I’m looking forward to watching Prey, but I’m one of those weirdos who enjoyed Predator 2. I hear there’s grumbling online about “The Message” in Prey. I haven’t seen the movie yet, so I don’t have an opinion on that topic yet. I’m just looking for a good story. If there is a “message” and they tell it compellingly, I’m in. But if I’m bludgeoned with the “message,” that might be a dealbreaker.
I’m not concerned about “The Message” in movies. I’m worried about how it’s executed. For example, in Avengers: Endgame, there was the grrrl power shot that occurred in the final fight scene with Thanos. Marvel Studios patted themselves so hard on their back they nearly threw their shoulder out. It was so heavy-handed. There was an equivalent scene in The Mandalorian where a troop of women went to battle. They never drew attention to it and were so matter-of-fact that it wasn’t until afterward that I realized what I had just seen: a group of competent women bravely putting themselves in harm’s way. Same scene, but minus the fanfare. It’s all about the execution.