Predator: Badlands movie review:

Dan Trachtenberg's Predator: Badlands has a conventional yet interesting premise that puts a spin on the usual formula of predator versus humans. It makes you root for the giant at the heart of the story, unlike the previous instalments in the Predator franchise. However, the film trades its tricks way too early and operates with a blunt professionalism that makes it no less than and yet no more exciting than any run-off-the-mill humans versus creatures adventure (Read the Transformers or Godzilla films). It is a well-made machine but still just a machine. When an action film is this slick, you also need some humour, twists and turns to surprise you just enough and make the journey palatable. While Predator: Badlands has some humour and is not that bad purely as a piece of spectacle, it also does not quite land on its feet in terms of the twists department.

The plot follows a young member of the Yautja clan, named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster Koloamatangi), who must prove his mettle to his ominous predator father in a futuristic planet, and his only way to do so is to defeat a powerful enemy in a do-or-die mission. The premise differentiates the film from every single one of the earlier entries in the franchise, where Predator is an antagonist. However, the storytelling is way too familiar, especially for those who have seen some of the recent human versus creature adventures. Take, for instance, a father who looks down upon his son, forcing the latter to go out of his way and put his body on the line to earn his approval. It is a classic cinema trope, featuring as recently as in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.

Director: Dan Trachtenberg

Cast: Dimitrius Schuster Koloamatangi, Elle Fanning

Dek’s coming-of-age journey from being a rookie predator wanting to showcase his might to the clan he represents to one who truly understands the meaning of being the alpha of the pack is novel enough, but it does not quite raise the stakes the way the makers think it does. Every single plot revelation and the subsequent resolution seems like mere checkpoints in the larger story, rather than organic elements that add to the plot. For example, what difference does it make if you introduce a character so early on with a strong resemblance to another character in the story? Or why would the makers bring two sidekicks to the protagonist and make one of them act like he is a major set-up for another event that will expectantly take place later in the story? With such elements, the makers try to bring in some social commentary about what it means to be the hunter and the hunted and what true protection means. Is it a major weakness to show some compassion in the world of predators? The makers use a wolf metaphor to cleverly drive home its big, bold points. However, when the action and spectacle take over, everything else disappears into the background, never to make a comeback ever again. 

The action takes place entirely on the planet of Genna, but it also does not feel creative enough or complete with mysterious creatures to immerse you in its world. It just looks like a futuristic junkyard made by a workmanlike graphic designer in a cash-grab project that does not have any major personality or uniqueness. Some of the action is eye-popping, like one where Dek cuts right through a massive creature with his sword. However, the world-building does not do enough to exhilarate the audience. You do not remember anything unique about the world of the predators, except that they use many distinctive weapons and do not give up the fight all that easily. All of this forces Koloamatangi and an in-form Elle Fanning to do the bulk of the heavy lifting—an endeavour in which they only partially succeed. While Koloamatangi lends just enough gravitas to ensure that Dek does not become way too robotic, it is still a one-note character. Fanning brings plenty of charm and humour to the proceedings, but she is capable of way more. Together, they are a delight to watch. However, the film lets them down by prioritising spectacle and style over substance time and again.