Predators
Narrated by Tom Hardy, Predators is a five-part series that follows some of nature’s biggest predators as they fight for survival in a world that is becoming increasingly hostile due to climate change. Its first episode focuses on cheetahs in Tanzania, telling the story of a pair trying to find a place for themselves after a heavy drought as a rival family encroach on their territory and force them out. The two have to travel long distances in search of a new place to call home, using their impressive hunting strategies to get by, but the plains of Tanzania are unforgiving, and disruptions to existing natural cycles because of global warming make things harder than ever.
There’s a solid story here, with the language in the narration almost calling to mind the gangland warfare and turf struggles of a gangster film. However, the show is also very careful to avoid anthropomorphism: although the script uses familiar terms and bends its language somewhat to channel its intended genres, it never attributes human emotions to animals, and does its best to paint as comprehensive and accurate a picture of the delicate savannah ecosystem as it can. This is a fine needle to thread but Predators does it fairly well.
In service of this all-encompassing storytelling, Predators uses some impressive camera techniques to keep up with its speedy stars. These include buggy-mounted cameras to capture small, intimate moments and keep up with high-speed chases, as well as drones to provide a bird’s eye view of the plains (with minimal CGI to join shots together). Predators also makes sure to keep its action visually engaging by showing several thrilling set pieces – throughout the cheetahs’ journey, the audience witnesses huge fires, dangerous river crossings and tense pursuits across the grasslands, with Hardy’s voiceover and the brilliant soundtrack complementing the cinematography perfectly to ensure a fresh and exciting documentary experience.
Overall, Predators is off to a very strong start, delivering a fascinating look at the natural world that manages to be both informative and thoroughly engaging. With fantastic camerawork bolstered by tight editing, careful, intelligent writing and Hardy’s considerable dramatic chops, there’s already a lot to love here, and a lot to learn too.
Umar Ali
Predators is released on Sky Nature on 11th December 2022.
Watch the trailer for Predators here:
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