Director Dan Trachtenberg earned his place in the franchise with Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers. If you haven’t watched these films, I highly recommend them. I went into his latest installment, which thankfully is getting a theatrical release, and I was not disappointed.
Trachtenberg, working with co-writer Patrick Aison, takes the Predator franchise into some unexpected territory, which not only features a Predator creature as the protagonist but also allows him to embark on a journey of growth and companionship with a cheery and charming android. While that premise might sound silly, Trachtenberg and Aison know what they are doing. After all, the Yautja, the race of creatures known as Predators, have actual personalities and have an intense background that develops them into fierce hunters.
Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), the story’s protagonist, is a smaller-sized Yautja struggling to prove his worth to his clan. When his clan, frustrated with his failures, decides to eliminate him, he escapes his home planet on a mission to hunt a legendary creature that has become the subject of Yautja myth. After crash-landing on the creature’s home, he meets a damaged android named Thia (Elle Fanning), torn in half by its attacker. Though initially reluctant, Dek agrees to help Thia find her counterpart, Tessa (also Fanning), who is determined to complete her mission.
Although this film’s tone differs sharply from Trachtenberg’s previous entries, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Dek and Thia’s dynamic, reminiscent of buddy comedies, was entertaining. The humor never undermines the gravity of their situation but heightens the experience.
It is refreshing to see a Predator Yautja visualized and executed as a dimensional character. Typically, Predators are portrayed as cold, calculating, and evil, often facing mindless slashers. Predator: Badlands succeeds in making Dek a relatable and likable character, someone the audience can cheer for.
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi does a solid job of portraying Dek, and it is a treat to see his character evolve during his journey, reminiscent of Schwarzenegger’s Terminator in T2: Judgment Day. Elle Fanning excels as both Thia, the amiable but sometimes annoying android who wants to help, and as Tessa, a cold, calculating android focused on her mission.
Although I didn’t enjoy this movie as much as the previous entries, I appreciate that Trachtenberg continues to try something new with each installment. I hope he delivers another chapter that’s unique, yet just as exciting.