Director Jimmy Henderson‘s new movie, The Prey, is officially set to premiere at the 62nd BFI Film Festival. The film is a mighty reunion for Henderson with Jean-Paul Ly, the star of his highly-celebrated action comedy, Jailbreak, who himself takes a backseat to serve as fight choreographer. BFI’s Damon Wise gives the lowdown:
Hunting human beings for sport has been a fixture of exploitation cinema since The Most Dangerous Game in 1932. However, the latest crime caper from the insanely prolific Jimmy Henderson – who brought us the equally badass Jailbreak (LFF 2017) – gives this genre staple a barrel-kick to the guts. Chinese undercover cop Xin (Gu Shang Wei) is arrested during a raid on a gang he infiltrated, but handles himself well in prison. Unfortunately, he has been targeted by the corrupt prison warden (Only God Forgives’ Vithaya Pansringarm), who is in the business of inviting rich businessmen on human hunting expeditions in a nearby forest. In the meantime, the Chinese government has picked up on Xin’s trail, having found a signal from his GPS device. When the two teams unexpectedly converge, it’s just the beginning of a battle for survival.
The movie arrives in timely fashion for Ly who, apart from appearing in David Newton’s directorial debut, Amber, will get his own posterity in action stardom with Marc Price’s Nightshooters at Raindance on October 6 and 7.
The Prey, written Henderson, and co-scribes Michael Hodgson and Kai Miller, and producer by Loy Te, will screen on October 20 and 21. XYZ Films, home to such hard-hitting delights as Brawl In Cell Block 99, Pilgrimage, The Raid films, Beyond Skyline and upcoming Apostle and Mandy, is representing the film internationally.
Tickets go on sale on September 13.
