Star Cast: Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Predator: Badlands Movie Review Synopsis:
PREDATOR: BADLANDS is the story of an outcast. Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) is a Yaujta who’s considered weak by his father, Njhorr (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), who’s also the leader of the clan. Njhorr asks Dek’s brother Kwei (Mike Homik) to finish off Dek, as the former feels that the weak have no place in their clan. However, Kwei saves Dek and asks him to go to a ‘Death Planet’ named Genna. This is the home of the most dangerous and strongest adversary, Kalisk. So, if Dek manages to kill Kalisk and bring back his head, he’ll be seen as a brave warrior. Njhorr is so angry with Kwei for not following his orders that he kills the latter. Dek is devastated and runs to Genna, determined to complete his mission. Genna turns out to be a dangerous and inhospitable territory and here, he gets help in the form of Thia (Elle Fanning), a damaged humanoid robot. But there’s a problem – Thia’s legs have been separated after she was attacked by Kalisk. She agrees to show Dek the way to Kalisk. In return, she wants Dek to help her find her limbs. What happens next forms the rest of the film.
Predator: Badlands Movie Story Review:
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison’s story shows considerable promise. Patrick Aison’s screenplay attempts to give viewers a novel time. He succeeds in some places, but in several scenes, the writing falters. The dialogues are alright. Be prepared to rely on subtitles, as Dek speaks the language of the Yautja. In short, at least 40% of the dialogues are not in English, and this may prove tedious for those who are not comfortable with subtitles.
Dan Trachtenberg’s direction is cinematic. His idea is to ensure that the film stands out from the rest of the CGI-heavy films and the previous films of the franchise. He also infuses a lot of dark humour that keeps the interest going. The scene where a young ape-like creature, named Bud, copies Dek, is too funny. Thia’s futile attempts in uniting two parts of her body amid the fight between Dek and Kalisk also raise laughs.
On the flipside, it takes a while for the viewers to get used to the world shown in the film. There is no English dialogue until the entry of Thia. This means English isn’t spoken for at least 20 minutes and this can also be unsettling for the viewers. The ending is convenient, more so in the very final fight. The track of Weyland-Yutani is also left abruptly. Lastly, the buzz for the series in India is limited.
Predator: Badlands | Final Hindi Trailer | In Cinemas November 7
Predator: Badlands Movie Review Performances:
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi’s face is digitally altered, but performance-wise, he’s first-rate. It’s commendable that he even learned the Predator language. Elle Fanning takes the film to dizzying heights with her character and performance. She also plays the diametrically opposite Tessa and, overall, gives a performance to watch out for. Mike Homik is okay in a small role.
Predator: Badlands movie music and other technical aspects:
Predator: Badlands movie music and other technical aspects:
Sarah Schachner and Benjamin Wallfisch’s music adds to the exhilaration. Jeff Cutter’s cinematography is spectacular. Ra Vincent’s production design is grand while Ngila Dickson’s costumes are novel. VFX matches global standards. The action is a bit gory but still watchable for audiences of all ages. The one in the final, involving two separate parts of Thia, stands out. Stefan Grube and David Trachtenberg’s editing could have been slicker in the middle.
Predator: Badlands Movie Review Conclusion:
On the whole, PREDATOR: BADLANDS rests on an intriguing premise, striking visuals and Elle Fanning’s standout act but is let down by its uneven writing, overlong, subtitle-heavy portions and convenient climax. With limited awareness for the Predator franchise in India, minimal star power and a largely alien-language narrative, its box office prospects in the country are quite dim, making it a fare strictly for hardcore sci-fi and franchise loyalists.