'Predator: Badlands' review: A franchise lost in its own convoluted mythology

Courtesy of 20th Century Studios

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I know what you’re thinking: how did we get here? The seventh (!) movie in the “Predator” franchise — which began in 1987 when Arnold Schwarzenegger and his commando pals were stranded in the Central American jungle, fighting off the titular menace with nothing but machine guns and biceps — has somehow landed us in a dry, overcomplicated wasteland. Oh, how far we’ve come.

Director Dan Trachtenberg has become the new stalwart of this series after the success of “Prey,” which I rather enjoyed for its contained, muscular energy. That film worked because it returned to the basics: the thrill of the hunt, the intensity of survival, and the stripped-down brutality that defined this saga in the first place. And that’s really what anyone watches a “Predator” movie for, the primal rush of these creatures stalking and tearing through their prey with grit and ferocity.

But “Badlands” takes a strange turn. The filmmakers have decided to turn the concept into a buddy-comedy adventure, and the results don’t pay the dividends one might hope. It’s a sanitized, self-aware spin on a franchise that used to feel raw and dangerous. Rather than sharpening the mythology, “Badlands” expands it to a point of exhaustion and lackluster results. Can’t we just go back to watching them hunt humans instead of androids?

After a clunky expositional prologue on the planet Yautja Prime, we meet an unsightly Predator (the technical term being “Yautja”) named Dek (played through a blend of digital effects and prosthetics by Dimitirius Schuster-Koloamatangi), who’s on an impossible quest to slay a fearsome monster known as the Kalisk. On paper, that sounds like the classic “Predator” pulp of one killer hunting another. But the execution is messy. The visual effects are choppy, the pacing awkward, and the humor — mostly delivered by Elle Fanning’s Thia, a wisecracking droid from the Waytani Corporation — is one big eyeroll after another. The inclusion of Waytani practically screams that we’re heading toward another “Alien vs. Predator” rematch, though after this, I’m not sure that’s something to look forward to.

Call me crazy, but I don’t want my “Predator” movies filled with sight gags and winking one-liners. I want carnage. I want intensity. In “Badlands,” there’s plenty of sci-fi slashing and hacking, but none of the griminess or dread that used to define this franchise. The stakes never feel high. And worst of all, the movie wants us to root for the Predators, to see them as sympathetic, misunderstood warriors. Sorry, but these creatures were made to terrify. They’re not supposed to have hearts, or tearful bonding moments with androids. The moment you start humanizing them, you take away their power.

By removing the human element entirely, “Badlands” plays like a hollow side-quest, one whose only goal is to set up future installments in the ever-expanding Predator portfolio. Earlier this year, the animated entry “Killers of Killers” managed to breathe new life into the brand with a slick, stylized approach. But here, the world feels oddly artificial, the desert landscapes are flat and the creature designs unfinished. The supporting critters Dek and Thia encounter, one of them is named Bud who spits goo at Dek to mark his territory, are pure CGI sludge, never evoking awe or fear.

And then comes the big twist: Thia’s twin synthetic (also played by Fanning) emerges as the true hunter, undercutting the movie’s entire premise. What began as a clear, primal pursuit spirals into a convoluted tale about clones, tribal hierarchies, and Predator succession lines. Suddenly, we’re learning about politics and heritage in a franchise that once thrived on simplicity, and for what? These creatures were never meant to be studied; they were meant to be feared.

By the end, I found myself asking: why should I care about Dek and his journey? How did such a simple, visceral idea get so bloated and toothless? “Predator: Badlands” forgets the one thing that kept this series alive for nearly forty years: mystery. The less we knew about these hunters, the more terrifying they were. And without that, all we’re left with is noise, lore, and a mask that’s lost its purpose. 

Grade: D+ 

PREDATOR: BADLANDS is now playing in theaters.