It has been nearly forty years since Arnold Schwarzenegger yelled “GET TO THE CHOPPA!” in the 1987 classic, Predator. Since then, the franchise has grown into one of the most successful in sci-fi history. We’ve seen Predator go head-to-head with the Xenomorph, hunt tribal warriors during the 1700s, and even take animated form. The latest entry, Predator: Badlands, proves that there is still a whole lot of life within this franchise, by asking the unlikely question: what if the Predator was the good guy?
The story begins on the home planet of the Yautja (the Predator species), and follows Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young alien hunter. He is ready to officially join his father’s (Reuben De Jong) clan of warriors, who hunt for sport and condemn any sign of vulnerability. However, Dek is excluded due to being the ‘runt’, and his father orders his brother Kwei (Michael Homick) to kill him. When Kwei spares Dek, the former is killed by his father, leaving Dek to narrowly escape to the dangerous planet of Genna. There, he vows to find and slay the Kalisk, an invincible monster nobody has ever conquered, and bring it back home as a trophy to his father. Genna is full of mysterious and deadly creatures, meaning that Dek is no longer predator but prey. There, he meets Thia (Elle Fanning), a synthetic being who has been ripped in half, legs missing, and was separated from her android landing party. Believing he can use her as a tool, Dek agrees to take Thia with him, who is searching for her twin model named Tessa (also played by Fanning). From this point onwards, Dek and Thia become unlikely allies as they venture into uncharted territory.
Director Dan Tratchenberg returns after helming 2022’s prequel Prey and the anthology film Predator: Killer of Killers. Anybody who watched Prey knows that it should have gotten a theatrical release instead of going straight to streaming, so it is fantastic that Predator: Badlands is being shown in theatres, because that is exactly where it belongs. The series continues to prove that it is on the right path with this fast-paced, adrenaline fueled and mesmerizing sci-fi adventure. What sets it apart, first and foremost, is the fact that the Predator is the main character in this film. The Predator has always been an animalistic killer hiding in the shadows, but here, Dek has depth, personality and soul. He is trying to prove himself and the audience is made to care and root for him. It may be surreal for some to empathise with one of the most famous movie monsters ever, but it is a stroke of genius which is perfectly complemented by the film’s other core character, Thia. She is an overly talkative and friendly individual, who is the complete opposite of Dek’s brooding and intimidating demeanor. As a result, they become a highly entertaining odd couple, and the way their relationship grows brings a surprising amount of heart to the film. Fanning shines in dual roles as the kind-hearted and humanistic Thia, and as the robotic and soulless Tessa, making each effectively distinct from one another. On top of the film’s surprising emotional core, there are also fun jolts of humour, particularly from a little creature called Bud (Rohinal Nayaran) who Dek and Thia pick up along the way.
If audiences are concerned that the signature brutality and violence of the franchise is absent from Predator: Badlands, they needn’t worry. Badlands is just as action-packed, loud and thrilling as previous installments, if not more so. The fight scenes go incredibly hard, and the planet of Genna makes for a stunning yet lethal backdrop for the carnage to take place. The film’s worldbuilding, creature design and visual effects are breathtaking, and feel even more impressive during a time where so many blockbusters fail to execute these effectively. Complete with a primitive and atmospheric score, it all works together superbly.
Predator: Badlands continues a winning streak for the Predator franchise, and proves that Tratchenberg is the guy to keep around as these films keep breaking new ground.
Predator Badlands is in cinemas now.
