Directed by

Darrell James Roodt
Made by

Anant Singh Production
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Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Prey (2007). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Tom Newman and his family arrive at a resort in South Africa, where he works as a hydro-electric engineer hired to help build a nearby dam. He hopes this trip will give his daughter Jessica Newman and his wife Amy Newman a chance to grow closer, even though Jessica harshly blames Amy for the divorce that split their family. The tension between the adults shades the mood as they settle into a rugged landscape that promises both beauty and danger.
The next morning, Amy, Jessica, and David go on a game drive with Brian, a ranger who knows the area well. During a bathroom break, Brian and David come upon a pride of lions; David runs back toward the vehicle, but Brian is killed by the encroaching predators. The group soon realizes they are stranded—the car remains inaccessible because Brian had the keys, and the pride circles with increasing audacity. That night, back at the lodge, Tom learns of his family’s disappearance, and, acting on the park rangers’ recommendation, he seeks help from a professional hunter and guide named Crawford.
The following day brings a mix of hope and peril. David spots the glint of Brian’s keys, and Amy manages to retrieve them, but not without a lioness giving chase. The tension rises as the family contends with the wild’s relentless presence, while Tom and Crawford begin formulating a rescue plan in the face of shifting tracks and rain-swollen terrain. The rangers conduct a concerted search from a helicopter, yet the dense brush conceals the family’s whereabouts, complicating every attempt to locate them.
As the search intensifies, Jessica, acting on instinct and fear, slips out of the car to draw the rescuers’ attention. Amy moves to bring her back, but both are charged by a lioness in a deadly moment that is only checked when two native hunters intervene and kill the predator. The survivors regroup, but the danger is far from over: a second hunter returns and is dragged away before a male lion crashes through the car’s compromised windshield.
With the vehicle badly damaged, the group rigs a makeshift barrier by sliding the front seat and, later, removing other parts to block the breach. The wild keeps testing them, and the hunters’ return adds to the mounting pressure. Amid growing suspicion of strangers among the local guides, Amy quietly questions the true motives behind the newcomers and whether poachers are at play.
That night, at Jessica’s request, Amy recounts how she met Tom, clarifying that their bond formed after their families had already begun to drift apart, and the two parents find a path toward reconciliation amidst the peril. The tension between danger and family loyalty becomes a central heartbeat of the ordeal.
In a climactic turn, the group’s precarious shelter is breached when a male lion engages directly with Tom and Crawford. Tom dives for safety as Crawford shoots the lioness, but Crawford is killed in the ensuing chaos. Desperation drives a risky plan forward as they huddle near the remaining vehicle. Amy makes a bold choice: she breaks open the gas tank, rigs a cloth fuse, and urges the others to run to a safer distance. Luring the lion into the car, she lights the fuse and triggers a powerful explosion that destroys the vehicle. The blast secures a tense but miraculous escape for the family, who, battered but alive, make their way back toward Crawford’s car and the relative safety of a nearby retreat, grateful to have survived the ordeal together.
Follow the complete movie timeline of Prey (2007) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Family arrives at resort and begins a tense new chapter
Tom Newman, a hydro-electrical engineer, and his family arrive at a South African resort where he will work on a nearby dam. He hopes the trip will help Jessica and Amy grow closer despite their tensions. Jessica resents Amy, blaming her for her parents' divorce.
Amy, Jessica, and David go on a game drive while Tom stays at the dam site
That morning, Amy, Jessica and David join ranger Brian for a game drive while Tom concentrates on the dam project. The trip highlights the strain between Jessica and Amy as they attempt to bridge their differences amid the backdrop of wildlife.
Lions attack; Brian killed; family stranded
During a bathroom break, a pride of lions stalk the area. David runs back to the car, but ranger Brian is killed as the lions breach the vehicle. With Brian dead, the keys are left inside the car and the family realizes they are effectively trapped.
Disappearance reported; Crawford hired
That night back at the lodge, Tom is informed that his family is missing. Park rangers advise hiring Crawford, a professional hunter and guide, to help find them. Tom agrees and arranges to meet Crawford the next day.
Keys spotted; Amy retrieves keys; car wrecked
The next morning, David spots the reflection of Brian's keys in the underbrush. Amy retrieves the keys but is chased back to the car by a lioness, and in the panic she wrecks the vehicle deeper into the brush.
Rangers and Crawford join the search; Jessica exposed to danger
Rangers begin a helicopter search while Tom and Crawford begin their own tracking. Jessica leaves the car to try and attract attention from the searchers, and Amy returns to pull her back. Both are charged by a lioness, but are ultimately rescued when two native hunters shoot the lioness.
Jessica negotiates with a hunter; plans at watering hole
Jessica uses sign language to enlist a hunter to guide her to a nearby watering hole so they can fill gourds with water. They hurry back after a gunshot; the other hunter is missing, and the remaining hunter departs to search, while Jessica returns to the car.
Tracking difficulties; camp on the veld
Tom and Crawford cannot follow tracks due to the previous night's rain and decide to set up camp on the veld. They compare notes and plan a careful search, hoping for fresh signs. The uncertainty of the terrain adds to the tension.
Amy reveals how she met Tom; reconciliation
That night, Amy opens up about how she and Tom met, explaining their relationship formed after her parents' separation was already underway. Jessica hears the story and slowly begins to forgive. The two reconcile in a quiet moment of honesty.
Remaining hunter returns; windshield is smashed; hunter killed
The hunter returns and climbs into the car only to be dragged out when a lion smashes through the weakened windshield. The family watches in horror as danger closes in.
Reinforcing the car and blocking entry
They move the front seat forward to cover the hole and, the next morning, use the hunter's machete to remove other parts of the car to block the vehicle further.
Amy triggers explosive trap; lion dies; family escapes
Amy breaks the gas tank, rigs a cloth fuse, and lures the lion into the car. She lights the fuse and the car explodes, killing the lion and allowing the family to escape.
Family reunites with Crawford's car; end of peril
The family walks back to Crawford's car, battered but alive, as the immediate danger subsides. They have endured fear, injury, and near-escapes, and begin to regroup and plan leaving the park.
Explore all characters from Prey (2007). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Amy Newman (Bridget Moynahan)
Amy is Tom's new wife and Jessica's stepmother. She navigates a tense family dynamic while maintaining composure under extreme danger; her resourcefulness helps keep the family alive when the car is compromised and the lion threat escalates.
Tom Newman (Peter Weller)
Tom is a hydro-electrical engineer hired to help build a dam. He hopes the trip will help his wife and daughter bond with him. He remains pragmatic and acts as a stabilizing presence, coordinating with Crawford to safeguard his family.
Jessica Newman (Carly Schroeder)
Jessica is Tom's daughter who resents Amy at first. She shows stubborn resilience, interacts with the local hunters, and communicates through signs to seek water and aid. Her perseverance helps the family survive the ordeal.
David Newman (Conner Dowds)
David is the youngest Newman child who witnesses the danger and helps by staying observant and following instructions. He identifies clues like Brian's keys, playing a critical though subtle role in the escape.
Brian (Marius Roberts)
Brian is a ranger accompanying the group on the game drive who is killed by a lion after protecting the vehicle and passengers. His death foreshadows the peril the family faces and the real cost of wildlife.
Crawford (Jamie Bartlett)
Crawford is a professional hunter and guide hired to help when the family disappears. He uses his experience to assess tracks and coordinate safety, but is ultimately killed during the final encounter with the lion.
Local Hunter (Jacob Makgoba)
A local hunter who aids the group in fending off one of the lionesses and helps obtain aid; he survives the ordeal with his nephew.
Nephew (Muso Sefatsa)
The younger hunter accompanying his uncle, he assists in the tense standoff with the lions and survives alongside the group.
Learn where and when Prey (2007) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Location
South Africa
A remote resort lodge in South Africa sits beside a developing dam project, set within a wild wildlife reserve. The lush veld and brush provide a dangerous backdrop where lions roam and ranger-guided game drives are common. Guests rely on guides and park staff to navigate threats from the wild while the dam construction introduces human activity into the habitat.
Discover the main themes in Prey (2007). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
🛡️
Survival
Stranded by a lion-prone environment, the family must improvise to stay alive. They face dwindling supplies, a damaged vehicle, and shifting alliances as fear and pressure mount. Resourcefulness, quick thinking, and decisive action become the difference between safety and catastrophe. The climactic trap and explosion underscore human ingenuity in the face of nature.
💞
Family
Tom's hope of rebuilding a family with Amy and Jessica drives much of the tension. Jessica's resentment toward Amy creates friction as danger forces them to rely on one another. Under stress, loyalties are tested and then reaffirmed through shared struggle and reconciliation.
🌿
Nature
The setting is a volatile wildlife environment where lions stalk the lodge and game drive routes. The animals’ unpredictable attacks force the humans to improvise and adapt quickly. The forest and savannah function as an ever-present antagonist, shaping every decision.

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Discover the spoiler-free summary of Prey (2007). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the sweeping savannah of a South African game reserve, an American family seeks a brief escape from the fractures of their recent divorce. Tom Newman, a hydro‑electric engineer, has brought his wife Amy and their teenage daughter Jessica to a remote resort, hoping the untamed landscape will offer a chance for quiet connection. Beneath the sun‑bleached horizon, the trio carries the weight of unspoken grievances, their interactions as jagged as the rocky outcrops that surround them.
The reserve, with its endless horizon and whispering grasses, feels both majestic and menacing. The air hums with the distant calls of wildlife, and an ever‑present sense of danger lingers in the rustle of leaves—a reminder that here, humans are merely guests. The family’s fragile unity is tested by the stark reality that the wilderness does not accommodate hesitation; predators move unseen, and the environment itself seems to watch, waiting for a misstep. The film’s tone balances breathtaking beauty with a low‑key, suspenseful dread, inviting viewers to feel the tension between awe and anxiety.
Against this backdrop, David, the younger son, and the knowledgeable ranger Brian become the family’s tentative link to the land’s deeper secrets, while Tom and Amy grapple with their waning bond. As the day darkens, the looming presence of the reserve’s most feared inhabitants—lion pride—casts an ominous shadow over the group’s fragile hope. The story promises a compelling exploration of survival, trust, and the fragile threads that hold a family together when the natural world turns from a backdrop into an unforgiving adversary.
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