After breathing new life into the Predator franchise with Prey and Killer of Killers, Dan Trachtenberg has done it again with Predator: Badlands. Not only does he deliver another fascinating story and gloriously violent action, but he's achieved what many wouldn't have believed possible – he made Predator the hero.
Predator Badlands Review
Before Prey, everyone knew what to expect with a Predator movie. Humans getting offed one by one by an efficient and ruthless alien known as the Yautja. Everyone would die except Arnold Schwarzenegger or whatever guy was chosen as his stand-in for all the subsequent sequels and spin-offs. Prey defied those expectations by going the prequel route, putting the ultimate killer against a Comanche woman who had to defeat him without the benefit of modern weaponry. Then Killer of Killers wowed by not only showcasing human warriors from different time periods but also more of the Yautja culture. In both of these films, the Predator wasn't just the antagonist but also the foil to the protagonist. Badlands goes a step beyond that and does the thing no one saw coming in the last 38 years – it makes the alien a genuine hero, one that you want to root for while also reveling in the fact that he is slicing his foes in two with a glowing sword.
Badlands is fascinating, exciting, and gloriously brutal. Yes I said Brutal and yes it's PG-13, but that's because no humans die and Trachtenberg pushes the rating to its limits. There is not one drop of red blood to be seen however there are plenty of green, white, and other colors oozing out as foes get sliced, diced, and beheaded in various gratifying ways. This Yautja is on a hero's journey whether he considers himself one or not. One of the genius moves writers Patrick Aison and Brian Duffield deploy is the fact that he doesn't become some shining example of heroism by the end. Rather he just learns he can kill better when he has “friends” who can kill too. Effectively he becomes a better warrior by adjusting his ways and by that same token Trachtenberg proves you can make a better Predator movie by also making some much needed adjustments to the formula.
Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is a young Yautja preparing for his first hunt, the one that will solidify his place within the clan. His older brother, Kwei (Mike Homik) tries to protect him because Dek has the disadvantage of being a runt. It doesn't matter how hard Dek trains though, their father, Njohrr (also played by Schuster-Koloamatangi), wants him killed. Kwei sacrifices himself, allowing Dek to escape to Genna, a planet home to the “unkillable” Kalisk, a creature even his father fears. But in order to survive in this harsh place where everything has evolved to murder you, he will need some help. Enter Thia (Elle Fanning), a damaged Weyland-Yutani synth who happens to know all about the planet. The problem is Yautja don't make alliances, so Thia markets herself as a tool not a friend and since he can have tools he takes her along. She's got her own secrets but is content to chatter away while they search for the Kalisk (who also is the reason she is missing her bottom half).
I'll be honest, I've always been fascinated by the fact that the Yautja is such an evolved species from their weaponry to their space travel yet they seem very stuck by the whole your worth is only proven by your strength. And also by how big of a macho a-hole you can be at any given moment. Despite being curious about their lack of personality beyond fighting, I do admit their creed of “prey to none, friend to none, predator to all” is pure coldblooded awesomeness. Or at least it feels that way when it shows on the screen. Trachtenberg dares to challenge that in Badlands without sacrificing the pure joy we feel of seeing the Yautja absolutely body anyone that gets in their way.
This is the first film in the franchise where the hunter just happens to be vulnerable, not with emotions because this is Predator, but due to where he chose to hunt and his smaller stature. The latter is even pointed out by Thia when they first meet. See Genna is cartoonishly insane. Everything is lethal. The grass is as sharp as a blade, caterpillar-like bugs are literally grenades, and even an acid spitting eel creature that is a very good boy. You'll understand when you watch it. Genna may seem gray at first, not bright and vivid like other alien landscapes from other films, but the plant and animal life are constantly surprising and entertaining. After watching him stumble his way around for 5 minutes there is no doubt in anyone's mind that Dek wouldn't last long without some help. He's been conditioned of course to see help as a weakness but is it really when the alternative is to die a painful death, never completing your objective? That's a question Dek has to answer for himself and he does so with the loophole that Thia is a tool and tools are okay. Whatever works.
Being a runt, Dek has evolved his fighting style to take advantage of his smaller size and mobility. He's scrappy, resourceful, and he expertly uses the terrain around him to his advantage. It makes his fight scenes visually standout from others in the franchise. Trachtenberg’s camerawork goes right along with it, dodging, swooping, and spinning around, placing you right in the thick of things. Each climatic battle (there are 3) shows Trachtenberg's eye for creating imagery that is as eye-catching as it is unusual (compliment). I was surprised with how he stretched that PG-13 rating but it was impressive without shedding human blood, honoring the franchise and the brutality fans know and love. Even their unexpected CGI creature friend may appear cute at first but “Bud” never lets you forget that he's a product of Genna, embodying the whole kill or be killed way of life.
The inevitable comparisons to Star Wars have already happened, with some saying this feels very Mandalorian in a “found family” sort of way. I would argue if we are comparing it to the galaxy far, far away it is more like Luke and Yoda, if Luke was grouchy and Yoda was an upper body only Synth who was wise beyond his years and sometimes as cheerfully naive as a teenager. The dynamic between Thia and Dek is charming whether diehard Predator fans want it to be or not. Just like Dek had the audacity to stand up to his father, Badlands does the same to convention by not trying to hinder the natural chemistry between these characters. Do not think that it is some syrupy sweet best friend story though, this is still Predator and there is killing to be done here.
Fanning gives an incredible duel performance, playing both Thia and her no nonsense “sister” Tessa. If the Academy actually paid attention to “non-serious Oscar films” she would undoubtedly receive all the praise and nominations to go with it. But alas here we are. Thia is the type character that could be annoying, but her humor and sensitivity are nuanced and she does well opposite of Schuster-Koloamatangi's more serious approach. Schuster-Koloamatangi is tremendous in this, giving the Yautja emotional range that shines through underneath the layers of fangs and prosthetics. He's so much more than a smart mindless killing machine and one scene in particular in the beginning solidifies the fact that you're rooting for this guy, flaws and all.
Verdict
Predator: Badlands is one of the best movies of 2025 which isn't even shocking given that Prey was one of the best movies of 2022. Trachtenberg does the impossible here, not only because he dared to make the Predator the protagonist but also because he makes you want to root for him. By the final, final showdown the audience was cheering as Dek did what needed to be done. Despite adjusting the franchise's formula, it's wildly entertaining, creative, and delightfully violent. Predator has received a new lease on life and how this one ends promises more spectacle in the future. I know I hope we see Trachtenberg back unleashing more of his vision on this alien world.
Predator: Badlands is in theaters on November 7. It is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong sci-fi violence with a runtime of 1 hour 47 minutes.
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