Predator: Badlands Movie Review – An Action-Packed Yautja Adventure That’s Safer Than Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers

There’s something jarring about seeing the Yautja as a sympathetic protagonist in Predator: Badlands. After years where we’re taught they’re the most brutal trophy hunters in the galaxy and they skinned humans alive for sport, here’s Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi’s Dek trying to gain his father’s approval like he’s Lucas Scott from One Tree Hill. Unsurprisingly, it’s a narrative choice that’ll divide the fanbase right down the middle in terms of those who accept something different and those who like their Predators bad to the bone.

Having said that, director Dan Trachtenberg clearly gave this some serious thought, because Predator: Badlands works for two reasons: Dek isn’t a stereotypical Yautja and there isn’t a single human in the movie. So, don’t stress – they still haven’t befriended humanity to the point in which they’re now Swifties and sharing Disney+ passwords.

Dek has it rough; he’s the runt of his clan and has a lot of family pressure. His father has no faith in his ability to become a warrior, but his older brother Kwei (Mike Homik) holds onto hope that Dek might prove everyone wrong with his first hunt. Yet, Dek makes it tougher for himself by choosing the dangerous planet of Genna as his hunting ground and setting his sights on the Kalisk – an unkillable apex predator.

Before he even arrives on Genna, Dek suffers a tragedy that throws him offkilter. However, there’s no time for him to mourn, as he arrives on a planet where both the flora and fauna can kill him. Tree branches aren’t really tree branches, the grass blades prove to be sharper than the ones that Dek carries, and nothing is quite what it seems. On his quest to find the Kalisk, Dek encounters the tiny cute creature Bud, who takes to him rather quickly, and Thia (Ella Fanning), a severed synthetic owned by Weyland-Yutani. Initially, Dek sees Thia as “a tool,” but he quickly sees her as a valuable asset because of the knowledge she possesses of Genna and the Kalisk. However, other synthetic members of Weyland-Yutani are also on the planet, and they aren’t here for a staff party…

Predator: Badlands expands the lore by breaking new ground in the franchise – literally and figuratively. In a way, it’s reminiscent of the Predator comics that aren’t afraid to step out of the traditional confines of Predator hunts humans. There’s more at stake here, because Dek gets pitted against a creature that might have his number, and there’s an emotional reason for this quest rather than him wanting to add another trophy to the mantle. The inclusion of Weyland-Yutani adds yet another interesting and interconnected dynamic to Dek’s quest, because this corporation is the bane of everyone’s existence, even when there isn’t a Xenomorph in sight.

The film also travels down a path that might not be so obvious from the trailers. By the end of Predator: Badlands, you will say that you haven’t seen a character like Dek in this franchise before. He’s different in a way that excites people who want something fresh from their characters, but he could also upset the traditionalists who expect the Yautja to all behave and act in a certain way.

As it turns out, concerns about the PG-13 rating were all for nothing. The reason it’s so low is because there are no humans for the Predator to murder here. In other words, no human blood, intestines, and skin flying around. Don’t worry, though – there’s more than enough gnarly kills of other creatures and innovative ways of destroying the annoying synthetics, since Dek knows how to blend technology and natural weapons to glorious effect.

Speaking of synthetics, Elle Fanning establishes herself as the standout star of Predator: Badlands by portraying the dual roles of Thia and Tessa. Both characters are different from each other, but Fanning plays them in such a manner that it feels like it’s two actors in the parts. Yes, Schuster-Koloamatangi makes his physical mark as Dek, but Fanning confirms herself as the glue that holds the story and characters together.

Naturally, most people will want to know this: Is Predator: Badlands better than Trachtenberg’s other entries in the franchise, Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers? The answer is no. This isn’t because it’s terrible, but due to the high bar set by the previous films that were the much-needed kick in the nuts that Predator required after Shane Black’s The Predator poisoned the well. Ultimately, Predator: Badlands plays it safe, with the biggest risk being turning the Yautja into the protagonist instead of antagonist. Walk in and experience a wildly entertaining and action-packed instalment, but temper those high expectations; this isn’t as revolutionary as Trachtenberg’s previous work in the series.

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