Beebom Score
When we think of franchises like Predator, the hunter, or the Predator has always been the antagonist, but this time around, Predator Badlands has brought us the usual antagonist as the protagonist, and my oh my, saying it was long overdue would be an understatement. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this Predator: Badlands review and join the beloved predator in a hunt from a perspective we’ve never seen before.
First Off, the Visuals Kick It out of the Park
Since the Predator franchise came into being, one of its defining factors has been its visual appeal, and Predator: Badlands lives up to the legacy. From the picturisation of Yatuja Prime (Home planet of the Predators) to the way each creature on the killer planet of Genna moves, hunts, and attacks everything, it is one of the finest VFX works you’ll witness on screen. Not just the creatures, the environment creation is as majestic as one can imagine. On top of that, the camera work in this movie is pure art.
The way each frame is brought to the screen, every movement captured, and of course, the slow-motion shots by the protagonist predator, Dek (Dimitrius Koloamatangi) as he gets his kills, is just *chef’s kiss*. It won’t be an understatement to say that the visual team employed to work on Predator: Badlands, under the direction of Dan Trachtenberg, cooked, ate, and left no crumbs.
The Predator Does Not Hunt Alone This Time, and It Works
The defining factor of Predator: Badlands, which makes it different from the previous movies we have seen, is the fact that this time, the Predator, Dek, needs help to get through. In the movie, we see Dek struggling to get through Genna unless he finds a Wayland-Yutani android from the Alien franchise named Thia (Elle Fanning). Thia understands the planet as she has been researching, but was separated from her crew and split in half.
The dynamic shared by Dek and Thia is an entirely new exploration of the Predator as compared to what we have seen before. The movie shows us a side of these creatures that packs emotion, compassion, loyalty, and a code of Knight-like honor.
However, the central aspect of the thrill of the hunt, the constant lurking of the predator in the second half of the movie, still lives up to what the franchise is best known for. In conclusion, this movie presents the Predator not just in the light of a hunter but also as a whole being with multiple sides to him, and in my opinion, it’s truly fantastic.
The Action Sequences Are Pure Aura Farming at Its Best
Predators have always been famous for being the coolest hunters one can imagine. However, Predator: Badlands takes their well-known badass-ery to a brand new level. In the movie, Dek is a relatively younger Yautja, or Predator, and it shows in his fighting style. The way he is a bit too aggressive, wields his weapons with finesse, but is still a little bit janky with them, tells of his inexperience in combat.
However, every single action sequence where he fights, whether a creature or a Wayland-Yutani android, is a masterclass in aura-farming. The camera angles, as well as the way he takes a kill, just show why the Yatuja are the most feared creatures in the galaxy. Moreover, I love the way that when we first meet him, he is just an amateur, but as he goes through the planet, faces enemies, and finds new motivations to continue his hunt, his skills start to become more and more refined, and by the end of the movie, he is nothing less than an absolute menace.
Overall, if you have been missing the Predator franchise in live action, Predator: Badlands is exactly what you needed and a little more. This movie packs the right amount of action, the perfect storytelling, character development, and basically everything you could ask for in a movie, while also making you relive the original Predator movies. So, if you are still a bit skeptical about watching Predator: Badlands, don’t be; get your tickets ASAP, grab your family or your friends, and go watch this incredible revival of the beloved franchise, done just right.
