For us film critics, November and December are the busiest months on the calendar. This is when studios and distributors send us their biggest films of the year to reward them. So we go for a two-month training session, observing all the candidates, big and small, before the voting deadline. These are often more serious films. And after 15 or 20 times in a row, we often look for an escape. Enter “Predator: Badlands.”
Dan Trachtenberg continues to reinvigorate the Predator series with its third entry in the franchise. After two direct successes on Hulu (“Prey” from 2022 and the animated film “Predator: Killer of Killers” from earlier this year), Trachtenberg brings Predator returns to the big screen with “Badlands,” and it does not disappoint. His latest takes us to a new setting while featuring the same wild action the films are known for despite its surprising PG-13 rating.
The setting isn’t the only new thing about “Badlands.” Thematically, Trachtenberg takes his film in a slightly new direction, tapping into themes like family conflict, forging your own path, and finding the will to trust others. But fear not, “Badlands” delivers a steady diet of realistic action that fans have come to expect. And Trachtenberg leaves the door wide open to other traditionally ruthless practices. Predator stories. Simply put, the franchise is in good hands.
On the distant planet Yautja Prime, a young predator named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is considered the runt of his Yautja clan. His older brother Kwei (Mike Homik) trains him tirelessly, but Dek never manages to win the approval of his clan leader father. Kwei tells Dek that he can earn his place in the clan by traveling to the deadly planet Genna and hunting an invincible beast known as Kalisk. Dek eagerly accepts. But before he can leave, his father arrives and orders Kwei to kill his weaker brother. Kwei defies his father and is executed on the spot. But before he is, Kwei manages to seal Dek in their ship and launch him at Genna.
Genna is a planet of beauty and peril. It has lush forests and vast mountain ranges which Trachtenberg captures exquisitely. It is also a planet where flora and fauna can pose a threat. Dek, fueled by rage, immediately finds himself fighting for his life. But he gets help from the most unexpected source: Thia (Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani synthetic who had her lower half torn off during an encounter with the Kalisk. The comically cheerful Thia convinces the comically gruff Dek that she can be a useful “tool.” So he takes it (literally) with him on his hunt.
But creatures and plants aren’t the only dangers facing Genna. Thia’s synthetic sister Tessa (also played by Fanning) leads an army of androids from Weyland-Yutani’s bioweapons division to capture the Kalisk for the company’s own nefarious goals. This puts them at direct odds with Dek and Thia, setting up the conflict of the second half of the film which is packed with sci-fi action of all kinds. We get a little bit of everything, from primal combat to giant creatures versus mechs. And of course there are the Predator favorites – shoulder-mounted cannons, triangulated laser sights, retractable blades, etc.
“Badlands” takes the series in a unique direction by making a Yautja a protagonist rather than an antagonist. It also injects a healthy dose of humor, much of which is well implemented. A lot of this comes from Dek and Thia’s odd partnership (you can’t help but laugh as he carries her on his back like Luke Skywalker did Yoda on Dagobah). Less effective is a native CGI creature nicknamed Bud, which is a little too cute and stands out visually against the otherwise extraordinary digital effects.
But again, franchise loyalists shouldn’t worry and no one should let knee-jerk negativity run wild on social media. “Badlands” offers a new type of story within the Predator universe that adds more depth and dimension to its eponymous hunter than we’ve ever seen. Yet this doesn’t abandon the ferocity and (in some cases) brutality that have been the series’ signature. “Badlands” doesn’t come close to reaching the heights of the 1987 original. But admittedly, Trachtenberg doesn’t try to. It just goes to show that there are a variety of stories to tell within this growing franchise. And I’m glad he has the keys.
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