The Prey

Name: The Prey
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: June 7, 2013
Duration: 105 min
Rating: 58

2013

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Mixed or average reviews based on 12 Critic Reviews

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Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Cohen Media Group | Release Date: June 7, 2013 | R

Summary: Franck Adrien, a bank robber convicted of a heist and sentenced to six months in prison, shares a cell with seemingly weak Jean Louis Morel. But once Morel gets released from behind bars, Adrien learns that Morel is really a sadistic serial killer who now knows private details about Adrien’s life. Adrien must break out of prison and catchFranck Adrien, a bank robber convicted of a heist and sentenced to six months in prison, shares a cell with seemingly weak Jean Louis Morel. But once Morel gets released from behind bars, Adrien learns that Morel is really a sadistic serial killer who now knows private details about Adrien’s life. Adrien must break out of prison and catch Morel before he gets to Adrien’s family…and before France’s elite police detectives hunt Adrien down. [Cohen Media Group]… Expand

Director: Eric Valette

Genre(s): Action, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 105 min

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Critic Reviews

Robert Abele

Jun 6, 2013

For moviegoers who prefer cheeky wit, down-and-dirty mayhem and grown-up suspense in their air-conditioned escapism, The Prey deserves to light up the summer art house. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Jun 2, 2013

The Prey doesn't have the obsessive pull of a great thriller, as it's undeniably an impersonal toy, but it's a hell of a toy. Read full review

Rex Reed

Jun 4, 2013

Okay, The Prey is ridiculous hokum that proves the French can make overwrought Hollywood thrillers with the same indefatigable energy and implausible realism as anyone else. It is also a slick, suspenseful adrenalin rush disguised as unexpected, nerve-wracking fun. Read full review

David Fear

Jun 4, 2013

The closer we get to a climax (and the more that absurd reversals keep getting piled on), the less effective Dupontel’s brutish charisma is in keeping things interesting and afloat. You pray the next he-man outing makes better use of his presence. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

Jun 6, 2013

The script unfurls too many obvious setups, but director Eric Valette is smart enough to rely on his most authentic effect — Dupontel’s natural intensity. Read full review

Time Out London Anna Smith

Jun 2, 2013

Franck’s survival and investigation techniques are glossed over in favour of convenient coincidences and sensationalist set-pieces: this hero’s emotional struggles are kept at arm’s length. Read full review

Farran Smith Nehme

Jun 6, 2013

The best compensation for sitting through this silliness is Alice Taglioni as the primary cop. Read full review

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User Reviews

davfit

Oct 16, 2014

Very good!!!!! Foreign films are some of the Best out there.. I 'm really tired of seeing the same Actors
in American Films..... Because they will sell.. the Film... Excellent Acting by all Actors.. none that I've seen before and thats good thing.. Its a Wild Ride thriller Adventure ActionVery good!!!!! Foreign films are some of the Best out there.. I 'm really tired of seeing the same Actors
in American Films..... Because they will sell.. the Film... Excellent Acting by all Actors.. none that I've seen before and thats good thing.. Its a Wild Ride thriller Adventure Action you name it..… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

theseparator

Sep 22, 2013

Jason Bourne busting in the front door of the CIA, Uma Thurman chopping her way to justice, or Old Boy bashing in skulls with a hammer, no matter how many times it’s done, when it’s done well, the revenge story model still works. The Prey (La proie), a film by Eric Vallete, is a classicJason Bourne busting in the front door of the CIA, Uma Thurman chopping her way to justice, or Old Boy bashing in skulls with a hammer, no matter how many times it’s done, when it’s done well, the revenge story model still works. The Prey (La proie), a film by Eric Vallete, is a classic revenge story that totally rocks the model.

Prisoner/Bad Guy Franc Adrien’s is out from vengeance. After Franc kicks the asses of three guys at once, and then escapes from prison, he finds out his wife has been murdered and his daughter kidnapped. He sets out to avenge his wife’s death and get his daughter back. Franc knows the killer, problem is, Franc has no idea where to find him.

Almost nonsensically, an ex-cop character with a hunch about the Franc’s wife’s killer is thrown into the mix. How else would Franc be able to track down the killer since he has no leads? Even then, despite this character’s evident obvious triteness as a device, he comes to such a monumental end that his self-sacrifice justifies him.

A fault in the script is that it tries to have two interesting main characters, the bad guy whom we cheer for Franc, and the cop that is chasing him, Claire, but only Franc’s story line is interesting, and even then, it is mostly just because Albert Dupontel who plays Franc is so awesome. Dupontel is so good that I found myself consciously noticing his awesomeness as it was unfolding and thinking, “these particular scenes might suck if this were any other actor.”

All the best cop scenes were the ones where they were chasing Franc. Since the cops seem to exist only to act as obstacles to Franc’s goals, I just kept thinking it would have been better if they remained at arm’s length. The vanilla acting made the non-action cop scenes seem cheesy, but there were other positives. The gun battle where we first meet the beautiful cop lead Claire is crazy and super tight, but right after this the cop storyline settles into nothing but clichés. There is the obstinate hard-ass police chief who’s menacingly interferes with proper detective work, hot tempered cops slamming their fists down and cursing as the bad guy gets away, and of course the scenario of the only (super hot) woman cop being totally bad ass and in charge la Cold Case or Homeland.

There is one scene in the second act when the cops catch up to him. He is cornered. You think there is no way out or him and then BAM, he escapes. I give some serious credit to the writers for coming up with some amazing escapes and incredibly suspenseful situations. Also, there are many awesome fights scenes, including the much blogged about ‘shaved head scraped across a concrete wall,’ and these scenes alone make the film worth seeing.
Despite the weak cop storyline, Dupontel as Franc is so great that his storyline supports the entire film. Franc is a vicious prison escapee yet we cheer whole-heartedly for him.

Very good French thriller.… Expand

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Broyax

May 5, 2021

On ne s’ennuie pas dans ce film français à l’américaine qui fait penser bien évidemment au Fugitif (ou à sa suite d’ailleurs) : l’action y est bien faite, la réalisation est efficace (et pas trop agitée heureusement) Dupontel cavale comme un dératé, poursuivi par la belle et grande AliceOn ne s’ennuie pas dans ce film français à l’américaine qui fait penser bien évidemment au Fugitif (ou à sa suite d’ailleurs) : l’action y est bien faite, la réalisation est efficace (et pas trop agitée heureusement) Dupontel cavale comme un dératé, poursuivi par la belle et grande Alice Taglioni qui cavale, elle aussi…

On court et on se poursuit beaucoup masi c’est hélas au détriment du reste et notamment du scénario qui a oublié la cohérence au vestiaire ; quant à la vraisemblance, c’était au bistrot apparemment ! non pas que les films amerloques similaires soient exemplaires à cet égard mais tout de même, ici on bouche le bouchon un pont trop loin ! je veux dire qu’on pousse le bouchon un peu trop loin (excusez-moi, moi aussi j’étais à mon bistrot clandestin).

Et puis, en dehors de Dupontel et Taglioni ou même Lopez, déjà un peu « justes », le reste de la distribution est souvent à la masse : heureusement que ça ne jacte pas beaucoup, là-dedans, heureusement parce que ces acteurs de seconde zone sont vraiment gênants. Néanmoins, malgré ses exagérations (très exagérées) le film se laisse regarder sans souci.… Expand

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