Review | “Predator: Badlands” offers a delightful dose of pulp carnage

Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

There is a scene in “Predator: Badlands” in which the titular Predator throws his plasma sword at the charging head of a giant space bull, cleaving the creature in twain and hoisting its split and bloody spine in the air in triumph. The Predator is then swept up by a giant flesh-eating bug, which it fights with help from a rough-and-tumble space monkey.

If you ask me, this can all be summed up in one word: “rad.”

The central premise of “Badlands” is that a lone game-hunting alien must traverse the deadliest planet in the universe to kill its unkillable prey in order to prove himself to his clan. Expanding on the lore and dynamics of the Yautja, the proper name of this race of advanced alien predators, this movie brings one new thing to the table that we’ve never seen before in a “Predator” movie: heart.

Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is the runt of his Yautja clan, and as such his father threatens to kill him. He barely escapes with his life with an even more perilous quest ahead of him. This is the first time we’ve ever seen the Yautja deal with actual emotions, so to call it “heartfelt” may be overdramatic — but hey, it’s a welcome, earnest attempt that does a good job providing stakes beyond primal violence and survival.

But wowza, that violence is sublime! It may be rated PG-13, but only because its gallons of spilt blood are shades of green, blue, white, yellow and every color of the rainbow except red. While this makes it tamer than its predecessors in the eyes of the MPAA, this film may just feature the most dismemberments-per-minute (DPMs) of the year. It’s a sight to behold and helps keep the film’s pulpy sci-fi tone intact for the duration of its tight 100-minute runtime.

After directing the breakout hit “Prey” in 2022, Dan Trachtenberg returns to the helm and one thing is clear: this guy loves the “Predator” franchise. For the first time since the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger original, these movies feel fresh, fun and exciting. Part of what makes these so fun is their willingness to try new things — after all, both “Prey” and “Badlands” are essentially coming-of-age movies featuring aliens with a lust for blood and glory — and part of what makes them so fresh is their commitment to standing alone. 

Despite this being the ninth film in the franchise, it defies modern Hollywood expectations by providing a solid story that both begins and ends within the confines of its runtime, no prior knowledge or Yautja experience required. It features the villainous goons of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation of the “Alien” franchise, but you don’t need to know anything about that to enjoy watching their androids get sliced to gooey, sparking bits.

And speaking of those androids — while part of me wishes that this was a solely alien-driven narrative that never deviated from the Yautja language and cornucopia of exotic space creatures, I couldn’t help but be charmed by Elle Fanning’s presence. Playing a legless and lovable kindhearted android named Thia who helps Dek on his quest, as well as the more ruthless Tessa, hellbent on capturing Dek and his unkillable prey for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. It provides “Badlands” with a more approachable heart than Dek’s violent drive that does a great job balancing out his unshakable ruthlessness. Albeit, it’s a beating heart that gets a little bit too quippy and sarcastic to fit the tone, but it’s also a heart that can deftly manipulate the environment and use robotic strength to brutally murder her foes, so I’m willing to accept it.

But I cannot overstate how much of “Badlands” consists of what the kids call “hype and aura moments.” The action frequently slows to highlight these massive widescreen frames, usually featuring a slaying or an explosion, feeling ripped straight out of a comic book splash page. All the while, Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch’s score fuels every moment with searing synth and thundering drums accompanying guttural Yautja throat singing. It immediately sets a tone that gets you ready to rumble.

If you’re at all like me and constantly crave a high dosage of pulpy sci-fi dismemberment-heavy alien violence featuring plasma blades, razor grass, space monkeys and blood that’s any color but red — you’ll have a good time with “Predator: Badlands.” It does exactly what it says on the box: it thrills, it wallops and, most importantly, it keeps you thinking “hell yeah.”