Few directors have been able to drop into an established franchise – especially one as mature as the “Predator” franchise – revive it and truly make it their own.
Dan Trachtenberg (“10 Cloverfield”) has not only refreshed it, but he’s imbued it with intelligence after seriously dubious cash-grab entries such as “Predator 2” and the two “Alien vs. Predator” films.
After “Prey,” a compelling film sacrificed to the tail end of the pandemic, last June’s entry, the animated anthology “Predator: Killer of Killers” and now “Predator: Badlands,” he’s taken what had been a series with those serious “Alien” missteps and tied the two franchises together in a logical manner, all while blending an emotionally resonant story with some superb action sequences.
The story of Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Kolamatangi), a Yaujta race warrior, is that of having grown up the runt of his family’s litter and his father wanting to sacrifice him at the hand of his brother Kwei (Michael Homick).
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek in 20th Century Studios’ “Predator: Badlands.”
In Kwei’s mind, his brother has earned the right to earn his place in his Yaujta clan. Dear ol’ dad has other ideas, forcing his younger son to flee to the planet Genna, known as the death planet, and prove himself by catching an allegedly undefeatable beast.
Dek arrives with plenty of cockiness and arrogance, only to quickly learn how the world earned its nickname and he reluctantly saves and accepts the help of Thia (Elle Fanning) to navigate the foreign hellscape on his way to finding the beast that would be his trophy.
It’s soon revealed that Thia and her twin “sister” Tessa are on Genna for the same mission he’s focused upon. It’s also revealed that the synths are products of the Weyland Yutani Corp. – a player that will be familiar for fans of the “Alien” franchise.
The film delves into that connection intelligently, but where Trachtenberg excels comes from balancing the action with the actual character development. He could have easily just turned this exclusively into a film focused on the hunt. However, he painstakingly ensures that Thia and Dek, and eventual companion named Bud, get to know one another and each is given their own version of – for lack of a better term – humanity.
Thia (Elle Fanning) and Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) in 20th Century Studios’ “Predator: Badlands.”
Fanning excels in her dual roles as “sisters,” one of whom possesses icy resolve with respect to her dedication to the Weyland-Yutani Corp, while Thia evolves beyond her programming. Schuster-Kolamatangi conveys a lot of emotion through apparent layers of latex makeup, making Dek not only a fierce warrior, but ultimate a sympathetic and empathetic character to be respected.
As for Trachtenberg, his collaboration with cinematographer Jeff Cutter and production designer is visually sumptuous, but the story which he crafted with Patrick Aison, who eventually wrote the screenplay, is smart in a very memorable way as the Yaujta race has evolved beyond a singular goal in some respects. They’re given a culture and an ethos that makes the audience want to know more about them. The story also provides more than a few surprises.
Ultimately, “Predator: Badlands” in an impressive entry into the sci-fi/action genre featuring well-developed characters and complementary visuals.
George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
Review
Movie: “Predator: Badlands”
Cast: Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, Michael Homick
Directed by: Dan Trachtenberg
Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes
Rated: Rated PG-13 for sequences of strong sci-fi violence.
Grade: B+
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Dan Trachtenberg creates one of best entries in ‘Predator’ franchise
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