Director Dan Trachtenberg swings for the fences in ‘Predator: Badlands’, a far-future spin that flips the franchise on its tusks: the Yautja is the protagonist, the “hunt” is a coming-of-age, and the most human bond on screen is between an alien underdog and a bisected android.
On a killer planet teeming with razor grass, acid slugs, and regenerating beasts, clan runt Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) sets out to prove himself by tracking the near-unkillable Kalisk. He’s soon tethered—literally—to Thia (an irresistibly lively Elle Fanning), a Weyland-Yutani android who’s lost everything from the waist down but not her spark. Their prickly, funny, slowly tender partnership becomes the film’s beating heart and the franchise’s freshest idea in years.
A new POV that actually clicks. Centering a Yautja gives the series an emotional core it rarely had. Schuster-Koloamatangi sells Dek’s arc with physical nuance and quiet vulnerability beneath the mandibles.
Elle Fanning, scene-stealer. Playing dual androids with distinct temperaments, she’s witty, warm, and—when required—unnerving. Her chemistry with Dek powers the film.
World-as-gauntlet design. The planet is a hostile puzzle box that forces ingenious, visually striking set pieces. In IMAX, the creature melees and environmental traps have real pop.
A franchise remix with purpose. Trachtenberg and co-writer Patrick Aison keep the mythos intact while adding language, ritual, and culture—enough to make you root for a Predator without declawing it.
CGI inconsistency. For every elegant, tactile sequence (carnivorous vines; a nerve-jangling mid-act chase), there’s a noisy, overcooked effects blowout that blurs into digital mush—especially in the final showdown.
Maximalist third act. After the lean precision of ‘Prey’, the climax leans on bigness over clarity, blunting some of the film’s hard-won momentum.
Theme vs. spectacle. Its smart ideas about honor, conditioning, and chosen family occasionally get drowned out by the creature feature fireworks.
LionhearTV‘s verdict. ‘Badlands’ is the most adventurous ‘Predator’ entry since ‘Prey’: audacious in concept, generous with crowd-pleasing action, and grounded by two leads you genuinely care about. It doesn’t always stick the landing, but when it moves, it moves—and on a giant screen, that makes all the difference.
Rating: ★★★★☆
Big, bizarre, and unexpectedly heartfelt—a thrilling new hunt worth tracking in IMAX.
Now showing in PH cinemas.
