Dan Trachtenberg is a man who has earned the right to take a few risks with the Predator franchise. His work on Prey, which delivered a classic human versus Predator battle in the time of the Comanche tribe, was solely released on streaming and left people wanting the cinematic experience. Then came Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated anthology film that pitted three warriors through human history against Predators, showcasing that Trachtenberg could deliver epic action in animated form. With Predator: Badlands, he moves the franchise even further from its comfort zone to deliver one of the most thrilling films of the year.
Seen as an outcast by his clan, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) travels to a hostile planet to hunt for the ultimate trophy kill. As the planet fights back at every opportunity, Dek encounters Thia (Elle Fanning), a damaged Weyland-Yutani synth, and together they journey across the treacherous planet to reach their respective goals.
Opening with a ruthless battle between brothers, all so one of them can prove they are a worthy member of the clan, Trachtenberg confirms he is perfectly at home in this franchise. Not only does it showcase how ruthless these creatures are, but it also solidifies the code of honour they live by as a species. It's little things like this that just make you feel like this guy gets it. A heinous act by their father drives a wedge between the brothers and sets Dek on a life-changing journey never seen before in the franchise. Making a Predator the protagonist is a fresh approach that works well for the film, pitting a rather inexperienced warrior against an unforgiving planet, an exciting move.
From the moment Dek touches down on the planet, Badlands is a relentless slice of sci-fi action that doesn't allow the audience to breathe. The action is bombastic, the action is slick, but most of all, it features some incredibly cool moments that remind you just how wicked the Predators actually are, totally deserving their iconic status in cinema. It's when Dek meets Thia where the film takes a bit of an unexpected turn, one that might see the film lose some of its older, more traditional audience. Badlands changes pace to become more of a buddy comedy, reminding me of The Mandalorian at times. It's a side to the Predators we haven't seen before, and it's certainly a risk, and it does take a little bit of getting used to, but it does work for the most part. The film is in danger of becoming too comedic, yet settles down to form a crowd-pleasing dynamic between Predator and synth - Thia's legs roaming around like the Wrong Trousers in the finale, getting a chuckle from me. It's refreshing to see someone take a risk in a franchise, and not just rinse and repeat what came before, Trachtenberg never straying away from letting us know Dek is an absolute badass.
What's really fascinating about Badlands is the emotional depth brought to the character Dek by making the Predator the protagonist. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi delivers a performance full of rage, humour and vulnerability - something we've never seen from a Predator before in the franchise. Even under all the practical and digital effects, Schuster-Koloamatangi's performance is never lost. Then there's Elle Fanning in the dual role of Thia/Tessa; the former a comedic hoot and the latter the polar opposite. Fanning nails both roles and adds a new layer to the film with her partnership with Schuster-Koloamatangi, riffing off each other effortlessly.
While Predator: Badlands is, for me, Dan Trachtenberg's weakest film in the franchise yet, that isn't a bad thing to say when his others are so good and this film is still one hell of a ride! Badlands really is a badass expansion of the Predator franchise.
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