Predator: Badlands — A Ruthless Return to the Hunt!
Building on the success of two recent Predator films, Predator Badlands is helping to establish a new Predator-Alien Universe (PAU). This universe connects the latest features, Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers, with earlier Alien prequels such as Alien Covenant and the original film starring Sigourney Weaver.
Predator Badlands expands on the lore of Predator life and the rite of passage for a much younger and inexperienced Yautja warrior named Dek. However, this film introduces a new alien species as the supposed prey for the warrior: the unkillable Kalisk, an apex predator. No Xenomorph in this film. With Dek’s ruthless father fearing the creature himself, Dek decides to take on a challenge his father cannot handle.
Before Dek can act, his father Njohrr intervenes with a ruthless agenda. Branded a runt, Dek faces the harsh Yautja tradition of culling the weak. When Dek’s brother Kwei, dares to defend him, their father executes Kwei instead, his fury only deepening as Dek slips away to the distant planet Genna, home of the Kalisk.
After crash-landing on Genna, Dek encounters several alien creatures. These include an octopus-spider-like vine creature, explosive caterpillars, an acid-spitting worm, a plant that shoots projectiles, and a flying creature, among others. None of which is the Kalisk, which Dek really wishes to bring home as a trophy. But nothing can make Dek happier than to avenge his brother. Death to Njohrr, their father!
On the planet, Dek encounters an injured synthetic (Elle Fanning) and a monkey-like creature with outstanding fighting abilities and invincibility. They name it Bud. While Dek searches for the Kalisk with Thia (Elle Fanning), the three become close traveling companions.
What distinguishes this film from the other AVP franchise is the Predator’s ability to converse with the two and form a bond as they share their experiences. A few lighthearted moments, such as the monkey-like creature spitting on Dek, were funny, but this will be useful later.
As the movie unfolds, we learn that Thia has a ruthless synthetic twin, Tessa, who was assigned by Weyland-Yutani to capture or return the Kalisk for its indestructible nature for profit. Dek realizes this too late, during his battle with the apex predator, narrowly avoiding death.
Tessa and Weyland-Yutani male synthetics, in turn, were able to capture and contain the Kalisk, along with Dek himself (and his weapons). Thia finally finds out that her twin has a murderous streak and helps Dek escape.
Dek finds Bud again and arms himself with organic weapons from the flora and fauna of the planet he encountered earlier in the film to rescue Thia and the Kalisk, who turns out to be Bud’s mother. Bud’s spit is what saved Dek from the Kalisk. The Kalisk recognized the scent. The action-packed rescue is the film’s highlight.
A time jump, as Dek goes home to take revenge on his father, we see Thia and grown Bud become Dek’s clan members after he decapitates his father. For the rest of the film, we enjoin you to watch it.
Predator movies in chronological order
- Prey
- Predator: Killer of Killers
- Predator
- Predator 2
- Alien vs Predator
- Alien vs Predator 2
- Predators
- The Predator
- Predator: Badlands