'Predator: Badlands' Review
Image Source: JoBlo
Predator: Badlands marks an exciting new chapter in the science-fiction horror franchise, confirming director Dan Trachtenberg’s status as the definitive modern custodian of the Yautja lore. Following the immense critical success of 2022’s Prey and the more recent animated anthology, Predator: Killer of Killers, Badlands holds a significant moment as Trachtenberg’s first to receive a full theatrical release, and this is where the film belongs.
The film offers a franchise first, an entire narrative told from the perspective of a Predator. We are introduced to Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek, a young Yautja outcast who is exiled from his home due to his father's perceiving Dek as vulnerable or a “runt.” This exile leads to Dek’s journey to the alien world of Genna, a planet holding a Weyland-Yutani research team as well as dangerous flora and fauna. The film thus evolves into a compelling coming of age story centred on non-human beings that challenges the established hyper-masculine codes of the Predator species.
RELATED:
mage Source: IGN
Much of the film’s emotional weight and narrative engine comes from the immediate and explicit connection to the Alien universe. Dek’s journey introduces him to Elle Fanning’s synthetic character, Thea (and later, her counterpart Tessa), androids owned by the ever-sinister Weyland-Yutani Corporation. For those like myself who are new to the Predator franchise but well-versed in Alien lore, this crossover is masterful, grounding the Yautja’s jungle setting into the familiar yet dread-inducing corporate structure of Alien.
The central pairing of Dek and Thea is an unexpected joy. The chemistry between Schuster-Koloamatangi and Fanning transcends the practical reality of the lone alien hunter and malfunctioned synthetic. Instead, Badlands becomes a story of found family, where two ‘broken’ characters, deemed weak by their respective species, find strength together.
The acting of Fanning and Schuster-Koloamatangi is stellar, perfectly complementing the strong chemistry between the two. However, Schuster-Koloamatangi deserves the ultimate praise for delivering such an emotional and nuanced performance beneath the heavy makeup and prosthetics; the raw feeling conveyed through his eyes is genuinely moving.
Image Source: IMDb
Trachtenberg maintains the franchise’s commitment to action and gore. Each of the sequences are visceral, brutal, and quickly edited, yet the story is elevated with a complex humanism, even in the complete absence of human characters. The thematic struggle between the Predator’s past of aggressive machismo and a newfound, more sensitive feminine complexity is compellingly explored.
Aesthetically, the film is stunning. The world-building of Genna, in particular, is spectacular and makes it difficult to believe this alien ecosystem is not a real location. Another inspired creative choice, which connects directly to the film's thematic depth, is the persistent use of the Yautja language throughout. Although Elle Fanning’s synthetic character converses with Dek in English, the Predator remains dedicated to his native tongue. This decision is excellent because it subtly challenges the traditional subtexts of the Predator franchise, which often explore themes of masculinity and American patriotism. Through this choice to incorporate a non-English dialogue and even have the synth eventually begin to adopt the Yautja language, Trachtenberg is able to embrace the alien nature of his subjects. This willingness to include subtitles and prioritise authenticity successfully reframes the entire series, reminding us that these stories are about an extraterrestrial race, independent of a human (or specifically an American) lens.
Image Source: ZoomTV
The special effects are, for the most part, excellent. While the Yautja’s face takes a moment to absorb its nuances, it ultimately works well for the character of Dek. The only minor drawback is that a few of Genna’s more outlandish creatures occasionally cross the line from intimidating sci-fi monsters into something that feels slightly out of place, perhaps belonging to a less serious fantasy franchise.
However, this small critique is dwarfed by the film’s overall brilliance. Predator: Badlands is a genre-blending triumph that tackles survivor narrative, science fiction, and coming-of-age themes with confidence. It’s an action-packed, heartfelt, and visually incredible cinematic experience.
Rating: 9/10
I’m already planning my next viewing.
READ NEXT:
Latest News
Featured
