The series has always been at its best when it captures the tension of the hunt, when one side is clearly outmatched but still refuses to give up. The imbalance is what gave these films their identity, and Trachtenberg found smart variations of that concept in his previous films. In Prey, he followed a Comanche girl facing a hunter. In the animated Predator: Killers of Killers, he expanded it to Vikings, samurai, and a World War II pilot facing similar odds. Now in his third entry, Trachtenberg changes perspective, having us follow one particular Yautja on a personal quest. It is an interesting idea and had worked before in the underrated Alien vs Predator, but instead of focusing on the hunt itself, the film turns its attention to the journey, following a structure closer to a The Mandalorian episode, one that just happens to feature a Predator instead of a bounty hunter.
The Predator is Dek, a young Yautja trying to earn the respect of his clan by capturing a Kalisk, a legendary creature that’s already killed many of his species. His journey takes him to Genna, known as the “Death Planet,” where he finds Thia, a droid played by Elle Fanning. Half of her body is gone, so she can’t get far on her own, but she knows how to track the creature. The two combine forces and embark on the video-game-like quest to track and capture the monster.
Taken as a stand-alone entry, the film works pretty well thanks to how rich the world feels and how immersive it is. The planet where we stay through most of the film is full of neat ideas and creatures like killer grass, explosive worms, and the most adorable armadillo you’ll see in a movie this year. Some of the design recalls recent franchises like Avatar, the Star Wars sequels, Dune, and Guardians of the Galaxy. For a while, it is simply fun watching Dek and Thia explore the planet’s dangers, even if much of it feels familiar.
The action is where the movie truly shines. Fights with giant creatures and later against other droids in the third act are exciting and creative. Because there aren’t human victims, the film managed a PG-13 rating, but worry not, the hits still land hard. Limbs get sliced, acid eats through droids, and you feel the impact of every single hit. Like recent Star Wars entries, the fights are short bursts of energy, well-shot and easy to follow, even if some of them happen at night. The best moments are built around clever ideas, like a fight that involves only half a body or acid melting a robot mid-attack.
All of this is elevated by the film’s impressive visual effects. The creatures have weight, the environments feel tangible, and the two leads are remarkably realized. Dek’s design blends practical effects and CGI seamlessly, making him expressive and believable, while Thia’s damaged form looks very convincing. Of course, with Avatar: Fire and Ashes on the horizon, there is no question which film will take the Oscar for visual effects, but if that one did not exist, Predator: Badlands would easily have my vote.
Still, for all its spectacle, Predator: Badlands never reaches the sense of renewal that Alien: Romulus brought to its series. First because it never quite feels like a Predator movie, but its biggest problem is how bland its characters ultimately are. For a story so focused on their bond, their growth feels abrupt and predictable, following patterns we’ve seen countless times before, and unlike Romulus, which built tension through the unpredictable character dynamics between human and droid, here you always know exactly where things are heading.
Which is frustrating, especially because Elle Fanning is so good here. The actress, who has shown great talent since her younger years (she was already great at 12, when she starred in Super 8), has a lot of fun with her character’s broken-droid-like behavior and is quite funny. Technically, her performance matches the excellence of David Johnson’s in Alien: Romulus, but her efforts are betrayed by how easily the story simplifies her choices and the film’s antagonist. Additionally, having our main Predator be an insecure hunter who learns to form connections is not only played too close to clichés, but it also robs the potential of seeing a fierce hunter against the unknown of a dangerous planet.
Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch return to score the film, each having worked on one of Trachtenberg’s earlier Predator entries, and their work remains serviceable but unmemorable. The movie needed bold, recognizable themes, something fierce and melodic, but instead it gets the same flat electronic sound that fills every scene without adding emotion or identity.
With everything it has going for it, Predator: Badlands should have been better. It is still an entertaining adventure, full of energy and impressive visuals, but it lacks the emotional pull and freshness of Trachtenberg’s earlier franchise entries. The ending hints at a sequel, and maybe future entries will tie back to Prey or Killers of Killers. That could be interesting, but it only works if the series remembers what made it great in the first place, by centering on a fight against impossible odds. Badlands builds its universe well and looks incredible, but it makes you miss the raw simplicity that once defined this franchise.
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