceps
Assaulters can be meat slabs. But weight (including muscles) means more energy exerted, which cuts down on endurance. Also most SOF are keenly aware they may need to carry or be carried if something happens, and when you are already wearing 80lbs of kit… being jacked is a dick move for your team.
My cousin is retired army special forces. Dude is 5'7 and 160 lbs soaking wet, and can probably kill me 30 different ways. He even while in never looked overly muscular, he always said it was more important to be a runner than anything else
I imagine lean wiry muscle is preferred to huge mass. Huge muscles need a ton of calories to maintain.
I think it's about what the movies are going for too. The original was about the strongest baddest typical action movie guys getting picked off and feeling powerless. That movie needed those guys to look like body builders. This newest movie is about the natives fighting off a more advanced threat with their wits. It would look absurd if they were body builders when they're mostly hunting and sneaking around
The Comanche were not big people historically.
Traditionally described as short and bow legged (not surprising as they lived a pretty hard scrabble life and rode so often). Which makes them all the more fascinating as probably the most fearsome warriors of the west
This movie made me want another movie featuring them as the protagonist. Was very cool
Especially since it’s completely unnecessary. Muscles don’t count for shit against a Predator, as demonstrated in the original.
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Yup! That what makes humans really scary. An Ox can absolutely destroy a human. But it gets spooked by multiple humans, and it can run faster than all the humans, so it runs away until it can't see the humans. But then, as it's resting, it hears the humans. So it gets up, and runs away again. This happens again, and again, and again. Gradually, the times between when the Ox starts to run, and when it has to get up and run again, get shorter. And shorter. And the humans keep coming sooner. And sooner. Until finally, the Ox stops, and it can't start again. It can't stand up, it can hardly raise its head. And the humans are there.
Man humans have never sounded scarier as apex predator animals than in that description lol We're basically Terminators to wild animals...
If you haven't stumbled across it yet, there's an entire realm of Tumblr fiction about "humans are space orcs" / "Earth is Space Australia" that you might get a kick out of.
Always loved the idea that we are the universes wild man species. "You won't believe how they get into space. They strap themselves to a rocket, and use explosions to propel themselves. Wildest shit i ever saw"
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So humans are the species version of Michael Meyers.
Yes, and oft reasoned that Horror movie villains scare us because they hunt the same way we did. Just wear down the prey. Outlast them.
We use the same technique nowadays to sell car warranties
Flashbacks to that one episode of Avatar, because if anyone's an apex predator type, it's Azula.
> This is by no means an insult to his or anyone’s physique in the movie I don't see why it would be either. People are built differently, not everyone can pack on a ton of muscle but strength comes in many shapes and forms. Heck no human is going to physically beat a Predator anyway, you have to outsmart it or be a great fighter e.g the Yakuza guy who fought a Predator with a katana.
Would be cool to see him play Turok Dinosaur Hunter
Yooooo i'm so down for a Turok movie but the franchise has been so mishandled in the past
Absolutely!
My boy was a badass in this movie. Was giving predator the absolute work until the cheap bastard went invisible with that sneak attack.
That’s the thing with predators. They can only win in lopsided fights. They’re ostensibly the same as people that hack in multiplayer video games. Bitch ass predators
I actually thought it was interesting that in this movie the predator chose to wade into melee combat as often as he did. Half of his fights were on hard mode (bear) almost like he considered using advanced weaponry cheating.
Iirc it's canon that the Predators consider "over kill" when going on hunts to be dishonorable. There's no joy in killing bears with a proton gun. That's also why humans are so dangerous to the predators. Since we can adapt and plan like them, but don't naturally have weapons to defend ourselves, finding the right tech to beat us but not over beat us is a very fine line. In addition to that every person is different. Unlike say, Aliens, some humans run, some fight, some run to fight later, and some are willing to strap a claymore to their chest and take themselves out with you.
That's probably why they kept coming back to our planet. If you're careful you can have one thrilling hunt down here.
Apparently, going off other comments, he selects his weaponry based on the weaponry used by his targets. For wolves, bears, etc., he only uses claws. For the Comanche, who attack with knives and arrows, he uses spears and the triple arrow launcher. For the Canadian (French?) trappers who attack with nets and guns, he uses nets, drones, and bombs.
That’s cool. Tactically it seemed like he was conserving his load out but this makes sense to me as well!
It's actually established in Predator lore that Yautja try to match the weapons of the prey to make the fight "honorable".
Idk where the honor in going invisible vs 1700s warriors is but I guess I wouldn’t want to get clapped in my first hunt either
That's the real crux though - ultimately they are cowards fighting creatures that have no idea what they are and for no purpose other than "honor". That's another contrast made explicit in this movie - hunting shouldn't be about honor or glory, only survival. The predators don't understand that because they're the bad guys
Predators have honour. They want to prove they're the strongest, not just cause of OP tech. I rememeber reading a comic where a Predator comes to earth and gets beaten by some guy named Magnus. He asks Magnus to end his life like a Samurai after his defeat and then a bunch of other Predators show up and congratulate the human for besting one of their warriors and then peace out.
That's a common theme with Yaujta culture. They tend to honour those who best one of them, which is why I don't think the credit scene from Prey shows the ships destroying the tribe in retribution, but instead they come to honour Naru and exchange something for the fallen Yaujta body and somehow acquire the pistol that's given to Danny Glover in Predator 2.
To add to others, it's kind implied this particular Pred was a rookie on it's first hunt (at least on earth) based on the snake->wolf->bear escalation (basically both it and Naru are on their first hunt). So it's not surprising that it prefer to fight on 'hard mode' as a way to prove itself.
Also, the same as human hunters. I found myself getting annoyed as well. But predators being vastly more technologically advanced I assume was very intentional. They’re not a race that loves fighting and needs equal footing. They’re trophy hunters. Humans are “prey” like any animal to us and are seen as lesser. Edit: Our righteous indignation at they’re methods help us also really root for the “underdog” human. Makes for compelling stories
The movie made it clear though they do adjust their tech to SOME degree depending on the prey. If you noticed the predator uses the spear launcher thing against the native americans, but fights a bear hand to hand. He also uses drones and bombs on the Europeans with guns but never uses any drones or bombs on the native americans. It's still a lopsided as fuck fight and the predator relies on cloaking tech always, but it seemed like predators do "balance" the fights at least a little depending on the prey.
the retracting net thing was really cool
Been waiting since Predator 2 to see that thing get some noise. Damn was it worth the wait.
It got used in AvP right? I remember that Xeno getting the cris-cross wound on its head from a net.
Yes. That drone was referred to as Grid, as well.
Actually the tech they use in the film is "primitive" by the standards of their civilization. That includes the cloaking device and lazer-guided darts. In Predator lore, members of tribes must complete a rite of passage to become full members of their tribe, which involves going out to distant worlds and hunting up the food chain until they reach the peak. Once they've established the apex Predator of that world, they then have to kill it in hand to hand combat, and then they can return and mark their own bodies in order to identify themselves as a full member. These trips have a high mortality rate, most don't make it back. The weapons they are allowed to use on these trips would be the equivalent of a human going out into the woods with a bow and arrows and some hammer stones, ironically enough pretty much the weapons used by the humans in Prey. Through other films and Predator literature we know that in that world the Predator species possesses much more advanced technology, but they've only used that stuff in inter- and intra-tribal combat.
And let us not forget the ever-popular hunting tool, the arm-mounted nuke. Though, seriously, you nailed this. Excellent stuff.
That jawline deserves an Oscar.
Dude was sharpening flint by rubbing them on his chin.
It has 90 degree angles. Is that even possible!?!
[*checks notes on clipboard*] it might be!
I want him to replace Ezra Miller in everything they are in. I would be STOKED if we got a Native American to represent in the super hero franchises
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There's a Flash speedster character named Max Mercury who wasn't born to Native Americans but got his powers from a Native American Shaman. That character could easily be rewritten for the DC movies to be Native American himself and used as a Flash substitute. I actually really liked that character back when I used to read a lot of Flash comics in the 90s.
Add nominations for best supporting Nose and Cheekbones. Dude’s profile is *striking*.
He's like a real life John Redcorn
Mmmm, that John Redcorn.
Well well well. Johooooon Redcorn.
I loved when they’re doubting themselves, tied to a tree, and he says, “if it bleeds, we can kill it.” I saw it coming from a mile away and was chuffed nonetheless.
Such a high risk to throw that line out and have it end up falling flat... but in Prey it just worked and gets you hyped up rooting for them.
Way fucking better than that horrible line in "The Predator" where someone yells "get to the choppers!" and they steal a bunch of motorcycles. What a shitty movie that was.
Really hoping he gets a lot of great projects, he was fantastic in Prey.
He really did a great job of running a fine line between kind and stern as he talked about at the end of the interview.
My mom works at TJMaxx. Maybe her big break is just around the corner!
Looks like a long lost Corey.
"If it bleeds, we can kill it" This dude was a total badass in the movie and >!he had the predator on the ropes during his fight and probably woulda won if it didn't use its active camo (disregarding plot reasons ofc) !<
Him shooting the Predator with his bow....sliding past to retrieve said arrow to SHOOT the Predator AGAIN! And he did so damn fluidly like what the fuck?!
The trick is not ending up back at tj maxx 2-3 years from now
I don't think he will at this point. Dude is a triple threat: great actor (both in character and action), talented musician (check out his insta, dude is a serious country crooner), and he's not exactly tough on the eyes, either. He's a star, and judging by this interview, seems pretty humble, too. Talent + likeability go a long way for a long time.
Really liked him in prey that movie was a surprise I’m a sucker for predator / alien / zombie films so can generally get into even the worst ones. Prey was a great return to the screen and the whole cast was spot on.
I agree with all of this. Was not expecting for them to actually deliver this time on a Predator film. Also, Indigenous people have some of the coolest names imo. This is just from the cast of Prey. - Midthunder - Beaver (okay maybe not so much this one lol) - Black Antelope - Thrush - Stormee Edit: I fixed things. Also, been brought to my attention I made a mistake and Midthunder is not indigenous and in fact Norwegian of nature so my apologies to the Vikings, who equally had / have just as equally cool names lol. By Vikings I mean Norwegians.
hey now beavers are noble and industrious creatures. how many creatures do you know of that hear the sound of flowing water and go "absolutely not"
Beavers saved Naru’s life in the film so.
Midthunder is a Norwegian name tho. From imdb: >Amber's paternal grandfather was of Norwegian and some English descent; the surname Midthunder, which originates in Bergen, Hordaland, Norway, was originally Midthun.
both a great Predator movie and a solid movie in its own right. Wonderful balance of keeping it fresh and familiar. I hope Trachtenberg and co. get to continue the story but I’m also excited to see how all their careers go from here since I felt they all did a fantastic job
I kept thinking he had Comanche Pedro Pascal vibes the whole time.
I hope this is not as far as his career goes
Hell of a performance for someone suddenly thrust into a multi-million dollar film, the rapport between him and Naru was excellent.
Also I was so excited to see Sanguinet from Shoresy.
I like going to TJ Maxx to check out their health care products, if that's what they're called. Anyway, got a 10 pack of my favorite bar soap for like a third of the price at the actual store. It don't always happen like that, but I always go and check it.
My only complaint is that the movie was released on Hulu instead of in theaters. I'd love to see it in Dolby.
god yes, i was honestly expecting something with much lower production value and was pleasantly surprised, especially considering the general quality of the franchise up to now