20th Century Fox’s Predator didn’t just thrill action fans; it roared. It took a simple hook—survival in the jungle—and turned it into one of the toughest films of the 80s. Guerrillas, locals, commandos… none of them realised they were being stalked by something far worse. Predator Badlands carries that same DNA, but flips the lens. This time, the hunter is the hero.
Dex (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is the runt of his clan, desperate to prove himself to a father who’d sooner cull the weak than train them. His brother Kwei (Mike Homik in suit, Stefan Grube on voice) doesn’t think he’s ready. Their dynamic sets the stage fast, and then the film hits full throttle: Pops arrives, declares Dex unworthy, and doesn’t even give the lad a chance. Big brother steps in, pays the price, and the ship bolts off as Dex watches him die. It’s raw, swift, and effective.
The intro lands, even though the setup is gentler than its predecessors. And the Easter eggs are fun, though mostly fan service. Once the story leaves home turf, it shifts into space-western territory. It’s Cowboys & Aliens by way of a coming-of-age quest. And when Dex meets a synthroid named Thia (Elle Fanning), the film swerves again into Enemy Mine territory (or is that Battle Angel Alita?)—two unlikely allies surviving a hostile world. The tag-along monkey, Bud, feels like the kind of comic-relief character a Disney executive would insist on, but he unexpectedly earns his keep in the third act.
Despite solid pacing, the film goes soft where the franchise usually bites. The Predators don’t feel threatening—they appear when the plot needs them, not when the tension demands it. Switching to a Yautja perspective is a terrific idea, and acknowledging the species by name is long overdue. But the deeper Dark Horse Comics lore is only teased, not embraced, and that’s a missed opportunity.
The biggest shift comes from the Weyland-Yutani revelation: humanity and the Yautja have an uneasy peace. That nudges the franchise into Star Trek territory. The Yautja read like Klingons—proud, divided, tribal, and ruled by fractured warrior codes. It’s a compelling angle, but it softens the aura of danger. Although they are not allies, the fact these hunter gatherer organizations are exploring the galaxy suggests the this future is still an untamed frontier.
The redesign adds to that problem. Unmasked, the Yautja look influenced by Shane Black’s DNA-splicing arc. Dex’s more human-like features explain his “runt” status, but the aesthetic shift dilutes the fear factor. It’s the same issue Star Trek faced with its evolving Klingon designs—the logic works in-universe, but the tone changes.
And tone is the crux. The Yautja should inspire awe—the kind Dutch growled about in the original. It’s the most quotable moment, and Kevin Peter Hall’s imposing height even made Arnie flinch. But when the redesigns and narrative softness make them approachable, I half-expect one to crouch down and say, “Are you my mother?” It may make life easier for the actor, but it undermines the primal edge this franchise thrives on.
I’ll keep watching, no question. But I miss the terror. I crave that feeling that something is lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. We get a taste of that with the Kalisk—the monster Dex intends to kill—but it’s not enough. The Predator shouldn’t feel tame or eager to train. To say more risks spoiling the film’s big twist, but let’s just say I saw it coming a mile away.
3½ Stars out of 5
Predator Badlands Trailer
