Time: 107 Minutes
Age Rating: R13– Violence & content that may disturb.
Cast:
Elle Fanning as Thia and Tessa
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek
Director: Dan Trachtenberg

Prey was a surprising movie, and it ended up being one of the best entries in the Predator franchise. It was released directly to streaming, but was such a success that director Dan Trachtenberg’s next Predator movie would be released on the big screen. On the whole, I also really like what he’s done with Predator: Badlands too.

The most notable part of the plot is that the protagonist is actually a Yautja/Predator, also there aren’t any human characters, the closest we get to that are androids. It was a bold choice, but I think it worked. Badlands benefits from the simplicity of its plot, it is constantly enjoyable throughout, and has an effectively heartfelt journey which hits its emotional beats really well. It even does a good job at handling the interactions between the predator and other characters. I also liked the sci-fi worldbuilding. Badlands somewhat crossovers with the Alien franchise given that the notable fictional corporation Weyland Yutani plays a prominent role in the main story, but makes sure to not force in too much fanservice (for example, they don’t shove a xenomorph into the plot for the sake of it). There is a sequel tease at the end of the movie, and I’d be curious to see what happens next if we get a follow up movie.

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi is great as Yatuja protagonist Dek. The practical and CGI work on the character is incredible, Dek is a fleshed out character who goes through his own arc and a lot of emotion is conveyed through him. Elle Fanning is a scenestealer in dual roles, with both characters being both distinctly different from each other. As Thia specifically, Fanning brings a lot of humour and warmth, and shares a really enjoyable dynamic with Dek.

Dan Trachtenberg once again directs really well. It doesn’t quite reach the heights of Prey’s visuals and occasionally there are some dodgy CGI shots. On the whole though, I do like the badlands world seen here, with gorgeous landscapes, solid effects and some really creative creature design. The action is great and entertaining, and the set pieces looked good on the big screen. Notably, the movie is PG-13, but all that means is that there’s no human blood. You still get to see plenty of blood from Yautja, androids and monsters, and they really get away with a lot with this movie and don’t hold back. The sound design is top notch, and the score from Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch is also really good, helping to elevate the action scenes further.

Predator: Badlands is another solid and well made Predator movie with entertaining action. I’m definitely on board to see what comes next for the Predator movies, especially if Dan Trachtenberg is directing them.