The Prey is intense and overwrought in a way that only European thrillers can really get away with. If this was an American movie it would be laughably implausible and unrealistic; but it’s French and so is able to not only stay on the right side of feasible, while also being a slickly suspenseful and exciting thrill ride.
Albert Dupontel stars as the apparently indestructible Franck Adrien, a convicted bank robber who is forced to escape jail (rather easily) and set off in pursuit of his former cellmate, Maurel (Stephane Dubac), a crafty serial killer who’s managed to get himself released and who has sinister designs on Adrien’s family, as well as on the proceeds of his latest robbery, which Adrien has stashed in a secret location. The pursuit is made all the more difficult when Maurel manages to frame Adrien for his own serial-killing antics and he becomes the most wanted man in France.
Director Eric Valette is a veteran of TV but gives proceedings an unmistakably French, coolly cinematic sheen despite a fairly no-thrills approach. Dupontel is a convincing man-on-the-edge and has a steely-eyed screen presence. He carries the film on his shoulders although he’s a relatively passive protagonist all he’s really good at is fighting, running and shrugging off injuries that would kill a normal human being. He leaves most of the thinking to Carrega (Sergio Lopez, probably best known as the psychotic Vidal in Pan’s Labyrinth) a former gendarme who’s been on the trail of Maurel for years and becomes Adrien’s only ally. Although the detective in charge of bringing Adrien down, the intuitive Claire Linne (Alice Taglioni), also suspects she’s after the wrong man.
Essentially, The Prey is a perfect disposable thriller; it won’t change your life or stand up to repeat viewings but it will keep the edge of your seat occupied for 100 minutes.
Overall Verdict: The Prey is such an intense and nerve-wracking watch that it’s only after the credits have rolled that you realise it’s actually quite ridiculous, but you’ll probably have been so thoroughly entertained that you won’t care.
Special Features:
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Reviewer: Adam Pidgeon