'Predator: Badlands' Offers a Surprising, Soft-Hearted Twist on the Franchise

In the latest entry into the established Predator franchise, director Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands, marks a significant and unexpectedly tender departure from the series’ traditionally grim and hyper-masculine roots. The film, which is told for the first time primarily from the perspective of the alien hunter species known as the Yautja, subverts expectations by delivering a story focused on self-confidence, finding chosen family, and the value of sensitivity.

The narrative centers on a young Yautja named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), who struggles with an intense desire to prove his worth. Dek is burdened by the harsh, domineering judgment of his father, who deems him too small and weak for the lineage of big-game hunters. In a desperate attempt to earn respect and establish his mettle, Dek is essentially cast out, rocketing toward the planet Genna. This world is infamous among the Yautja as the "death planet," a brutal proving ground known for its ghastly, powerful flora and fauna that have previously vanquished numerous hunters. Dek seeks to track down and slay a terrifying creature of Yautja legend, aiming to be the first of his kind to succeed.

This shift in perspective away from the human prey marks a deliberate move to humanize the technologically advanced alien race, a project only partially explored in earlier entries like 2004's Alien vs. Predator. Trachtenberg, who previously breathed thoughtful life into the IP with Prey, further asserts himself as a filmmaker capable of reinventing a tired franchise, with great credit also due to screenwriter Patrick Aison.

The core of Dek’s journey is quickly defined by the allies he encounters. Early in his quest, he meets Thia (Elle Fanning), a legless android originally sent to Genna by the notoriously malevolent Weyland-Yutani corporation, the entity known for its role in the Alien mythology. Thia, separated from her android team and the lower half of her body, strikes a deal with the young Predator: she will utilize her knowledge to help him track his legendary quarry if he carries her toward her synth companions.

Thia serves as a sprightly breath of fresh air, offsetting the grit and honor of the Predator mindset and steering the film away from possible bleakness. Her dynamic with Dek is further softened by the addition of a cuddly, monkey-like CGI creature that they adopt as a companion. This whimsical addition, seemingly borrowed from the aesthetic of Pixar, signals the film’s fundamental ambition to endear its audience rather than repulse them. Though the PG-13 film includes dismemberments and other gruesome violence, the prevailing mood is one of gentle adventure, focused on the idea of chosen family.

The film’s thoughtful construction ensures that this radical perspective shift largely succeeds. Trachtenberg is meticulous and generous with detail, carefully utilizing his invented world by satisfyingly referencing plants and animals encountered an hour earlier in the story. Badlands fully embraces its status as a decidedly B-movie, prioritizing the freedoms of its genre over prestige ambition.

The overall sentiment is one of mild appreciation for a film that realizes its humble and happy purpose. The conclusion, which sees Dek achieving his prize and facing his family issues, is described as cheer-worthy, if only quietly so. The film even closes with a clever final gag that addresses a long-standing omission in the Predator mythology, suggesting a future installment where the Yautja females, long absent from the action, finally make their grand, collective appearance. This closing note further complicates and softens the branding of the historically macho series.