Silent Prey is an absorbing thriller that deftly tackles a multitude of themes. Avan Hardwell’s film does so many things right, and with some powerful performances, it is a film that deserves your time.

Raquel ‘Rocky’ Huntley (Misty Monroe) is a Los Angeles attorney whose brother’s suspicious death is not investigated correctly due to his criminal background. However, Detective Quncy Evans (Donivan David) believes her, and together they find a serial killer is targeting people they perceive to be evil in our society.

Silent Prey could have easily fallen foul of the standard story thread of an emotionally wounded family member enacting her vengeance in bringing a family member’s killer to justice. However, Avan Hardwell has far better aspirations for his film, which captivates you far more than you would have first thought. With strong performances from the cast, you can’t help but be impressed by the filmmaker’s feature debut.

Avan Hardwell has a great and engaging story here. As the story evolves in that first hour and we discover characters’ motives, you find yourself drawn in to how Evans and Rocky are going to capture our killer by bringing up themes of race and sexuality as what is perceived to be evil, not just by our serial killer, but also by other characters such as Rocky’s church going mother, Gigi (Juanita Jennings).

It highlights to us that those who are within the LGBTQIA+ community are always in some form of judgment. They may be getting judged by their own parents or by those who are much more physically dangerous to them. Regardless of the circumstances, people who are simply trying to live their lives are constantly forced to fight for their own justice.

It’s arresting, and as the film brings dramatic moments into play to flesh out the detective thriller side of things, Silent Prey shows us it is not a film that can be easily ignored.

However, despite the strong story that Avan Hardwell has written here, Silent Prey falls under its own pacing. We spend the entire third act in the finale, which, considering how quickly the story reaches this point, feels far too long. The tension that should be at its highest is smothered due to its prolonged duration.

While this is a minor issue, as the script and fantastic performances are what keep you watching, our investigating duo works very well together. They are able to tackle the more dramatic side with ease, with Monroe having some excellent scenes with Jennings when discussing their characters’ past and the loss of their family member.

The writing and performances in those moments are so powerful that you could be forgiven for wanting to see more of that dynamic, as their scenes truly grip you. However, there is no drama about sexuality within a family; this is a mystery thriller, and Hardwell does some excellent work to balance these scenes and themes.

As a feature debut, Hardwell undoubtedly impresses with Silent Prey. With such strong casting and an excellent eye for a shot, he is a filmmaker that will have you excited for his next project.

★★★ 1/2

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