''The Prey'' is a 2018 US-
Cambodian film directed and written by Jimmy Henderson and "trumpeted as Cambodia’s first million-dollar
action movie
Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
".
Synopsis
Xin, an undercover
Interpol
The International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO; french: link=no, Organisation internationale de police criminelle), commonly known as Interpol ( , ), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and cri ...
operative who is investigating a phone scam that is spreading in China and seems to be based in Phnom Penh. When
Cambodian Police raids the operation’s headquarter and arrest everybody, Xin has to go along with it in order to keep his cover. The bunch of arrested criminals are sent to a forgotten prison at the border, governed by a ruthless and sadistic warden. Xin manages to send a signal to his boss in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
, just in time before being labeled as a trouble-maker and consequently sent with a group of other unlucky fellow prisoners to a mysterious mission in the jungle.
Reception
''The Prey'' debuted at the
Busan International Film Festival
The Busan International Film Festival (BIFF, previously Pusan International Film Festival, PIFF), held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan (''also'' Pusan), South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. The first festi ...
in 2018.
''The Prey'' has been described as a "scrappy yet satisfying low-budget action movie in a country where the genre has been all but nonexistent."
It was Jimmy Henderson's second collaboration which Dy Sonita, since ''
Jailbreak
A prison escape (referred as a bust out, breakout, jailbreak, or prison break) is the act of an inmate leaving prison through unofficial or illegal ways. Normally, when this occurs, an effort is made on the part of authorities to recapture the ...
,'' which sent the latter into stardom in Cambodia.
The film which includes many fights scenes was appreciated for its support in preserving the fighting art of ''
bokator
Bokator, ). The term bokator translates as "pounding a lion" from the words ''bok'' meaning "to pound" and ''tor'' meaning "lion." is an ancient battlefield martial art used by ancient Khmer military groups. It is one of the oldest existing ...
''.
Cast
The movie has a multi-national cast of actors and actresses from Cambodia, Thailand and China.
*
Gu Shangwei, as Xin
*
Vithaya Pansringarm
Vithaya Pansringarm ( th, วิทยา ปานศรีงาม, ; born 11 August 1959) is a Thai actor best known for appearing in ''Only God Forgives''. He is also known in Thailand as "Pu Vithaya".
Vithaya graduated in Graphic Design fro ...
*
Byron Bishop
*
Nophand Boonyai
*
Rous Mony
*
Dy Sonita
References
External links
*
*
2018 films
2018 action films
Cambodian drama films
2010s English-language films
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