Unintentionally hilarious, Deadly Prey will have you gasping for air as you’re rolling on the floor laughing. It starts incredibly strongly and lets you know you’re about to witness something amazing. I mean, just the very first few seconds of this movie are enough to make you laugh. They get you in the right mood but they can’t prepare you for what’s about to follow. I think that nothing can. A high-octane, military-themed testosterone overload. It also has a strong nostalgia vibe as the spirit of the eighties is oozing from every frame. Something you can tell from the fashion choices and hairstyles. Small hint, you’ll be in for a mullet galore.
When I get excited about a movie, I find it hard to write all the things running in my head about it. And Deadly Prey got me fucking ecstatic. It’s one of the rare so-bad-they-are-good movies that are entertaining throughout. This means that almost every scene will be funny in some way. Sometimes it will be the dialogue, sometimes the location, or very action, but you can consistently count on this movie to make you laugh. I do not want to reveal too much as I want you to revel in its awesome badness as I did. Of course, you can expect wooden acting complete with a horrible script.
There are no words to describe the insanity and over-the-top exploits you’re about to witness. With a small budget, our crew set out to make an action movie in the vein of Rambo and The Running Man. And make it they did. We will be following one Mike Denton as he’s kidnapped and released in a forest only to be hunted by a group of mercenaries. It’s all a part of a training program designed by Colonel Hogan, who’s looking to train the best mercs in the world. Just pay attention to his desk and what items he has there. Only the bare necessities I tell you, only the bare necessities.
Forest is where we will be spending most of our time, apart from one military expo in the field and a couple of other, minor locations. Just line up all the military equipment we have to give this camp its natural, military outlook. I’m sure no one will find it strange why all these different vehicles and tanks from different eras are doing at the same place Moreover, I’m sure they won’t notice that this high-ranking general lives out of a shabby tent. The most important thing is that these things are visible in the shot. Pure, unadulterated B movie gold, gold I tell you! And I fucking love it!
One of the best parts about Deadly Prey is the fact you can see what they were going for. And if you’re a naive 13-year-old boy living in the eighties, I bet you would be enthralled by it. Mostly because it uses every action movie cliche possible. The funny thing is that it’s accidentally subverting them in the delivery and coming off just comical as hell. Just take our main hero Ted Prior, muscular as hell with very sexy cutoff jeans shorts barely able to hold on to his package. However, what I wanted to point out is that they went with what they imaged was incredibly macho styling. I will leave you to be the judge if they pulled it off in one of the few male exploitation movies ever filmed.
Moreover, you can go even deeper analyze why something happened the way it did. For example, after our hero is kidnapped by the bad guys, his girlfriend calls her daddy instead of the police. She proceeds to repeatedly say daddy please help me, further establishing the desired role of a man in society. When shit hits the fan and her boyfriend isn’t around, only her daddy can help her. Classic tribal projection and an attempt to define this simplistic view of society along the gender lines. However, if you want to just enjoy all the silly action, better get ready because there’s plenty of it.
The body count in Deadly Prey is a whopping 65 dead people, most of them killed by Mike Danton. He will be breaking their backs, twisting their necks, impaling them with twigs and knives, and just plain old shooting them. These are just some of the methods he will be using in his vicious fight for survival. He’s also a camouflage specialist, expertly using vines and leaves to remain undetected. The action is almost non-stop with very little exposition delivered in the most humorous way possible. I want to personally thank everyone involved in making this movie as their passion and desire to make something cool and masculine really paid off.
Finally, whatever your taste in movies is, you must see Deadly Prey. It’s one of those movies that I keep coming back to over the years and it never fails me. And if you’ve got some beers, weed, and/or people to trash this movie with, well then, you’re all set for the best possible viewing experience. This is a perfect movie for bad movie nights, prompting discussion and laughter effortlessly. It’s right up there with Troll 2 or Samurai Cop, although in my opinion, this is probably the best movie so bad that it’s good in the world.
Director: David A. Prior
Writer: David A. Prior
Cast: Ted Prior, David Campbell, Troy Donahue, Fritz Matthews, Cameron Mitchell, Dawn Abraham, William Zipp
Fun Facts: Ted Prior ate real worms for the worm eating scene.
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092848/
