Prey: parents' guide
Best for ages 16 and up. Rated R for strong bloody violence.
A tense, bloody survival thriller for older teens, set in 1719 among the Comanche, in which a young woman determined to prove herself as a hunter faces a Predator. Violence is the main concern: the alien impales, beheads and dismembers men, and animals are killed and gutted on screen. There is almost no swearing and no sexual content, and the film can be watched in English or a Comanche-language dub. A family member is killed. Naru is a resourceful heroine who outwits men who doubt her. The frequent, graphic gore is why we suggest 16.
What's in it
Violence
StrongFrequent and gory. The Predator kills many men by impaling, beheading, skewering and disemboweling them; one man loses a limb and is used as bait. A mountain lion mauls a hunter, and a wolf, bear, snake and bison are killed or skinned.
Language
MildNearly clean. Plugged In counted a single s-word, spoken by a French trapper, and one misuse of God's name; Movieguide counted four mild-to-moderate swear words, half in French. No f-words.
Sex and nudity
NoneNo sexual content or nudity. Some Comanche men are shirtless, and the trappers who capture Naru hold her as bait, but nothing sexual is shown or said.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
ModerateThe French trappers' leader smokes cigars, and Movieguide notes the trappers drink and seem somewhat drunk one night. Naru uses a plant remedy to slow bleeding and hide her body heat, which is medicinal rather than recreational.
Scary or intense scenes
StrongSustained suspense as an invisible hunter stalks the characters, with sudden bloody ambushes, a bear attack, quicksand, and Naru and her dog caught in traps. Skinned animal carcasses and mutilated bodies are shown.
Sensitive topics
- Animal death
Worth talking about
Naru's tribe keeps telling her she cannot be a hunter. How does she turn the skills others overlook, like healing and careful observation, into her strengths?
On our lists
Similar picks around 16+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, Wikipedia, movieguide.org. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.