The hunter with a heart – Beyond Bollywood

Writer Patrick Aison, director Dan Trachtenberg turn the predator legacy on its head with a vulnerable, yet emotional bipedal protagonist.  Elle Fanning shines in her two distinct synthetic avatars.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

Three years ago, director Dan Trachtenberg and writer Patrick Aison gave the Predator franchise a fresh turn with Prey (2022). It broke the long creative rut, as later instalments never matched the thrill and tension of the 1987 original. Prey served as a prequel, depicting the Predator’s first landing on Earth – and a Comanche woman who dares to hunt the hunter.

From the 18th century, Trachtenberg and Aison now transport us into a futuristic era – to Genna, aptly known as the death planet. Remarkably, not a single human exists here. Despite spending billions on space explorations, often undone by alien or extraterrestrial threats, the Weyland-Yutani Corporation never runs out of business. Having witnessed enough human bloodshed, the company now relies entirely on its advanced technology – ensuring the long mission on Genna is overseen solely by synths.

Story

Determined to prove his father and (Yautja) clan wrong, Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), the runt, arrives on Genna seeking the most prized kill – the invincible creature Kalisk. Though hesitant, Dek is joined by Thia (Elle Fanning), a damaged Weyland-Yutani synthetic determined to reunite with her lower body and her synthetic twin, Tessa. Thia clings to Yautja like a Betaal to Vikramaditya-unyielding, enigmatic, and bound to his fate.

Screenplay and direction

The Badlands in the title partly evokes nostalgia for Terrence Malick’s 1973 neo-noir classic starring Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek. Beyond the shared name, however, there isn’t much in common between the two films.

The Predator franchise legacy is one built on the fear of this extraterrestrial who thrives on being a trophy hunter, with a special taste for human skulls.  The odd conflict in a crossover film has seen a Predator side with a human (female) to slay the Xenomorph (Alien) but not for one moment you stopped fearing the bipedal. While Weyland-Yutani, the corporation that usually undertakes perilous space missions often foiled by Aliens, stays clear of Xenomorphs in Badlands, Genna feels more like a godforsaken land, teeming with dangerous creatures as well as perilous flora.  Hence fittingly called Death planet. Every second here is a battle of survival for anything that breathes and bleeds.

Predator: Badlands is unique as it’s the first film in the franchise with no human life. The colony that Weyland-Yutani has established on Genna is run entirely by synths. As a human, that’s a relief, you don’t mind if the creatures, synths, and Yautja turn on each other. But can a film truly be without emotion? The company has programmed feelings into Thia and Tessa, primarily as a tool to navigate the planet and leverage their emotions to suit tricky missions.

Surely, Genna is meant to be heaven for Yautjas, but the hunter Dek finds his heart on the Death Planet. An emotional predator that goes against the legacy, and in the process, takes the fear factor out completely. Is that a good thing? Franchise loyalists are likely to be divided, but change is the constant in any life and also for a franchise to be relevant.

It takes a while to get used to a sentimental predator, but once in Genna, Badlands offers enough shrills, thrills, and some humour to keep you hooked,

Performance

Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. Whoa, this sounds like a species onto itself. All along, we’ve seen some really big men in the shoes of Predator. The New Zealand actor of Samoan-Tongan heritage looks physically tough, but imagine playing a Predator that is dwarfed by most creatures. Trachtenberg has turned a corner in Yautja history, not just by giving them a language, but by having a bipedal protagonist who is emotional and vulnerable. To the clan, this is weakness, and there are no weaklings. While the language remains a mystery and the Yautja face continues to instill fear, it’s Schuster-Koloamatangi who draws you to this character.

Elle Fanning began her acting career by portraying the younger versions of her older sister Dakota’s characters in the miniseries Taken and the film I Am Sam. Though feared, a Yautja is still a living being, but it’s Thia, despite being a synth, who builds an emotional connection with the viewers. Weyland-Yutani instilled feelings in her, yet her blabbering and sense of humour feel entirely natural. The legless synth is a reminder of her technological origins, but Fanning breathes life into the character with a thoroughly enjoyable performance.   Though a twin, Tessa feels more synth-like, and Fanning effortlessly brings out the contrast between the two characters.

Technical Aspects

Early on, Alec Gillis’s Yautja design strikes like a simple mask, but the veteran creature-effects artist soon proves his mastery. The sight of Thia’s detached legs engaging in action is both striking and darkly amusing. Trachtenberg and his team bring the natural creatures of Genna to life with remarkable detail, while the synth designs of Thia and Tessa stand out, creating a visually striking contrast, all enhanced by riveting production design and a compelling score.

Final word

With Prey (2022), Trachtenberg and Alison reinvigorated the Predator franchise, which had been steadily losing its spark. Badlands takes this further, offering a unique portrayal of the feared extraterrestrial and hinting that the Yautja could headlines future installments.  To hell with pretty boys-aren’t we in the age of anti-heroes?

Watch the video review below.