Young Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) wants to prove his worthiness to his father, Njohrr (Reuben de Jong), who thinks he doesn’t have what it takes to be an alpha predator. That’s why he travels to the “death planet” Genna to slay a supposedly unkillable beast, Kalisk. But he soon finds himself way over his head, and he’ll need the help of an unlikely ally, the damaged android Thia (Elle Fanning), to survive. With Thia by his side, can Dek kill Kalisk and win his father’s approval?
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the architect behind the rebooted Predator films Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, Predator: Badlands is arguably the best movie in the long-running franchise. Instead of a muscle-bound human protagonist, the film commits to centering on the physically slight Dek, who shows emotions every human can relate to — frustration, fear, anger and, yes, even love.
The film’s not-so-secret ingredient is Fanning’s friendly, peppy android, who makes Dek a better predator by showing him his heart. (Not literally — I have to add that due to the nature of this movie.) Badlands is the rare franchise movie that improves on what came before it and makes you excited for what’s next. (Marvel, please take notes.)
