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Prey

Prey

Out here, you're the endangered species...

200792 minTV-MAMidcredits score: 14th percentile of all films
Director
Darrell Roodt
Starring
Bridget Moynahan, Peter Weller, Carly Schroeder, Jamie Bartlett

An American family on holiday in Africa becomes lost in a game reserve and stalked by vicious killer lions.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Prey?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Prey streaming on MovieSphere+ via Prime Video, Peacock, Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Prey?

Prey earns 2 badges, led by Overhyped and Unsettling.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Prey worth watching?

Prey's Midcredits score is the 14th percentile of all films, from 13K ratings across 4 sources. 22% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

14th percentile

Better received than 14% of films

16th percentile among Adventure14th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)20th
Approval (how many liked it)11th

51 /100

20th percentile of all films

22nd percentile among Adventure20th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

The crowd leans negative, with most ratings sitting in the bottom half of the scale.

Approval

How many liked it

22% liked it

11th percentile of all films

13th percentile among Adventure10th percentile among 2000s
22% rated it 7–1078% rated it 1–6

Critics 17% · Audience 23%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Reach

How many have seen it

86th percentile

13K ratings across platforms

80th percentile among Adventure79th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 8% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$3.6M

48th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A family trapped in a Jeep by lions in the African savannah with predictable plot and irrational character choices.

Fans praised

  • real lions instead of CGI create visceral authenticity
  • genuine suspense and tension during lion attack sequences
  • Bridget Moynahan and Peter Weller give solid performances

Detractors panned

  • characters make absurdly stupid survival decisions
  • lions behave unrealistically, stalking vehicles for days
  • teenage daughter is grating and unlikeable

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive70

beautiful African landscapes and solid lion footage

AtmosphereDivisive60

good sense of isolation and heat on savannah

ActingDivisive55

passable but uneven; Moynahan and Weller competent, child actors widely panned

TensionDivisive55

intermittent suspense undermined by silly character choices

PacingDivisive40

fast enough but middle section drags with repetitive waiting

CharactersDivisive30

underwritten; teenage daughter archetype annoys most viewers

Plot and storyDivisive25

derivative Cujo formula, full of logical holes and contrivances

OriginalityDivisive20

Jaws / Cujo rehash with lions; nothing new

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 2 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Prey like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Scary: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want to be scared.

It is intense and leaves you unsettled. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Scary.

The answer rests on this: Moods
DreadTenseMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Register
Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its life-threatening situation with earnest tension and no irony, focusing on raw survival and family bonds.
The rideThe initial family conflict gives way to sustained dread and tension as the lions stalk the trapped family, culminating in the rescue attempt.
StructureThe story unfolds in a linear, chronological sequence typical of survival thrillers, following the family's ordeal and the father's rescue effort.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Unsettled.

UnsettlingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe raw threat of the lions and the family's struggle to survive leave an uneasy, persistent tension, balanced by the hope of rescue.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterPredator
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% (this title) · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Predator: A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).

21% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA family is stalked by a pride of predatory lions after a ranger is killed, turning their game drive into a fight for survival. The father teams up with a hunter to rescue them.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% (this title) · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsSurvival
Observes its theme: Presents its theme neutrally, declining to judge.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe family's strained bonds are tested and must be reforged under the immediate threat of a lion attack.
StanceThe film focuses on the family's struggle for survival without overt moral judgment, presenting the threat as a natural, indifferent force.

The world

ContemporaryWildernessIn transitRealistic
Orchestral classicalExperimentalSupportive music · original score · Tony Humecke
Settingan African game reserve and a dam worksite
MusicThe score likely underscores tension and the vast, threatening African landscape.

Content guide

Is Prey okay for kids?

TV-MA

Prey is rated TV-MA. As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at severe (81/100), sexual content at minimal (10/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (47/100) and frightening material at severe (87/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • Germany16
  • Hungary16
  • ItalyVM14
Overall
Intense · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Severe
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (7 votes)
Profanity
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Severe
too few votes to rank (5 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (29 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Prey have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Prey?

Cast

2 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Bridget Moynahan
as Amy Newman
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Peter Weller
as Tom Newman
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Carly Schroeder
as Jessica Newman
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jamie Bartlett
as Crawford
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Connor Dowds
as David Newman
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Mary-Anne Barlow
as Ranger in Radio Room
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Muso Sefatsa
as Nephew
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Jacob Makgoba
as Local Hunter
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Ashley Taylor
as Rescue Chopper Ranger
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Tumisho Masha
as Mike - Ranger at Airstrip
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Prey?

Movies like Prey include Beast (2022), 47 Meters Down (2017) and Black Water: Abyss (2020). Of the 12 closest matches, all are survival stories, and half are films about family bonds.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

10 of these 12 share its story type: creature feature. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Prey?

578 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: animal. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.