“Predator: Badlands” (2025) follows a young Yautja (the official name for the “Predator” species) named Dek, played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, on his journey to earn his invisibility “cloak” and prove himself to his clan.

   Along the way, Dek meets Thia (Elle Fanning), an android with infectious optimism who needs to find her legs after they were unceremoniously removed in battle. 

   Before we get into the good and the bad, I want to make it clear that you should not go into this movie expecting a tough-as-nails action flick. If that’s what you’re looking for, you won’t really find it here. This film is far more heartwarming than I expected, and it left me feeling whiplash after my anticipation of a gory, exciting, action-packed film not unlike the “Predator” franchise I binged beforehand. There is a greater focus on Dek’s coming-of-age arc than anything else, and in the theater, I remember dreading what that meant for my enjoyment of this movie, but I had no real reason to worry; I had a great time anyway. 

   The first aspect of “Badlands” I want to highlight is the score. I really enjoyed the soundtrack of this film. I don’t often notice the score in a scene, let alone multiple scenes, but this one stood out to me, and for good reason. It complements the events onscreen really well. 

   As characters, I think Dek and Thia are pretty well done. I came to really care for their bond and their development, and their individual arcs are interesting, even if Dek’s is a tad predictable. There’s nothing inherently wrong with being predictable, not every element of a story can surprise audiences all the time. 

   The action is, of course, amazingly well done. There is still a good deal of it despite my earlier remarks about a lack; it’s just not nearly as gnarly as the other installments, which isn’t necessarily a detriment. My jaw genuinely dropped at some of the things they did with this movie. Dan Tratchenberg (who also directed “Prey” (2022) and “Predator: Killer of Killers” (2025)) gives the film amazing direction, as usual, and I am so excited to see where he takes the franchise next. 

   With that being said, I’m going to get into the stuff that didn’t really work, at least for me. 

   For the first half of “Badlands,” I honestly found myself wishing I was watching “Prey” instead. It’s not because this movie is bad, but because I was bored more often than I feel like I should have been in a “Predator” film, and I was never bored during “Prey,” which, in my opinion, is Tratchenberg’s strongest contribution to “Predator” as a series.

   The first 30-45 minutes move really slowly, and because they can’t yet fully reveal the main villain, the writers instead have Dek and Thia run into more minor dangers to overcome on multiple occasions, and it sometimes feels like scenes go on forever, or at least far longer than they needed to. 

   I wish the writers trusted the audience to get the themes on their own and didn’t feel that they had to coddle us to foster our understanding. I just found myself thinking “okay, we get it!” far too often for my entertainment not to be impacted.

   Finally, and probably my biggest personal gripe with “Badlands,” the tech of the Yautja wasn’t shown off half as much as I would’ve liked. My personal favorite parts of every “Predator” movie I’ve watched were the helmet that helps them see heat signatures and the way they copy voices, and those elements were not explored at all here, they’re not even mentioned. Dek seems to only possess two weapons and he uses them for everything. It gets a tad redundant after the fourth battle of him solely using his sword and his little shuriken item. 

   Overall, I had a really good time with “Predator: Badlands,” and I wouldn’t be upset at a sequel (I know sequel bait when I see it). I think it definitely struggles to find its footing at first, but it’s a solid entry into a franchise I’ve come to appreciate. I’m a little confused by the ending (no spoilers here!), but I’m sure that will be expanded upon should a sequel be greenlit. I had a great time and the movie is worth a watch, especially if you love a found family dynamic.