Predator Badlands Review

I’ve always enjoyed the Predator movies, even if it isn’t exactly my favorite sci-fi franchise. Like Alien, the series has had its ups and downs, with the classics still standing as the strongest entries. This latest installment, however, makes some risky decisions in trying to deliver a more original Predator film. Some pay off. Others don’t. Sharpen your wrist blades and activate your thermal vision — it’s hunting time.

Predator: Badlands is the seventh installment in the series and, for the first time, focuses the perspective almost entirely on the Predator, positioning it as both protagonist and hero. Officially framing the species as the Yautja, the film follows Dek, a coming-of-age hunter desperate to prove his worth to his clan. To do so, he travels to Genna, a hostile planet filled with dangerous fauna, in search of the Kalisk, the local apex predator and the ultimate trophy. But Dek isn’t alone in Genna. A group of Weyland-Yutani synthetics — yes, that Weyland-Yutani — are also on the planet, pursuing their own agenda. Along the way, Dek forms an unorthodox alliance with one of the synthetics, leading to a collaboration between hunter and machine in the pursuit of the dangerous Kalisk.

In his third Predator film, Dan Trachtenberg swings for something ambitious. The pacing is fast and action-driven, rarely slowing down, and the visual effects are genuinely impressive. The updated Predator design feels fresh without abandoning its roots, introducing new weaponry like a plasma sword and bow while keeping the classics present, including the shoulder cannon, wrist blades, and spear.

The expansion of Yautja mythology is one of the film’s strongest aspects. The deeper look into their language, clan structure, warrior culture, ships, technology, and even a new mask design adds meaningful worldbuilding that the franchise has only hinted at before. Elle Fanning delivers an interesting and captivating dual performance as two distinct synthetics, the ally and the central antagonist.

That said, some of the changes don’t fully suit a Predator film. The tone is noticeably lighter. While shifting perspective to the Yautja feels fresh and unique, it pushes the movie closer to action-adventure territory and away from the franchise’s horror roots. The brutality is still present, but softened, noticeable in the lack of red blood and the increased humor, which qualifies this as the first PG-13 entry in the series. At times, the film feels a bit too cute and too playful. Not enough to ruin it, but enough to dilute the tension. The opening act, with its clan politics and internal pressure on Dek, does set a darker and more brutal tone. However, once he leaves for Genna, that tension fades into a more exploratory, almost adventurous rhythm. The shift isn’t inherently bad, but it does lessen the intensity that traditionally defines the franchise.

Interestingly, making the Predator the hero mostly works. Yet for much of the film, this young Yautja feels more like prey than predator. That vulnerability builds toward a satisfying final act, where Dek finally embraces the hunter role and prepares for the ultimate confrontation. It’s a compelling arc, even if the journey could have used more sustained tension.

The film also draws inspiration from various sci-fi classics and even video games. Certain spacecraft and landscape shots evoke Aliens, Star Wars, and Dune, while Genna itself carries strong StarCraft vibes, particularly in its ecosystem and creature design. Even the name “Kalisk” echoes the tone of Zerg units. The Alien connection, however, is handled elegantly with restraint. The Weyland-Yutani presence feels organic, reinforcing the familiar corporate greed for bioweapons, and now also medical research, without overwhelming the story.

While the final act leans heavily into large-scale combat against synthetic forces, the film might have benefited from allowing the Predator to remain more predator and less prey throughout. More thriller and horror elements would have strengthened its identity. The originality and Yautja mythos expansion deserve praise, but the script at times feels predictable, defaulting to safer narrative choices rather than fully embracing its darker potential. It could have drawn more from what made the Predator: Killer of Killers animations so engaging, without the overcomplicated connections.

Overall, Predator: Badlands is still an enjoyable entry in the franchise. You may miss some of the core horror elements that defined the originals, but it is far from the weakest installment. While not on the level of the classics, I would place it above Predators if it didn’t lack its trademark thriller intensity. Regardless, it is quite far from being as terrible as The Predator or Alien vs Predator: Requiem.

If Trachtenberg returns to the franchise and manages to combine this film’s ambitious worldbuilding with the darker tone that defines Predator at its best, whether told from the hunter’s perspective or that of the hunted, we could be looking at something truly great. The ambition is there. The execution just needs a sharper blade.