Movies

Predator: Badlands

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Although Predator: Badlands may share some elements with the Alien series, it stands out as a distinct Predator story that the competing sci-fi series might find challenging to emulate. While earlier Predator films attempted to replicate the essence of the 1987 original, none quite managed to recapture its captivating mix of intense action, shocking violence, and imaginative science fiction narrative – a feat achieved only by director Dan Trachtenberg’s 2022 prequel, Prey.

In a fresh and straightforward rewording, here’s how I would put it:

The film titled Prey delivered on the expectations set by the original Predator, with its streamlined narrative focusing on Amber Midthunder’s character, Naru, a Comanche heroine eluding the Predator across the Great Plains in 1719. The movie was such a hit that director Dan Trachtenberg has lined up two Predator films slated for release in 2025 – the animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers and the live-action sequel, Predator: Badlands. Although Predator: Killer of Killers is what fans of the series have longed for, the first teaser trailer for Predator: Badlands hints that it might offer an even more exhilarating experience for devotees of the franchise.

Predator: Badlands Has A Predator As The Main Character

The Franchise’s Monster Becomes Its Protagonist This Time Around

In the film “Predator: Badlands,” Elle Fanning portrays Thia, a synthetic character created by Weyland-Yutani, who joins forces with the outcast Yautja named Dek to navigate a rugged, isolated planet. Interestingly, the initial teaser trailer for “Predator: Badlands” hinted at its connections to the “Alien” series, as a scene showing Thia’s eyes shutting off mirrors similar instances from “Prometheus” and “Alien: Romulus.” Yet, this connection is not the most intriguing part of the movie’s storyline.

What sets Predator: Badlands apart is that Trachtenberg’s film portrays the Predator as a protagonist instead of an antagonist, unlike previous attempts in the series such as the criticized Alien Vs Predator movies. In both 2004’s Alien Vs Predator and its 2007 sequel Aliens Vs Predator: Requiem, Yautja characters (Predators) joined forces with humans to prevent Xenomorphs from wiping out Earth’s population. Regrettably, neither of these storylines were successful.

Movie Year Of Release Rotten Tomatoes Score
Predator 1987 80%
Predator 2 1990 29%
AVP: Alien Vs. Predator 2004 21%
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem 2007 12%
Predators 2010 65%
The Predator 2018 34%
Prey 2022 94%

1) In these movies, the Yautja weren’t as menacing as they typically are because they were relegated to cleaning up after the Xenomorphs, monstrous creatures that devoured everything in their path. Seeing their supposedly gentle side wasn’t very captivating when it was clear their alliance with humans was purely a matter of practicality. However, what makes the Predator series intriguing for its future is the fact that “Predator: Badlands” focuses on Dek as the main character.

2) In these films, the Yautja weren’t as intimidating as usual because they were tasked with cleaning up after the Xenomorphs, ferocious beasts that consumed everything in their path. The soft side we saw wasn’t very engaging when it was evident their partnership with humans was merely a pragmatic move. On the other hand, what makes the Predator series enticing for its future is that “Predator: Badlands” centers Dek as the lead character.

The Yautja Have Always Been More Relatable Than The Xenomorphs

The Xenomorph Is More Feral And Less Human

In the upcoming movie “Predator: Badlands”, it’s clear that the character played by Thia and Dek might be significant, but the teaser suggests that the young Yautja is the film’s main focus. This shift in the series is quite dramatic, yet it mirrors a direction that was subtly foreshadowed since the original movie. Compared to the Alien franchise’s Xenomorphs, the Predator series’ titular creatures have always been more anthropomorphized.

The Yautja possess a society, spacecraft, technology, attire, and a code of honor, along with a complex language that includes written and spoken components. Unlike the Xenomorphs, who are lethal machines due to their mindless nature and inability to be reasoned or communicated with, the Yautja present a more human-like adversary. While some peculiar plot inconsistencies in Prometheus suggest the Xenomorph could have been engineered as a biological weapon from the start, the Yautja resemble a tribal culture that surprisingly bears many parallels to our own species.

Why The Predator Franchise Always Needed Predator: Badlands

The Series Has Always Humanized Its Villain

Since the final scene of the Predator movie, where the titular creature removed its mask to battle Dutch as a mark of respect, the Predator franchise has often explored the concept of a Yautja protagonist. Characters throughout the series are frequently juxtaposed with the Yautja. Given that the main characters in the original film were foreign soldiers invading Central America, it’s both fitting and ironic when they are hunted by an intruder possessing superior technology.

Just as Alien: Romulus developed a more human-like character in Andy compared to David in Prometheus, the upcoming movie, Predator: Badlands, could transform Thia into an outright heroic synthetic by working alongside Dek. This transformation would suggest that the Yautja and the creations of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation possess similar moral complexities and redemption potential as human characters, thereby adding layers of moral ambiguity to both franchises. Unlike an Alien film where the Xenomorph could be the hero, it seems that Predator: Badlands is on track to achieve this for the Yautja in Trachtenberg’s sequel, offering a unique twist for the Predator franchise.

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2025-04-29 00:28

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