Predator: Badlands – Review (4/5)

PREDATOR: BADLANDS is a new Sci-Fi Thriller in the long-running PREDATOR franchise. This time, it’s about a young Predator outcast and features Elle Fanning as a synth. This movie ties it to the ALIEN franchise yet again. Read our Predator: Badlads movie review here!

PREDATOR: BADLANDS is a new Sci-Fi Action Thriller that both continues and re-invents the franchise. I remember growing up watching Predator movies, where you never saw the creature much. After all, its strength was its camouflage.

In this movie, it’s a classic hero’s journey – but the hero is a Predator. Personally, I love this different approach. Otherwise, I could just rewatch the old movies. The runtime is 1 hour and 47 minutes, which worked much better than I expected.

Continue reading our Predator: Badlands movie review below. Find it in theaters from November 7, 2025.

A young outcast Yautja

In Predator: Badlands, the story plays out in the future on a deadly remote planet called “Genna”. Before we get that far, we first meet Dek, a young Predator outcast, who desperately wants to earn his place in this clan.

Also, we should call things by their rightful names, so I should refer to Dek as a Yautja. And Dek has decided that to earn his place in the world, he needs to kill an unkillable creature called a “Kalisk”.

WHAT IS A YAUTJA?

We may call the creatures in this franchise a “Predator”, but they’re actually called a “Yautja”. Just like the alien from the Alien franchise is a Xenomorph.

Quick note: The actual title of Predator: Badlands doesn’t come until around 20 minutes into the runtime. That’s when Dek arrives on Genna, and his journey begins. And yes, this is very much a hero’s journey, which I loved.

With Dek as the main character, we also hear a foreign language spoken a lot. Namely that of the Yautja. However, as soon as Thia, a synthetic (or just “synth”), joins him on this mission, she uses her universal language module to help us all.

A quick line explains how she can speak English, but anyone who hears her talk will hear what she says in their own language. Like a highly advanced Google Translate, if you will.

Weyland-Yutani causing problems universally

Once again, much of the struggle for our hero comes from the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. Just as it has been the case in many Alien movies, which once again ties the Predator and Alien franchises closer together.

So does the use of synthetics, which has always been key to Alien movies. Most recently also the Alien: Earth series. Maybe the next Predator movie will expand on this? And yes, the ending of Predator: Badlands does call for a sequel!

Elle Fanning is great as the synth in Predator: Badlands and becomes a mentor for the Yautja, Dek, who is played by body actor Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi.

Both deliver strong and organic performances in this sci-fi universe. Also, as someone who grew up on those first Predator movies, I feel it has some of the tongue-in-cheek humor they did. But often with a more contemporary twist.

What is true strength?

Obviously, a Yautja is a top predator who would never recognize that a synth (or anyone else) could teach them something. However, survival is about adapting, and sometimes strength comes from learning and working together, instead of fighting everyone.

Yes, I will gladly admit that I loved the message of Predator: Badlands, which focuses on the many ways to show strength. Particularly, the choice to protect and lead, rather than control and abuse.

Something many will see as very woke, I’m sure. Then again, The Golden Girls would be considered woke if it aired today, so I can’t be bothered by that.

There’s even a focus on the concept of an “Alpha”. In this movie, it comes up when speaking of leadership within a pack of wolves, but I’m sure many would do well to pay attention and actually understand this.

Watch Predator: Badlands in theaters

Predator: Badlands comes from director Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane). He also directed the previous Predator movie Prey (2022) and co-directed the 2025 animated Hulu movie Predator: Killer of Killers.

This new story also comes from Dan Trachtenberg with Patrick Aison. The screenplay was written by Patrick Aison (Prey). And, of course, Jim Thomas and John Thomas also get prominent billing and credit for “based on characters by”.

They wrote the original Predator movie from 1987, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers, which had the same runtime as this 2025 movie. The original movie was directed by John McTiernan (Die Hard).

If you’ve enjoyed any of the previous Predator movies (or even the Alien franchise), then don’t miss out on this one. Also, if you can, make sure you watch it in a movie theater for maximum impact.

PREDATOR: BADLANDS is out In Theaters on November 7, 2025.

Details

In Theaters: November 7, 2025
Genres: Thriller, Science Fiction, Action
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Screenplay: Patrick Aison
Story: Patrick Aison, Dan Trachtenberg
Cast: Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi