Keisha (Taja Brittaney) and Aiden (Marlon Ladd) are a slightly tensed out, secretive couple who opt to check out of urban gentrification in favor of a more upscale setting. Aiden is a seemingly successful guy, though he has a more than little secret after work life that both ups his payscale and his risks. Moving into a mostly white neighborhood, this Black couple works to create a better life. However, when Keisha is targeted by racists while Aiden is away on business it becomes entirely possible that this move wasn't such a great idea as she has to gather all her strength to survive. 

Tapping into a variety of issues such as urban gentrification, racism, and survival, A Dangerous Prey is a mostly low-key action flick with a social conscience and an undeniable message. At a mere 73-minute running time, A Dangerous Prey makes its point and makes its point quickly. We've seen this type of story before, though Spears works hard to give us characters we can relate to and a story that matters. 

As is true often of low-budget indie flicks, the ensemble for A Dangerous Prey is hit-and-miss as the film struggles to attain the heightened sense of suspense and danger that is seemingly called for as the story unfolds. There are moments that genuinely compel and there's no denying Marlon Ladd's ability to sell charisma and Taja Brittaney's slightly guarded yet vulnerable intimacy. However, I kept waiting for that moment when A Dangerous Prey would really amplify that sense of danger. When it arrives, it's more than a little anti-climactic. 

Curt Darling is engaging as your almost stereotypical baddie and Miranda LoPresti is a scene-stealer as Al, a woman whose story is compelling if not entirely satisfying. 

In the end, A Dangerous Prey feels like a fairly solid short film stretched out to feature-length. Despite its relatively slight running time, the film drags in spots and introduces narrative threads that never quite come together. A Dangerous Prey isn't a bad film, far from it, but with such important messaging it just never quite becomes the film it ought to be. 

A Dangerous Prey may very well resonate with those who resonate with its messages and who can appreciate its truly indie vibes. The film has been picked up by indie distributor Indie Rights and is releasing on Amazon and Tubi in February 2024. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic