A young Predator outcast from his clan finds an unlikely ally on his journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Chuck says:
A savage, alien hunter with daddy issues? A sci-fi adventure with shades of “Don Quixote?” Believe or not, that’s what you get with “Predator: Badlands,” the seventh entry in the surprisingly resilient franchise that contains one pleasant surprise after another. Credit must be given to writer/director Dan Trachtenberg who took the moribund series and snapped it out of its funk by examining the history of the titular character. His “Prey” (2022) took place in the 1700’s pitting a Comanche warrior against the dreadlocked dreadnaught, while his animated “Killer of Killers” contained a trio of tales taking place during three distinct historical eras.
“Badlands” provides another twist in giving us a predator we sympathize with while examining the notion of family from two different perspectives. Tautly told and imaginatively rendered, the tale is so engaging you’re likely to overlook the film’s shoddy visual effects which prevent the viewer from becoming completely immersed in the entry. Be that as it may, Trachtenberg provides enough allusions to previous series entries as well as the “Alien” franchise to satisfy hardcore fans who will likely embrace the movie and clamor for a sequel, Trachtenberg leaving his options open with a curious conclusion.
Adhering to the notion that the weak should be culled from the herd, the yautja warrior Dek (Dimitrius Schuster Koloamatangi) has been ostracized from his clan by his unyielding father. Tradition holds he must prove himself by going on a hunt and bringing in a grisly trophy as proof of his first kill. Taking no half measures, he sets out to slay a Kalisk, a fearsome creature no one has been successful in killing, that inhabits the planet, Genna. If this doesn’t please his father, nothing will.
Known as the “Death Planet,” Genna likely would maintain a zero-star rating on Tripadvisor. Sporting razor grass and exploding plants with needles coated with a paralyzing toxic, the environment contains one death trap after another. Throw in flying serpents, deadly spitting snakes as well as armored bison and you have a place where even the most experienced warrior would likely be killed. Fortunately, Dek gets some much-needed assistance when he stumbles upon Thia (Elle Fanning), a synthetic being who’s still operational despite having been torn in half. Swallowing his pride, Dek throws the robot on his back and they set off together in search of a Kalisk.
What ensues is a surprisingly funny and at times tender adventure. Thia is something of a chatty Cathy, dispensing unasked for information regarding Genna, its inhabitants and just about anything else that crosses her artificial mind. Needless, to say, Dek’s patience runs short with her as well as with Bud (Rohinal Nayaran), an odd creature who gloms onto the duo, tagging along, frustrating our hero at every turn.
These lighthearted moments nicely balance those concerning Tessa (Fanning, also), another synthetic who sets out to bring in Dek as a specimen for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation of “Alien” fame. Supported by an army of warrior cyborgs, she embarks on a scorched earth campaign to capture him and Thia, who has a “sisterly” affection for her. This sets up an interesting comparison regarding sibling relationships as Dek holds dear the memory of his brother, Kwei (Michael Homik), who died defending him against their father.
Pleasant third-act surprises negate the tedium of numerous action scenes, as a group of strange, cross-species bedfellows come together in battle. In the process, Dek comes to realize that caring for another being is not, contrary to what his father taught him, a weakness. Once the smoke clears, these comrades in arms emerge with a renewed sense of purpose and the understanding that loyalty is a quality to cherish.
That a life-affirming sentiment should come from a “Predator” movie is just one of many delights in “Badlands,” its tonal shift suggesting a new direction for the franchise. Is Trachtenberg laying the foundation to introduce a comedic entry or romantic episode in the series? At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised and with the filmmaker’s track record, I’d be open to either.
3 Stars
