Predator Badlands

Predator: Badlands

A Brutal Tale of Revenge

★★★★½

The mythology continues in this enjoyable and action-packed installment.

Building on the success of the crowd-pleasing Prey, Predator: Badlands finally puts the Predator front and center. Complete with a native language and a brutal tale of revenge, the results are impressive. It's a fresh direction for the franchise that balances gore with a surprising amount of heart.

"Director Dan Trachtenberg thankfully keeps the storyline simple with wall-to-wall action and exotic set pieces."

— Ray Manukay

🎬 Production Details

Director	Dan Trachtenberg
Lead Cast	Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi
Music	Sarah Schachner & Benjamin Wallfisch

The Vision

Trachtenberg gives us a way in emotionally by including synthetics from Weyland-Yutani in the form of a dual performance from Elle Fanning. By centering the "monster" as the hero, the film transcends standard slasher tropes to offer a unique perspective on the Predator mythology that feels both innovative and grounded.

💡 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Star Wars Inspiration: Trachtenberg pitched the film as "Chewbacca and C-3PO: The Movie."
• Practical Talents: Elle Fanning used her double-jointed elbows to add an eerie, robotic quality to the androids.
• No Red Blood: All blood in the film is either green (Predator) or milky-white (android).
• The Duffer Brothers: Provided the voices for the ship's computer in a hidden cameo.

✅ Pros

• Innovative "monster as hero" perspective.
• Exceptional dual performance by Elle Fanning.
• Wall-to-wall action with exotic, creative set pieces.

❌ Cons

• Breakneck pace leaves very little room for deeper exposition.

🏆 Final Verdict

A crowning achievement for the Predator franchise that proves there is still plenty of life in the hunt. Brutal, heart-pounding, and visually stunning.

View original review on Letterboxd