Reviews
Predator: Badlands
Directing a film in any long-running, high-profile franchise is a challenge in itself. Directing three is almost a minor miracle. Predator: Badlands proves beyond any reasonable doubt that in the hands of Dan Trachtenberg, the Predator franchise has never been stronger. This latest installment comfortably ranks among the best movies in the entire series and will leave audiences thirsting for more. Perhaps Trachtenberg is a secret Yautja whisperer because he certainly knows the secret sauce that makes these movies fantastic.
In many ways, Predator: Badlands feels completely different from Dan Trachtenberg’s previous entries. While Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is still a ruthless and deadly hunter, he is also a teenage runt of the Yautja clan, and for the first time we truly get to know a Predator on an intimate level. By flipping the script and allowing the audience to feel genuine empathy for these creatures as they display real emotion, the film opens up an abundance of possibilities for where the franchise could go next.
Following Dek’s brother Kwei’s (Michael Homick) paying the ultimate sacrifice to save his life at the hands of his own father Njohur (also Schuster-Koloamatangi), Dek sets course for the primeval deadly planet of Genna in the hopes of tracking down and killing the regenerative monster known as Kalisk, a monster that is feared by the entire Yautja with success earning him a trophy proving his worthiness but also allowing him to honor his brother’s ultimate sacrifice.
Genna is a striking and hostile world filled with terrifying ecological nightmares where anything and everything can and will kill you given the chance. Creatures prowl and strike without warning, flowers sprout paralyzing needles, and perhaps most striking of all, the blades of grass are razor-sharp and can slice through flesh in a moment’s notice. Thankfully for Dek, he receives unexpected help from Thia (Elle Fanning), a half-destroyed Weyland-Yutani synth who is on her own mission to capture the Kalisk for scientific purposes on behalf of her masters.
Of course, with this being a Trachtenberg Predator movie, it is never as simple as finding the monster, killing it, and claiming endless glory. Another threat soon emerges in the form of Thia’s “sister” synth, Tessa (also Elle Fanning), who leads a team of androids on their own hunt for the Kalisk. Along the way, Dek may find himself becoming their next target.
Admittedly, when the journey began, I was skeptical. This does not feel like previous Predator movies. We are treated to some genuinely hilarious and heartwarming moments as Dek lugs around Thia’s upper body, and the camaraderie between the two is something I never expected from one of Hollywood’s deadliest creatures. I shouldn’t have doubted it for even a second, because nearly everything on display works far better than I could have imagined.
Even the violence, which many feared would be reduced after the film received a lower age rating than the usual R rating, remains gloriously intact. Audiences, myself included, were concerned this change would make the movie more accessible to younger viewers, something I was not on board for. But fear not—the brutality is every bit as fierce as ever. There is just as much blood and gore as in previous installments, and the fight sequences stand out as the true highlights of the film. They are choreographed with stunning precision, with one particular battle near the end that left my jaw on the floor with how brilliantly it played out on the big screen.
Blockbusters inevitably get compared to one another; that is simply part of the business. Given its relatively low budget compared to other major releases this year, I am astounded by how much better Predator: Badlands looks than the vast majority of its competitors. A sci-fi saga like this naturally relies on an abundance of CGI, yet not for a single moment does it appear artificial. From Dek himself, brought to life through outstanding makeup, prosthetics, and animatronics, to the various monsters encountered along the way, everything looks impeccable. As immersive as the visuals are, the powerful score by Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch ensures that the film’s intensity and atmosphere never let up for a single second.
Trachtenberg had a lot to live up to, given how strong his first two Predator films were, and Predator: Badlands undoubtedly completes a hat-trick of sensational installments. Badlands is a rip-roaring, wildly entertaining experience that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It stands as a masterful example of how to craft a thrilling, emotionally engaging sci-fi epic and delivers one of the most enjoyable cinematic rides of the year.
