So, here’s the scoop on “Predator: Badlands.” We’ve got this Yautja named Dek, who’s itching to prove himself because his older brother and dad think he’s too young and puny. The Yautja are these super scary alien hunters, thanks to their awesome invisibility thingy called a “mantle.” Dek’s stuck between his dad, who’s ready for a showdown with the brother he thinks is weak too.

Out of nowhere, Dek’s caught in his bro’s ship that takes him to maybe the nastiest planet ever—a place no one’s returned from after trying to hunt this beast called Kalisk. On this wild ride, he teams up with some unlikely pals: a little creature that looks like a monkey with armor and an android that’s all brains and jokes but can’t walk.

Now about the movie itself—it’s flipping the original predator storyline by making Dek the main dude we follow. What really spikes interest though is watching Dek mix it up with this happy-go-lucky android while they’re battling Earth-based corporate machines. Elle Fanning steps in with some top-notch comic chops, turning this odd pairing into something special even if it clashes with its own themes. It’s kind of amusing seeing them go full-on hero mode against androids and then lean hard into classic Disney vibes.

Predator: Badlands is all about building a universe that mixes the vibes of Alien but with a twist of fun and cuteness, thanks to this comical creature that screams “put me in a toy store.” Cool thing is, it ditched humans for androids, making things less bloody and easier on the American film ratings.

If you loved how Prey got back to basics, this one does its own thing. The director, Dan Trachtenberg, still nails those action scenes with the alien hunter doing his thing. This time around it’s amped up — big creatures, wild traps, and way tougher enemies are the new norm. Way scarier than those people from before.

Dek’s our lead here; he’s all digital like something straight outta Warcraft or Avatar. But man, he’s angry all the time! Sure, he’s got his reasons — life’s unfair and all that — but it kinda drags down the excitement after a while. Even when he’s kicking butt in well-planned scenes, it doesn’t quite hit like live-action intensity or go full animation fantasy like what you might see in something like Predator: Killer of Killers.

Things start spicing up when Dek finds some unexpected company among his alien friends during the journey though…
So, there’s this android who turns out to be way more complex and human-like than you’d expect. She’s got her own set of “family” issues and feels like an outsider, just like this other character in the story. But for her, it’s not about how she looks, it’s because of some glitch in her programming. This glitch gives her a personality that’s nothing like what the big corporation—a familiar one if you’re into the Alien movies—wants from her.

There’s also another android on her tail (also played by Elle Fanning), alongside someone named Kalisk, chasing after her and Dek. The movie really hits its stride when we get to this wild scene where our main girl, without legs, somehow manages to control a pair of separate lower limbs. It’s like she’s fighting as two parts… top half and bottom half… which sounds crazy but ends up being all sorts of fun mixing action with funny moments. Seriously original stuff going on there!