PREY - ***

Directed by Antoine Blossier. Starring Gregoire Colin, Berenice Bejo. Horror, France, 80 mins, cert 18.

Released in the UK on DVD by Entertainment One on 6 June 2011, £12.99

Coming straight to DVD from France, PREY (PROIE) is a film with a warning: don't go into the woods and hunt wild boar when the animals' water supply may be contaminated with madness-inducing chemicals. Following a shock discovery of a herd of deer having apparently thrown themselves into an electric fence, writer/director Antoine Blossier spends some time establishing, not so much the plot, which is often merely hinted at, but the characters – their motivations, their relationships, their attitudes.

Claire (Berenice Bejo) and Nathan (Gregoire Colin) are pleased to be expecting a baby, though Claire is quick to state that they can easily get rid of it and have another at a later date after her father asks her to remain in the family business – the two were planning on leaving for pastures new. Unhappy about her decision, and suspecting it has something to do with a dossier Claire's been given, on the spur of the moment Nathan agrees to go on a hunting expedition with Claire's family; her father, his brother and dog, and her grandfather.

Initially, the forest – owned by the family – is presented in crisp daylight and consequently seems peaceful and harmless. The men have a heavy arsenal prepared for their hunting trip, but soon it becomes evident that their serious weaponry will not be sufficient. Rather than waste what appears to be a small budget on ineffective CGI, Blossier instead opts for classic scare tactics, which are often quite successful. The film looks polished, while the threat is often completely concealed by undergrowth – the characters, like the audience, can only see shaking branches and hear ungodly grunts and bellows, suggesting a menace more dangerous than a mere boar.

When the animals are revealed, they appear to be proper FX creations, providing the film with a barely visible but tangible beast. The blood, guts and gore is provided almost exclusively through mutilated animal carcasses and, proving the difference between horror films and disaster movies, the family's dog is the first victim. There is little plot beyond what has already been mentioned, though the family business, and consequently Claire's father, does come into disrepute. As the hero, Nathan undergoes a rather rapid transformation from meek, unassuming doctor unable to fire a gun, to a blood-covered survivalist, but following the initial set-up, the other characters remain undeveloped. Similarly the story, particularly the ecological aspect, is suggested but unfinished, while the ending is ambiguous – some may say unsatisfying.

Blossier is to be commended for his filmmaking – music is used to good effect, with scenes punctuated by an evocative orchestral score. Similarly, the constant animal noises emanating from the bushes is a constant reminder of the danger, while a few well-placed shocks keep the tension high, though at times PREY feels more like a tense environmental thriller. Although it may not encourage repeated viewing, it is a largely successful film with its roots in old-school horror tactics, providing a visceral experience for the audience. A word of warning though: it may not be suitable for animal lovers.Becky Bartlett.

GORE IN THE STORE
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5 STAR FAB - 1 STAR RUBBISH