“The alpha is actually the one who best protects the pack.”

Justin’s rating: Hey! Listen! Look! Hey!

Justin’s review: I feel that there are far too many people who are unaware that the Predator franchise has kept ticking well past the ’90s, bringing us to a grand total of nine films by the end of 2025. It certainly doesn’t help that two of the most recent three flicks — all amazing, all directed by Dan Trachtenberg — didn’t get cinematic releases but were dumped onto streaming via Hulu. But happily we did see one make it to theaters in 2025, and that was Predator: Badlands.

What I’m loving about Trachtenberg’s loose trilogy here is that he and his writing partner Patrick Aison are willing to push the franchise forward with some interesting ideas and takes. Prey pitted Predator against a Native American warrior in the 18th century, Predator: Killer of Killers embraced both animation and the anthology format, and Predator: Badlands here flips the script by making the main character a Predator.

In fact, there are no humans whatsoever in this flick, which is a first for the franchise. The closest we get is a Weyland-Yutani synthetic, which provides a little more connective tissue between Predator and Xenomorph mythos. Just a little, though.

Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) isn’t the biggest, baddest Predator — a Yautja — on the block. No, he’s a runt missing a fang and thus the source of embarrassment and derision for his family. Seeking to prove himself, Dek goes to a nasty alien planet to take on the biggest, baddest predator he can find so that he can earn his rightful place in the clan.

But he’s going to need help, even if he’s not crazy about the idea, and that help comes in the form of cheery synth Thia (Elle Fanning). She may be missing a good portion of her lower body, but she’s a backpack full of assistance once Dek straps her on. Thia talks a whole lot, probably to make up for Dek’s more terse and subtitled grunts. I started to think of her as Navi to Dek’s Link.

The pair also stumble upon Bud, the child of the gigantic predator that Dek is hunting. Bud gets a bit of the “aww ain’t that cute” moments for whatever scifi-loathing significant other was dragged to see this. Teamwork makes the dream work, as they cringingly say, and Dek has to learn to include others into his own self-made wolf pack to survive.

This being Genna, the “Death Planet,” the jungle setting is full of all sorts of lethal critters and plants for Dek to eliminate. He’s got a small arsenal of weapons, including a laser bow, a spear, a remote-controlled spinning blade, some bombs, and his laser sword. He gradually picks up some homebrew weapons and armor along the way, although Dek doesn’t have the Predator’s iconic cloaking device yet. Apparently, that’s got to be earned.

What’s kind of nutty here is that Predator: Badlands is only PG-13, despite being a pretty violent film. I think they get away with that here because all of the “blood” is either white or glowing green. Take humans out of the equation, and it’s less grody, I guess.

It’s hard to even make a case that this is a horror film at all. It’s kind of like if you made a movie from Jason Vorhees’ point of view where he’s the underdog trying to accomplish a courageous feat of kills in downtown Detroit and there is nary a camp counselor in sight.*

Dek may be one ugly mother, but he’s a genuine character with a compelling motivation — to prove himself and join his clan — and he’s got an unconventional friendship that blossoms with Thia. And since Thia works for Weyland-Yutani, she may have an ulterior mission. All in all, there’s more of a story than I expected.

And let me say this without any spoilers: This film goes in some interesting directions that I did not anticipate earlier on. The twists and turns kept me hooked instead of letting my attention slacken, and that’s a sign of a good third-act story writer. And the fights! Brutal and inventive, just the way you’d want in an action flick like this.

Trachtenberg continues to infuse this long franchise with freshness and originality, and I am here for it. I loved Badlands — and its Aliens connections certainly gave it an extra few stars in my internal ranking. I hope we’ll continue to see some amazing Predator films in the coming years, as this series keeps climbing in my estimation. It isn’t merely Arnold’s playground any longer.

*Yeah I lost myself in this metaphor as well.

Intermission!

• The 20th Century Studios logo turning into a techno-growl is perfect and I love it
• This is an eat-or-be-eaten planet
• The cool high-tech grappling hook, I want one
• Hey, it’s the Predator skull room! Bet the kids love to play in that place.
• That’s a lot of ominous glass breaking
• That is one awkward title card with way too much information
• Exploding grubs!
• “I’ve never been thrown before. What a thrill!”
• “Sensitivity is weakness.”
• Razor grass requires a razor lawnmower maybe… or some Tarzan swinging through the trees
• It’s good to hear pulse rifles again! And blue flamethrowers, cool.
• “The Dynamic Tree-O! Do you remember when we went down the tree?”
• It would be odd to sew back on your own legs
• “I use you, tool. You do not use me!”
• Doesn’t seem quite fair to fight a monster that can piece itself back together
• “The weak must be culled. And Thia? You’re broken.”
• “That was a toy for CHILDREN?”
• Whole lot of acceptance-by-spitting in this film
• Bud waving the severed limb cheerily at Dak made me laugh
• Severed legs can be their own threat
• High-fiving her own foot, hah
• The giant mech is a nice Aliens callback
• “We need his eyes.”