Prey could very well be the best installment in the Predator franchise. It certainly has widespread acclaim to support this argument. It reinvents the franchise, placing the Predator in 1700s America, which transforms the film from simply another action flick into something of a period piece.
The film follows a Comanche warrior named Naru, portrayed by Amber Midthunder (Banshee, Hell or High Water), a relatively unknown actress universally praised for her performance, as she risks life and limb to prevent the Predator from massacring her tribe. Though the Predators have always had an advantage in their battles, given their advanced and effective alien weaponry and technology, no film has had a more significant discrepancy between Predator and prey. Nevertheless, armed with only a throwing ax, Naru bravely faces down the gargantuan extraterrestrial.
She does, however, have a secret weapon -- an American Dingo named Sarii. Her canine companion proves to be an excellent ally in battling the Predator, and audiences spend the vast majority of the film desperately hoping that Sarii will manage to survive her alien encounter.
Here's why Sarii, whose real name is Coco, steals the show in Prey.
Coco Is a Born Natural with No Film Experience Prior to Prey
Coco/Sarii is an American Dingo, also known as a Carolina Dog. This dog breed has ancient origins, which made it the perfect choice to include in a film set in the 1700s. They are the direct descendants of primitive canines who accompanied early humans across the land bridge between Asia and North America. Though the breed has become fully domesticated, wild Carolina Dogs can still be found in the Southeastern United States. However, their range extends across the southern United States, which would reasonably place them in Comanche territory. This dog breed's proud lineage seems to show up in Sarii's performance, as she spends the film standing proud and tall in the face of danger.
It can be very difficult to use live animals in film production. There are, of course, a lot of laws surrounding the proper way to treat animal actors, but aside from ethical considerations, trying to patiently persuade a live animal to perform on camera can be challenging. Even well-trained animals can cause production problems, which makes it all the more surprising that Coco, which is Sarii's actual name at the time of adoption, had no acting experience prior to being "cast" in Prey.
Before becoming a big-time animal actor, Coco lived in a Fulton County animal shelter. Using a rescue animal in a feature film is almost unthinkable. Most animals who appear on-screen have been trained and, in some cases, bred to be performers for most of their lives. Nevertheless, Coco turns in an impressive performance as Sarii, made more impressive by the fact that she is following Naru around for vast swathes of the film. Hopefully, Coco's success will encourage other filmmakers to highlight rescue dogs in their projects.
American Dingos, though they are rather intelligent, are not necessarily known for having a calm temperament. Apparently, Coco's rambunctious antics caused quite a few problems on set. Still, the film's creators (director Dan Trachtenberg and screenplay writer Patrick Aison) kept giving her additional screen time, which proved to be an excellent decision.
Sarii Is a Fearless Warrior Like Naru 
Though including a dog is an easy way to improve any piece of entertainment, Sarii wasn't just a superfluous addition to the film. Throughout Prey, Sarii proved her worth time and time again. At several points in the movie, Naru finds herself on the verge of death, only to be rescued by the last-minute action of Sarii. Early on, Naru comes face to face with a grizzly bear. Without hesitation, Sarii runs off in the other direction, leading the bear away from Naru and likely saving her life.
Near the end of the film, Naru prepares a series of traps for a climactic battle with the Predator. Though her clever traps are largely successful, she still winds up moments away from death. Just when it seems that Naru will become another victim of the Predator, Sarii bites the alien, momentarily distracting him. Later, Sarii snags Naru's throwing ax, which she, in turn, uses to wound the Predator.
Prey, unlike previous installments in the Predator franchise, was made as Hulu original film and never got a proper theatrical run, much to the chagrin of many moviegoers. However, the film undoubtedly breathed life into the decades-old franchise. The action is thrilling, and the performances are pitch perfect, though no performance is quite as impressive as that of Coco the Carolina Dog.
The Predator might be armed to the teeth (or rather, mandibles) with futuristic tech, but nothing in the alien's arsenal can compare to the bravery of man's best friend.