Predator Badlands
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg
Starring Elle Fanning, and Dimitrius Shuster-Koloamatangi
Rated PG-13
Streaming on Disney+/Hulu

First Impression: Predator Badlands is the 7th film in the Predator franchise and is more outlandish and expansive on the world of Predator. The film does an interesting thing: it takes the point of view of the Predator and makes him the prey for once. The results are remarkably satisfying, a nice fresh take to breathe new life into the franchise.

If you are familiar with the Predator franchise you will know that the extraterrestrial creature is very un-human, unwelcoming and has a single mindset to seek and destroy by any means necessary. It’s a perfected killing machine that has terrorized its unsuspecting victims for more than 40 years in the movie theaters to the delight and terror of sci fi fans young and old. But recently the films have become very formulaic and even down right hacky (I’m speaking specifically to the Alien V Predator films). I’d also highly recommend watching the two most recent films: Prey (2022), which is available on Hulu, and Predator: Badlands (2025). The take on the iconic movie monster is from such an exciting and new perspective that I can’t help but appreciate and be in awe of.

Director Dan Trachtenberg has done something unique and almost sac religious in the science fiction realm of movie making for Predator Badlands he has humanized this Predator who is described by the runt of the litter by his Alpha father and has ordered his older brother to kill him in orders to keep the family name strong. The predator’s older brother of course could not do this and helps his brother escape to a distant planet but in doing this loses his own life to his sinister father. What very human drama for such an alien character!

By doing this Trachtenberg has given us a reason to root for the Predator to see if he can fulfil his quest and be deemed worthy by his ruthless father and see if he can take revenge for his brother who saved him. Along the way on his journey he runs into a cyborg (brilliantly played by Fanning) who has been cut in half literally by the monster the predator is hunting. The predator decides to bring along the cyborg as it provides knowledge and expertise on their treacherous quest.

Trachtenberg also made the decision to give very human qualities to the cyborg as well. We see multiple flashbacks of the cyborg speaking about another cyborg who she considered her sister and misses her and longs to see her again. Again this is not something we see from these types of characters in epic science fiction odysseys. This fresh take alone is worth the trip even if you aren’t a big fan of sci-fi its worth the watch and you will be satisfied with the ending.

Final Verdict 4 out of 5 Stars