DJ Nyke’s Weekly Movie Pick: ‘Predator: Badlands’ Hunts Down the Competition

If you are a fan of the Predator franchise, this one is a must-see.

Predator: Badlands Is Now Streaming

Thanks to Hulu (and Disney+ by extension), you can watch this masterpiece at home. Predator: Badlands is everything you could ever want out of the franchise and then some. The film's main protagonist is one of the Predators. While normally portrayed as the "bad guys" in previous films, this latest opus takes a page from Terminator 2, as the Yautja (the name of the Predator species), is attempting to prove his worth to his tribe.

Early on in the story, he's joined by a female-appearing synth (see also: android), played by the talented and beautiful Elle Fanning (younger sister of actress, Dakota Fanning).

In case you haven't seen the trailer yet, give it a watch before we proceed any further.

What to Expect

The film is directed by Dan Trachtenberg, who is also one of the writers of the film. This is his third installment in the Predator franchise as he also cowrote and directed Prey and the animated film Predators: Killer of Killers.

There's plenty of action, a nice addition of comedy, which is usually more scarce in Predator films and the story moves fast enough to keep you engaged, whether your new to the franchise or a diehard fan.

As far as the Predator lore goes, this is the first time you really get to see them interacting with others of their species, and it's also the most dialogue ever spoken between multiple Yautja. By the way, their language was crafted by linguist, Britton Watkins, who was recommended by Paul Frommer, the man behind the Na'vi language in Avatar.

How Do I Rate the Film Overall?

I may catch some flak for this, but I'm going to give it a solid 9 (on a scale of 1 to 10). I will say, being a fan of the franchise since day one, it would have taken the makers of this film royally screwing up to disappoint me.

The action scenes and fighting sequences were top notch. The CGI was fitting, but not over the top, making it look believable, as were the sets and location choices. The quirky banter between Fanning's character and the Predator (played by 6'9", New Zealand actor, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), makes the film surprisingly more fun and thought provoking than most (if not all), of the other films in the franchise.

It's also a nice touch that "Badlands" continues the connectivity of lore between the respective Alien and Predator franchises.

I have seen IMDb reviewers complaining about the Star Wars-like sword resembling a lightsaber, but since when did that franchise get the only trademark on laser-powered melee weapons? Science fiction and lasers have gone hand in hand since day one.

By the way, I did do a Google search and found out the Disney, through Lucasfilm Ltd., does indeed hold multiple active trademarks for the specific term "lightsaber", which are registered for toys, clothing, and other merchandise and of course, the unique sound effects associated with them, but they do not own a trademark on the generic concept of a "laser sword" or "laser saber," as this is considered a broader sci-fi concept.

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This is the one movie release I was the most excited for in 2025. If I have any regrets, it's that I did not have the opportunity to see as intended, on the big screen. That being said, it was definitely worth the wait.

READ MORE: DJ Nyke’s Weekly Movie Pick - 'The Wrecking Crew' Demolishes Expectations