MOVIES

Predator: Badlands Has A Lot Of Good In It

This different kind of Predator movie is a winner

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Two weeks ago, my dad told me about this movie called Predator: Badlands. He was really adamant about it during our chat. So I thought, ‘‘Okay, I’ll give it a view.’’

The first two Predator movies (1987 Predator and 1990 Predator 2) were engaging and kept me on edge, wondering who would survive these terrifying creatures and who would perish because of them.

So, when I think of a Predator, I think of these scary-looking hunters that could kill you by stabbing you with their spears or striking you with their laser weapons.

Until I saw Predator: Badlands.

Predator: Badlands (2025) makes the main character (who’s a predator) relatable, and the viewer wants to root for him to achieve his goal.

I just watched it for the fifth time yesterday. I’m hooked on this movie.

In Predator: Badlands, we follow the journey of a Yautja predator from Yautja Prime named Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), who is seen (by his ruthless father) as the weakest in his clan. Dek is eager to prove himself and earn his father’s respect by finding this well-known creature on a planet nearby called the Kalisk.

His father, though, has another plan for Dek: to have the young Yautja killed by his older brother, Kwei.

Dek painfully learns of this when he sees his father. Kwei is ordered to kill Dek right on the spot on Yautja Prime. Instead, Kwei doesn’t kill Dek. Dek flies into a spaceship, thanks to a gadget his brother used.

Dek flies to a vicious planet that’s stacked with obstacle courses, but soon gets help from a colorful and likeable android named Thia (Elle Fanning) and a likeable creature that gets the name Bud (thanks to Thia) to navigate through the planet, find the creature named Kalisk, and get his respect.

Predator: Badlands shows us that strength shows up in different sizes and forms. There are all kinds of strength besides the over-the-top kind.

This movie surprised me in a great way.

It has a wonderful story, good humor, and a lot of heart.