By William Ludwig
Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator: Badlands makes for a thrilling, action packed, and emotionally rich finale to his Predator trilogy. Much like his previous installments—Prey (2022) and this year’s Predator: Killer of Killers—Trachtenberg’s newest work manages to produce a new and fresh take on the franchise while continuing to deliver on fans’ long awaited requests.
Prey reimagined the original film’s premise, being set in 1719 with a Comanche woman looking to prove herself by taking down the deadliest creature they’ve ever encountered, a Yautja. Jump forward to 2025, and Trachtenberg has released an animated anthology film titled Predator: Killer of Killers. This installment expanded the universe with three stories that take place across different periods and regions in human history—a Viking warrior in 9th-century Scandinavia, a Samurai in 17th-century feudal Japan, and a US pilot in the Pacific Theater during World War 2. Each character is forced to face off against a different Yautja—each one distinct in design, culture, weaponry, and combat style, all tailored to the era and region in which they appear.
Much like Killer of Killers, Badlands wastes no time, throwing viewers straight into the action and finally bringing Youtja Prime (the predator’s home world) to the big screen. There, we meet Dek, the runt of his clan, as he spars with his older brother Kwei. Their duel is meant to test Dek’s ability as a hunter before being sent on his ceremonial hunt—something that is necessary in order to become a true Yautja. Much to the disapproval of his brother, Dek chooses the most dangerous creature in the universe as his target, the Unkillable Kalisk. But before his hunt can begin, the brothers’ father—Njorr, interrupts them and orders Kwei to kill Dek for his weakness. Instead, Kwei sacrifices himself, sending Dek off-world with the dying command to “Bring it home”.
This movie is packed with action. From start to finish there’s never a dull moment, with nearly every other scene outdoing its predecessor in scale both emotionally and visually. Speaking of scale, no other predator film comes close to the sense of scale found in this installment, not even Killer of Killers. From its jaw dropping visuals to its terrifying landscapes, Predator: Badlands puts its foot on the gas and never takes it off until the credits roll. And just when you think the movie is over, it leaves audiences with an exciting stinger hinting at future sequels.
While Badlands is no doubt a thrilling experience, it’s nothing new for the sci-fi action genre. It doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel with nuanced characters or allegories, but it does explore the Predator species’ toxic, hyper-individualistic view of strength. Dek’s journey challenges that mindset, forcing him to recognize that real strength is found through those around you, not only within yourself.
Overall, Predator: Badlands is a fun and exhilarating ride that makes for a fitting installment into one of the most iconic franchises of all time. I didn’t have high expectations walking into the theater, but I was thoroughly impressed coming out of it. Personally, I’d rate Predator: Badlands a 9/10—and highly recommend seeing it in IMAX if possible.