The highly anticipated reboot, Predator: Badlands, finally arrives, but its sci-fi horror elements are overshadowed by a lackluster plot that fails to deliver on the franchise’s promise. Initially marketed as a horror-sci-fi film with Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek facing off against a terrifying alien, the movie takes an unexpected turn by humanizing and making sympathetic the Predator itself.
Instead of the iconic creature we know, we’re introduced to Dek, a youngling from the Predator tribe played by Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. Dek’s vulnerability sparks a journey to reclaim his honor by killing a fearsome monster called the Kalisk. However, two robot-human bioclone twins, Thia and her ruthless counterpart, complicate Dek’s mission.
The movie falls flat due to its pointless plot, which undermines the franchise’s identity. Despite Elle Fanning’s efforts, even her star power cannot save this misfire from becoming a forgettable entry in the Predator series.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/04/predator-badlands-review-elle-fanning