PREY OF WRATH Review: Tatiana Neva Steadies As Notable Lead Heroine In Clichéd, Myopic Indie Actioner From ‘Syndicate Smasher’ Duo
Prey Of Wrath is now available to stream on the free ad-supported platform, Xumo Play.
I had seen news floating around in the past year for Prey Of Wrath, the latest from directing duo Benny Tjandra and Doug Tochioka. It’s also been some time since the two checked in with Syndicate Smasher which, in no uncertain terms I did not like, so I was curious to see how their progress has measured since.
Indeed, it’s a production framework that falls short of many of the same improvements I wish were there; The film in its current life calls for green screen and CG aplenty to substantiate the film’s overall narrative scope and ambition. I go into that a little later, while thankfully, select cast performances help keep things in focus, among a few other crucial factors, including lead actress Tatiana Neva who carries the film really well for her part.
Tasked with the retrieval of several stolen warheads from Siberia, GRU agent Lyudmilla Alekseyenko (Neva) sets out to the U.S. in search of the mercenaries responsible, led by rogue ex-Russian mercenary, Reznikov (Gray Michael Sallies). In Lyudmilla’s wake, however, are a team of federal agents hunting the same mercenary unit down, steered by none other than CIA director Brenda Sands (Cynthia Rothrock), ensuing a timely partnership following a deadly scrimmage where Lyudmilla’s quest ostensibly turns into a fight for redemption, bringing her full circle with her violent past.
The story is worth the effort for Tjandra and Tochioka’s latest, with Neva and Sallies being the strongest notables among the cast. Celebrated genre staple Rothrock, whose very name lends the film its viability with fans, gets ample screen time of her own, although hardly any of it is shared with the film’s leading lady on the acting or action fronts, which is a little surprising if you’re a more expectant action fan.
Prey Of Wrath delivers a palatable tale with all the familiar tropes you would expect from a femme fatale-led espionage spy thriller, although much of the film’s efforts flounder against its backdrop of low budget production traits, including green-screened backgrounds, bloodless kills accompanied by CG-inserted muzzle flares that make the featured gun battles feel more disabling than preferred and as threadbare as the rest of the film looks.
Tjandra’s action direction proffers a collaborative cast/crew effort in fight choreography where careful editing helps with pacing between beats. Neva’s fight scene with co-star/choreographer Darren Holmquist who plays the role of Grimes, lends to one of the few more exciting action sequences of the film, with Rothrock getting some two-on-one action with Chris Yong and co-choreograpger Narayan Cabral.
If you’ve seen Syndicate Smasher then you needn’t concern too much with this latest from Tjandra and Tochioka. At under eighty minutes, Prey Of Wrath checks as many boxes as you place depending on where your bar is for indie action, with a performance by Neva that commits to viewers, and action entertainment that won’t leave you completely empty handed.
Native New Yorker. Been writing for a long time now, and I enjoy what I do. Be nice to me!
