Key Takeaways

• Franchise Evolution: The Predator series has evolved significantly since its inception, with Dan Trachtenberg revitalizing it through recent films.
• Character Dynamics: Predator: Badlands introduces a fresh perspective by focusing on a young Predator and an android, creating an engaging buddy dynamic.
• Action Balance: The film successfully balances action and character development, making it accessible to both new and longtime fans.
• Visual Effects: The special effects used to bring the protagonist, Dek, to life are impressive and contribute to the film’s emotional depth.

Our savior has arrived in the shape of Dan Trachtenberg. Ever since John McTiernan directed a modestly budgeted Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicle in the ’80s about a military team hunted and killed by an extraterrestrial, we’ve seen the Predator movies evolve in many ways. Sequels, comics, video games—all with varying degrees of quality, but none of them could “stick around” as long as that original 1987 film. When we got The Predator in 2018, that seemed like the last of this franchise’s theatrical attempts. But after Trachtenberg brought these movies back to critical adoration with his two Hulu movies, Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, it became time to return to the big screen with Predator: Badlands.

Predator: Badlands is an action-packed, killer entry into this series. I was ready to throw in the towel on this series years ago, but Trachtenberg has breathed new life into this sci-fi action franchise. This movie manages to give you what you wanted and what you didn’t know you wanted from a Predator film. Before I view a new entry into a long-standing franchise, I often go back and try to watch every installment leading up to the new one. This process helps me get a better assessment of the franchise’s DNA, what works and what doesn’t, and analyze how the new movie does the series justice.

What did I discover rewatching the Predator series? This franchise is at its best when we have alluring lead performances and the perfect combination between the suspense/darkness and the pure entertainment value. The first two Predator movies, with Schwarzenegger and Danny Glover, pulled this off quite well. Predators did a decent job. The Predator features a completely forgettable lead and sacrifices all the darkness and drama for humor and quips. Prey has a strong lead, but occasionally leans too much into the dark. Predator: Killer of Killers was an incredible experience but ends on a cliffhanger.

Predator: Badlands? Well, let’s just say this movie got the balance right.

With each new Predator installment Trachtenberg directs, he finds new things to do with the formula. Prey featured a different time period, but it stuck pretty closely to the “group of human characters hunted by the predator” story. Predator: Killer of Killers was where he really took off, crafting an anthology filled with different types of character dynamics and action. But there’s always been one constant about this series: the Predator is the villain. We have a bunch of human characters and they must all fight the Predators. But Predator: Badlands asks a new question: what if they were the good guy?

Predator: Badlands shakes up the formula considerably, and I adored it for that. We had already seen a hint of what this franchise could be like away from Earth in the 2010 Predators. This movie takes that concept and pushes it even further. No humans in this movie; we follow a young Predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), outcast from his clan, who must team up with an android named Thia (Elle Fanning) to find a creature that will help him restore respect to his name.

This is an unlikely pairing, but it leads to an oddly endearing buddy movie. Dek and Thia are a charming double act, with Dek as a grieving, mission-oriented alien and Thia as a smart, bubbly robot. They’re so different from each other, and that makes them work so well. Dek, like all Predators, wants to hunt alone. He’s like Chris Tucker in Rush Hour, steadfast in not having a partner. But a partner arrives for Dek, not in the form of a Chinese martial artist cop but the top half of a Weyland-Yutani synthetic.

weyland-yutani.Ring any bells?
Well, since the official trailer dropped, it’s been clear that Thia was manufactured by the same corporation that plays a major role in the Alien series. She’s a synthetic, just like Ash in the original Alien and Bishop in Aliens. Since the Alien franchise is still going strong with Alien: Romulus and the recent TV show Alien: Earth, it’s so cool that the Predator series is still tying itself to it. There are a few more references to the Alien franchise in Predator: Badlands, one of which had me nearly jumping out of my seat. If this is all building up to an eventual Alien vs. Predator reboot, I would welcome it with open arms, particularly if Trachtenberg is behind it. The man’s 3 for 3 already.

I’m very impressed with the special effects in this film, particularly those used to bring Dek to life. Our protagonist is a Predator, so that creates a whole new set of challenges. Predator: Badlands takes the risk of putting these creatures front and center rather than having them lurk in the shadows and kill when the time is right. The movie fully pulls back the curtain because we’ve been trained for decades to fear the villainous Predators; Badlands needs to quickly get us to care about our protagonist. And it succeeds by giving Dek a tragic experience that lingers through the rest of the film.

Dek can’t just look evil or menacing. He naturally has that look, but with a combination of practical and visual effects, Dek becomes a Predator you sympathize with. Props to Schuster-Koloamatangi for a strong performance and to Fanning who has a double role in this movie. Now we’ve seen a lot of double roles in the past year—Jim Carrey, Michael B. Jordan, Robert De Niro, Robert Pattinson, David Corenswet, and Theo James are just a few of the actors who have been part of this strangely persistent ongoing trend—but Fanning holds her own playing two synthetics with vastly opposing personalities. I never saw them as the same person once.

An additional shining element of Predator: Badlands is how the dynamic changes.
Usually we have humans getting picked off one by one by the Predator who’s more advanced than them; here, however, our protagonist is out of his element on a planet filled with danger. The dynamic shifts significantly—he’s no longer at the top of his game; instead he becomes prey himself. That’s a major risk because you may wonder why you would want to watch such an intimidating villain lose all the time? Well this story revolves around growth; while Dek doesn’t start out completely capable his persistence allows him to become something quite formidable later on—and trust me; it’s worth waiting for.

The movie has excellent action sequences that Trachtenberg helms remarkably well; he knows how to avoid making action feel like endless noise while maintaining excitement and drama throughout—some moments are enhanced by Thia spending most of her time damaged without her two legs; she only has her top half so Dek must carry her around like Chewbacca carries C-3PO in The Empire Strikes Back! Situations like this also reward audiences with humor—not vulgar quippy Shane Black humor but organic humor arising from situations combined with Fanning’s unmistakable charm! It’s also noteworthy that this feels like our first Predator movie without any major Easter eggs or callbacks (that I noticed) which I guess makes sense given how many times we’ve heard lines like “You are one ugly motherf—”, “If it bleeds we can kill it,” “Get to da chopper,” or “What da hell are you?” over time!

The final act of PREDATOR:BADLANDS cements its status as best installment . This bold film takes risks that pay off; its action sequences are great without making you miss R-rated content typically found within these films—the PG-13 rating works perfectly here! I never wished for bloodier scenes because they push violence far enough! This thrilling all-killer-no-filler entry manages both exhilaration while remaining fun! It does something very new while earning my respect! It’s accessible enough for newcomers or die-hard fans who’ve been watching since Arnold Schwarzenegger & Carl Weathers’ muscular handshake!

SCORE: 8/10

The review policy explains that score 8 equates “Great.” While there are minor issues present this score indicates success at achieving its goal while leaving memorable impact!

*Disclosure:* ComingSoon attended press screening for our review!