Here Is What We Think Of Predator: Badlands (2025)

Now, if you loved my review of Predator: Killer of Killers, then you will love Predator: Badlands. This latest movie adds something refreshing to Dan Trachtenberg’s Predator franchise. It also stands out as the first Predator movie without any humans. I did not expect that choice to work as well as it did, it gave the story a different kind of tension.

Predator: Badlands was released in cinemas on the 7th of November 2025 by 20th Century Productions. Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, this sci-fi film carries a storyline centered on revenge, honour and survival. It also explores what it means to find strength when you are far from home. Patrick Aison wrote the screenplay. The cast is very small, but their performances kept the movie alive.

This movie is rated PG 13. Despite the rating, it is a film the entire family can sit together and enjoy. Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Koloamatangi take us on a journey into the Badlands, it is not a long movie, but it is gripping from the first scene.

Premise

Predator: Badlands opens with a young Yautja named Dek. He has not been fully accepted into the Yautja clan. He shares the same bloodline with them, yet they see him as weak. Dek trains in combat with his elder brother Kwei. Kwei wants him to grow strong enough to earn his place among the clan. He wants him to be recognized as a cloak carrying member of the Yautja.

Every Predator must begin with a hunt. The rule has not changed. To earn his acceptance, Dek must choose another apex predator on a different planet. He must hunt this predator and bring back its body or capture it alive. That will serve as his trophy. That will prove his worth.

Although Dek’s father hates him for being weak, he forces Kwei to kill him. The father wants to cleanse the family and remove any form of weakness. Kwei refuses. He fights his father to protect Dek. It is a short moment, yet it says everything about their bond. It also sets the tone for Dek’s entire journey.

Dek sets off for his hunt in a wasteland on a hostile planet. It is not earth. The apex predator he chooses is one the Yautja fear. They call it the Kalisk. Dek believes that killing the Kalisk will prove he is not weak. When he arrives on the planet, his ship crashes. He lands in a wreckage and gets isolated in a region that looks like a death trap. Everything in that place wants to kill him.

There he meets Thia. Thia is a disembodied Weyland Yutani synthetic stuck in a vulture’s nest. She is only half a body, yet she is full of life. She proves her efficiency when she helps Dek escape a dangerous creature. Their teamwork begins in the most chaotic way. Dek carries her around since she cannot walk.

Thia guides him to the Kalisk’s den. That is where she finds the other half of her body. She seals herself back together. Once she is whole again, she reveals that she is also hunting the Kalisk. Dek feels betrayed and leaves her. He later engages the Kalisk in a battle. He manages to decapitate the creature twice. That is when he discovers something terrifying. The Kalisk has regenerative abilities. Killing it becomes almost impossible. Soon after, other synthetics joined Thia. One of them is Tessa. Thia calls her sister. That sisterly bond does not last. Thia finds out Tessa has changed. Tessa has her own agenda. Her mission is dangerous and will lead to the destruction of everything in her path.

Tessa captures the Kalisk and Dek. Her plan is to use them for research, a process that will eventually kill them. Thia worries about Dek. She goes against Tessa and frees him. Thia’s loyalty shifts and Dek becomes her priority. Dek must return the favour. He must rescue Thia from the advanced synthetics who want to end her. The question then becomes simple. Can Dek complete his mission while trying to save the only thing who stood by him in the Badlands

Cast And Performance

There were not many leads in Predator: Badlands. Still, the two central characters carried the entire one hour thirty eight minutes runtime on their shoulders. One was monstrous. One was synthetic, they were both were brilliant.

Dimitrius Schuster Koloamatangi as Dek

Dimitrius delivered a performance that reminded me of Zuko from Avatar. Dek has something to prove. He wants to show his father and his brother that he has strength. He wants them to see that he deserves a place in the clan. Unlike Zuko, Dek has no fire bending. He only has grit, instinct and determination.

Many of Dimitrius’ scenes, just like Frankenstein, were nonverbal. His performance carried weight in the growls, the grunts and the body language. The prosthetics were heavy. Yet he found a way to express emotions under all that makeup. I kept thinking of how much effort went into those physical movements.

Elle Fanning as Thia and Tessa

Elle Fanning took on a very challenging role in Predator: Badlands. She played two different synthetics. The first was Thia. Thia is sweet, emotional, and unexpectedly funny, she is talkative and curious and asks a lot of questions. She cares a little too much for a robot. Her bond with Dek felt natural.

The second was Tessa. Tessa is cold, calculating and dangerous. She is focused on the mission. She is relentless. You could call her the female Terminator. She shows no remorse. She shows no fear. That contrast between the two synthetics made Elle’s performance even more impressive. She slipped between the two characters without confusion. She spent a large portion of the film crawling or immobile. Yet she remained expressive. Her performance was sharp.

What I Liked

Dan Trachtenberg deserves praise for this movie. His creativity is something I always admire. His ideas go beyond what we usually see in sci fi action films. He adds depth without forcing anything. He knows how to tell a story that feels new.

The originality behind Predator: Badlands won me over. The concept was solid. His casting choices also worked in the film’s favour. Everything from the set design to the execution felt intentional. He made a statement with this movie. He has been doing that with every film in the Predator franchise.

I appreciated the prosthetics. The team recreated the Predator look from Predator: Killer of Killers with accuracy, it did feel familiar, but not repetitive, and every detail looked right.

The fight scenes were another highlight. They did not hold back. They served us action and gore at the level we expect from a Predator film. The sequences felt like an advanced video game. I mean that in the best way. The immersion was strong. Once the action started, it did not let go.

I also enjoyed the emotional layer the film explored. Predators are known to be fierce and hard hearted. Yet this movie showed another side. It revealed vulnerability without making it cheesy. It showed Dek’s transformation from a lone wolf to a creature who values companionship. His bond with Thia was the cherry on top. It added warmth to a story filled with chaos.

What I Did Not Like

There is almost nothing to dislike. I have been watching good movies lately. Choosing a bad one has become hard. My only problem with Predator: Badlands is the length. One hour thirty eight minutes did not feel enough. A movie with this much weight needed more time.

I wanted to see the beginning of Dek’s struggle. I tried to understand why his clan treated him as if he were weak. Dek fought well, he survived a hostile planet, and he battled a Kalisk. I wanted more backstory.

Predator Badlands Movie_Dimitrius Schuster

Verdict

Predator: Badlands is a sci-fi thriller that will leave you clutching your pearls at the intensity of the battles. Every moment keeps you alert, and every scene pulls you in. And also, I highly recommend watching it with your family, and if you have a child who loves video games, take that child along, they will definitely thank you later.

My Rating

For everything that made Predator: Badlands astonishing and intriguing, it earns a 4 out of 5. It adds to one of the best movies I have reviewed this year.

Our Rating of This Movie

Author

Amarachi Ndukwe

Amarachi Ndukwe is a talented movie reviewer who knows how to make films easy to understand and fun to discuss. She shares her thoughts in a clear and engaging way, helping her readers see what makes each movie special. With a great eye for detail, she explains stories, themes, and characters in a way that anyone can enjoy.